Cleaning the Engine

[fresser]

Anyone chanced a steam cleaning of the engine bay? Or do you all take the whole thing apart and clean it?,

I am fitting the ACT silicon hose kits, (Water and Air) and the HT leads, dizzy cap, this weekend and whilst everything is off wanted to use the engine cleaning spirits and a jet-wash, but am worried it won't ever start again... (Had that trouble before on an old Ford...)

Ot do you reckon I should just leave it?

[DustyC]

Dont waste your time, drive it instead!

[greenv8s]

Wouldn't steam clean it if I were you, the steam gets into the electrics.

[fresser]

Adam,

quality comments as usual...!!

Under the Plenum it is full of gunk, and the rocker covers are a little off colour, generally I was gonna make the whole engine bay look more respectable, but wanted to do it whilst I could get to everything...

BTW: anyone got some tips on fitting the silicon hoses and stainless swanecks??
conditioning the hoses and then bleeding and re-filling the system...

[dougal]

Personally I would leave it, I tried it, didn't look much better after and as soon as it rained it was coughing and spluttering all over the shop, so sprayed WD all over the electrics thus defeating the object.

[DustyC]

I know how to make it look amazing in about 5 seconds.

I'll park next to you and you can compare it to my engine bay!
An gooey oily coated engine with flaking paint on the rocker covers is a happy engine

[wedget]

Just make sure the engine is warm and dont get water near ecu if you have one, If it fails to start or runs a bit lumpy dry inside dizzy cap, If you could get hold of some TFR (traffic film remover) this works very well indeed, Engine looks a million times better for when people ask to see it..

[griffter]

1/2 day with a screwdriver (to scrape), cloths, brake cleaner and hoover works well and is safe. The effect isn't quite the same, but then it'll get dirty again in no time anyway.