Can I Spray My E92 328i Engine Bay?

Hooy · 03-02-2011, 01:38 PM

I've been boning up on washing/detailing the past few days, and I was wondering if it was safe to hose the engine bay down. Is there anything I should cover, wrap, or completely avoid?

Here are some pics that where I had cleaned the day before, but there are some areas deeper down that I just can't reach.

Before:

The day after halfway through a road trip:

Bavarian Tech · 03-02-2011, 01:59 PM

Ive pressure washer my engine bay before with no ill effects, I would & avoid the alterntor.
Btw what color is that ?

tofu- · 03-02-2011, 02:06 PM

that's pretty much how everyone does it. agitate with some brushes, then hose it down

Blubaron79 · 03-02-2011, 02:14 PM

You are NOT supposed to hose your engine bay down ever. I always use a damp rag and wipe it down after every other wash. It keeps it fairly clean.

youngnastyman · 03-02-2011, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

You are NOT supposed to hose your engine bay down ever. I always use a damp rag and wipe it down after every other wash. It keeps it fairly clean.

really? I'm pretty sure the dealers always hose down the engine bay when they sell used cars?

Then again the dealers are idiots.

Hooy · 03-02-2011, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msbc721

Ive pressure washer my engine bay before with no ill effects, I would & avoid the alterntor.
Btw what color is that ?

Atlantic Blue

Quote:

Originally Posted by tofu-

that's pretty much how everyone does it. agitate with some brushes, then hose it down

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

You are NOT supposed to hose your engine bay down ever. I always use a damp rag and wipe it down after every other wash. It keeps it fairly clean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngnastyman

really? I'm pretty sure the dealers always hose down the engine bay when they sell used cars?

Then again the dealers are idiots.

Can anyone confirm this?

tofu- · 03-02-2011, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooy

Can anyone confirm this?

check the detailing section

pretty much all of the engine bay cleaning threads involve soaping it up, scrubbing, then hosing it down.

everything in there is protected from water unless you have open filters

The HACK · 03-02-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooy

Can anyone confirm this?

About dealers being idiots?

There's NOTHING WRONG with hosing down the engine bay. As long as certain precautions were taken. For example, you should probably disconnect the battery when hosing down the engine bay, as well as cover up exposed electrical connectors. Also don't reconnect the battery and/or start up the engine until the engine has dried up.

This is what I usually do once every 6 months on my daily drive, or once a year on my weekend warrior.

0) Blow away or wipe off excess dirt.

1) Warm up the engine.

2) Once the engine has cooled down to a luke warm level, disconnect battery and cover up the jump terminal, the alternator, and any exposed wires such as the harness behind the headlights with Saran Wrap.

3) Spray Griot's Engine Bay cleaner on the still luke warm engine, use a terry cloth to agitate or a soft bristle brush for hard to reach areas like between the strut to firewall braces. Use a clean terry cloth to dry up as much as possible.

4) Using an open hose at low flow, hose down the engine bay.

5) Use a clean terry cloth to dry up as much as possible.

6) Leave engine bay open for up to 4 hours, or use a leaf blower to blow the majority of the engine dry, then leave for up to 2 hours with the bay open. Unwrap electrical connectors and alternator.

On the weekend warrior I'd leave the car in the garage overnight before firing it up.

Been doing this for the last 9+ years on all my BMWs and have not had any issues.

IancoleTX · 03-02-2011, 02:49 PM

Hooy you should get some white wheels, it would look unique and fresh as hell

MusclezMarinara · 03-02-2011, 03:23 PM

Make sure the car is cold...use purple power one certain areas plastics....hoses....no open areas or electrical contacts...use a light spray and don't soak the motor its a RINSE....if you have DCIs i would wrap them with a garbage bag and BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS not to get them wet at all.

328skidpad · 03-02-2011, 03:31 PM

I would never hose the engine down, why would I want to promote rusting and oxidation .

These cars have so many electrical components/ sensors etc.

BlackBimmer1991 · 03-02-2011, 03:35 PM

Do not warm up your engine. If your gonna spray down your engine bay at least cover the alternator and some wires with a plastic bag. You can turn it on after to help dry some things out.

MusclezMarinara · 03-02-2011, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackBimmer1991

Do not warm up your engine. If your gonna spray down your engine bay at least cover the alternator and some wires with a plastic bag. You can turn it on after to help dry some things out.

+10

Verbiage · 03-02-2011, 04:59 PM

I think you did an outstanding job, judging by the pictures.

PMDTX · 03-02-2011, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bavarian III

I think you did an outstanding job, judging by the pictures.

Agreed, OPs engine bay looks good. Keep doing whatever works for you.

E91toG05 · 03-02-2011, 05:21 PM

remove the leaves by hand. then take a damp/wet rag to the dirty stuff (perhaps with some Simple Green). 15 minutes of TLC will make her look like new.

Watwood · 03-02-2011, 05:29 PM

Dealerships do this all the time when detailing a car that's traded in. Don't spray water up into your intake and you'll be fine. Most of the electrical mess on these cars has a cover over it. With the engine cool spray it down with a degreaser, spray off with a hose, if you'd like skeet some engine shine on it. Wahlah, engine looks good.

NFexec · 03-02-2011, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bavarian III

I think you did an outstanding job, judging by the pictures.

