Im no clean freak but i do belive in keeping my car reasonably clean inside and out. My engine bay is looking a little dirty. Its been 8k miles and is due for a steam clean. My question is this: Is there anything i should know or do before i hire someone over to steam clean my engine bay? Is it worth it? Can it cause problems etc? Im doing this mainly just to keep everything nice and not filthy.

 

Dont know lots about steam cleaning, but you must fully cover the intake system, make sure no water gets in. Let us know how it goes, my engine is getting dirty also.

 

I’ll tell you my method, but not necessarily recommend that you use this method:

1. Rinse engine bay and underside of hood with a fine spray of water.
2. Prepare a spray bottle of 50 Mr. Clean/50 water.
3. Spray underside of hood and engine bay. Let sit for 10 minutes.
4. Agitate dirty areas with a assortment of paint brushes.
5. Rinse with fine water mist.
6. Dry with leaf blower.
7. Apply dressing to damp cloth, then wipe plastic engine bay parts.

BTW photo above at 30,000 miles.

 

I really need to use my leaf blower some time for drying as it seems to pop up in a loads of posts!

 

dont steam....steam will work its way into wiring harnesses/electrical components much easier than sprayed water

 

Wow-David that looks great....

 

I have been attending car shows for years and have always used the product "Steam Engine Cleaner" from Prestone. Its a mild foaming degreaser that leaves a nice clean surface. You spray down your engine bay with it Dry. (make sure the engine is cool). You then Hose down the bay and spray it again while wet. it them foams up. You spray it a final time for a CLEAN engine bay. I then use Meguires Detailer to shine up all of the plastic.

 

David, your engine bay looks like a red X on a white background. How did you make it do that?

 

davidv, nice right up. Ill have to try that on mine.
Question, since you have the K&N Typhoon, that CF cover, does yours vibrate againenst your hood? Mine did and was rubbing the on the paint on the hood. I builded my own box cover to fit inside the box and not on top. Anyways Looks good. Thanks for the write up

 

No rubbing on the hood. The upper right corner may work itself loose. But you can fix it with a new plug. Plugs are available in a package from Courtesy Nissan.

 

Sometimes I amaze myself.

 

How about overspray of Prestone on the fenders? Any problems?

 

I can see! I can see!

And I like what I see. Good job!

 

damn David, that is CLEAN! I am so jealous. I am going to break out the cleaning gear this weekend.

 

I havent had any problems with it at all on paint. It may strip your wax off though, so wash the bay first then the rest of the car.

 

Is the intake the only thing you need to cover up in order to spray it down? A buddy of mine has a mustang, and I think he spends more time prepping the engine for cleaning then it takes for him to actually clean it.