Dude - leave it alone! Why invite potential problems. It looks faaaaab-u-lous!

Doug

Neutrino45 · 03-02-2011, 05:57 PM

Did you use anything the shine the black part or is that natural?

Hooy · 03-02-2011, 06:54 PM

Thanks for the advice and compliments guys!

I used Optimum Power Clean APC and some paper towels to wipe most of the crap away (engine bay has never been cleaned in 3 years), then used a combination of Einszett 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner and CG Silk Shine Dressing & Protectant. Applied with a 33 cent sponge from Target, dressed with a $1 microfiber towel.

03-02-2011, 01:38 PM	#1
Hooy Colonel 205 Rep 2,770 Posts Drives: E92 328i, E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (12) Garage List 2008 E92 328 [5.00]	Can I Spray My E92 328i Engine Bay? I've been boning up on washing/detailing the past few days, and I was wondering if it was safe to hose the engine bay down. Is there anything I should cover, wrap, or completely avoid? Here are some pics that where I had cleaned the day before, but there are some areas deeper down that I just can't reach. Before: The day after halfway through a road trip:
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03-02-2011, 01:59 PM	#2
Bavarian Tech Major 274 Rep 1,208 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pittsburgh/Harrisburg iTrader: (15) Garage List 2006 330i [10.00]	Ive pressure washer my engine bay before with no ill effects, I would & avoid the alterntor. Btw what color is that ?
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03-02-2011, 02:06 PM	#3
tofu- Banned 89 Rep 2,854 Posts Drives: 335i Jet Black/Coral Red Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: nyc iTrader: (4)	that's pretty much how everyone does it. agitate with some brushes, then hose it down
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03-02-2011, 02:14 PM	#4
Blubaron79 Brigadier General 1445 Rep 4,728 Posts Drives: 2021 M340i xDrive Join Date: May 2009 Location: PA iTrader: (0)	You are NOT supposed to hose your engine bay down ever. I always use a damp rag and wipe it down after every other wash. It keeps it fairly clean. __________________ Current: 2021 M340i xDrive Previous: '18 340i xDrive; '15 335 xDrive; '14 435i xDrive; '09 335 E92 xDrive
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03-02-2011, 02:49 PM	#9
IancoleTX Dillo boxers 278 Rep 3,359 Posts Drives: 2019 M5C Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (14)	Hooy you should get some white wheels, it would look unique and fresh as hell
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03-02-2011, 03:23 PM	#10
MusclezMarinara Banned 275 Rep 5,018 Posts Drives: VALNCYA Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Jersey iTrader: (23) Garage List 2011 BMW 1M [9.22] 2009 335i Sedan xdrive [9.34]	Make sure the car is cold...use purple power one certain areas plastics....hoses....no open areas or electrical contacts...use a light spray and don't soak the motor its a RINSE....if you have DCIs i would wrap them with a garbage bag and BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS not to get them wet at all.
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03-02-2011, 03:31 PM	#11
328skidpad Lieutenant 57 Rep 495 Posts Drives: 328xi e350 Z4M X3 M40 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Princeton NJ iTrader: (0)	I would never hose the engine down, why would I want to promote rusting and oxidation . These cars have so many electrical components/ sensors etc.
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03-02-2011, 03:35 PM	#12
BlackBimmer1991 Lieutenant 27 Rep 533 Posts Drives: Black f32 428i xdrive Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: PA iTrader: (1)	Do not warm up your engine. If your gonna spray down your engine bay at least cover the alternator and some wires with a plastic bag. You can turn it on after to help dry some things out. __________________ Old head
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03-02-2011, 04:59 PM	#14
Verbiage Dismembered Member 3656 Rep 9,213 Posts Drives: F80 ZCP 6MT, R55 Clubman S 6MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: DMV iTrader: (6)	I think you did an outstanding job, judging by the pictures. __________________ My delivery experience and beach photoshoot here.
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03-02-2011, 05:21 PM	#16
E91toG05 Captain 438 Rep 716 Posts Drives: 2022 X5 45e Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New York, NY iTrader: (0)	remove the leaves by hand. then take a damp/wet rag to the dirty stuff (perhaps with some Simple Green). 15 minutes of TLC will make her look like new.
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03-02-2011, 05:29 PM	#17
Watwood Private 16 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Dealerships do this all the time when detailing a car that's traded in. Don't spray water up into your intake and you'll be fine. Most of the electrical mess on these cars has a cover over it. With the engine cool spray it down with a degreaser, spray off with a hose, if you'd like skeet some engine shine on it. Wahlah, engine looks good.
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03-02-2011, 05:57 PM	#19
Neutrino45 Major 74 Rep 1,452 Posts Drives: XXX Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: milky way iTrader: (2)	Did you use anything the shine the black part or is that natural? __________________
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03-02-2011, 06:54 PM	#20
Hooy Colonel 205 Rep 2,770 Posts Drives: E92 328i, E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (12) Garage List 2008 E92 328 [5.00]	Thanks for the advice and compliments guys! I used Optimum Power Clean APC and some paper towels to wipe most of the crap away (engine bay has never been cleaned in 3 years), then used a combination of Einszett 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner and CG Silk Shine Dressing & Protectant. Applied with a 33 cent sponge from Target, dressed with a $1 microfiber towel.
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