What do you use to clean up your engine bay with?

Armor All has a "lint-free" design now. Check the canister label.

*slighly* warm engine + simple green + rinse = happy

Great, thanks for the info guys. I never thought of using Simple Green and fortunately I have a couple bottles of that stuff around the house

if you can find it, use CD-2 Engine Cleaner and Detailer. Comes in a kit with two cans (one cleaner, one detailer). You dont' need to wipe anything, this stuff rocks. Here's what I had after 20 minutes (most of which is just waiting) and no rubbing or wiping what-so-ever:

The thing was spotless. I can't beleive how hard it is to find it though. The cleaner is a spray-on, let soak, then rinse product. The detailer is a spray on a dry engine bay, then let setup on a warm engine product. Excellent stuff.

Where did you get that stuff and how much did it cost?

It costs $6 per kit around here and is pretty easy to find.

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
It costs $6 per kit around here and is pretty easy to find.

That price is about right, but I can't find it anywhere anymore. I've managed to find it online at a couple stores, but I'm thinking its been discontinued. Its a shame, its a great product!

I'll check at some stores the next time I am home. Thanks

Originally posted by bullion:
Where did you get that stuff and how much did it cost?

CD-2

I bought something called "Castrol Super Clean" at my local Wally World last week, and I cleaned by engine bay with it - 7 years worth of .. err.. whatever was stuck there..

The gunk and grime stuck under the hood mostly came off on contact with the cleaner, the rest came off when I hosed it down for the rinse. Surprising results!

Now I have to clean the rest of the engine itself, as it looks like .. well... looks bad.

I tried the simple green today and it worked well. I can't find the CD-2 here in Canada anymore

We had a discussion about this same topic at a local meet once. A guy suggested Foamy Engine Brite. It can be bought at an auto parts store. It only costs about 2 or 3 dollars and you get $20 results! All the guys that were there that day swear by it. You just spray it on, it foams up and hose it off. It REALLY works well. I love the stuff!

Simple Green and Tire Foam works great for me.

S100 Engine Brightener and a rag, no water necessary:

About $8 at a Harley store, I think I'll buy a case of it next time

Bought a can of "Steam Pro" (sp?) from Kragen. They had it on clearance for $1. Works pretty well, just spray this stream (it doesn't smell that bad), then rinsed it down. With a rag I can get it cleaner, but I don't feel like working.

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
Do they ever call the cops as you force them to look at your "escort" or "taurus" engine?

spray with Simple Green.
Agitate real dirty areas with a brush
rinse with water
dry
spray with CD-2
Sit
Drink Beer
Smile

Can u rinse ur engine w/out damageing anything? I alkways thought that you shouldn't do that..

Steve

Originally posted by Steve Benthal Jr.:
Can u rinse ur engine w/out damageing anything?

Sure, rinsing is ok, just dont use a lot of pressure.

Originally posted by CRZYDRVR:

Originally posted by Steve Benthal Jr.:
Can u rinse ur engine w/out damageing anything?

Sure, rinsing is ok, just dont use a lot of pressure.

Exactly. Witness: link

Simple green. Let it soak then spray off with a garden hose. Then eiether start engine to dry or blow off with compressed air.

Originally posted by hetfield:

Originally posted by CRZYDRVR:

Originally posted by Steve Benthal Jr.:
Can u rinse ur engine w/out damageing anything?

Sure, rinsing is ok, just dont use a lot of pressure.

Exactly. Witness: link

Thanks Mike for alerting the entire Country of my stupidity, I was hoping only the West Great Lakes bunch would catch on!!!

soap and water....

I hose it down with water, then take a rag and wipe the bad spots then rinse. No soap or cleaner. Then spray it all down with armor all. I do that to the car and the 4Runner. The 4Runner since sept of 99 and the car since March of 2001.

Ahhh, what I will do when I have some free time.....at least college will be done with in about a month.

Well, I was able to find CD-2 engine detailer at a local parts store (but not the kit that comes with the CD-2 cleaner and detailer). I just used a regular degreaser then applied the CD-2 detailer and the results were amazing. I'll post pics when I get around to taking them.

Hey maybe this is a stupid question but do you guys have to cover the battery and all that good stuff when you guys hose the engine bay down with water?

thanks

Originally posted by 97Tour:
Hey maybe this is a stupid question but do you guys have to cover the battery and all that good stuff when you guys hose the engine bay down with water?

thanks

Plastic bags or sheets work fine..just make sure to tuck them in securely. Again, just be careful with the hose and you should be fine.

Originally posted by rkneeshaw:
if you can find it, use CD-2 Engine Cleaner and Detailer. Comes in a kit with two cans (one cleaner, one detailer). You dont' need to wipe anything, this stuff rocks. Here's what I had after 20 minutes (most of which is just waiting) and no rubbing or wiping what-so-ever:

The thing was spotless. I can't beleive how hard it is to find it though. The cleaner is a spray-on, let soak, then rinse product. The detailer is a spray on a dry engine bay, then let setup on a warm engine product. Excellent stuff.

Ditto. I used the CD2 Engine Detailer can only though...simple green works fine as a degreaser.

Just a can of this (its all you need): CD2

I'll post a picture of the results later tonight hopefully. (just to save you the suspense...it looks real good).

OK...engine bay whoring away (excuse the po-man's heat sheild):

As you can see...this stuff rocks!!!

another vote for simple green. got my vote as of today. covered the electricals, sprayed down with the green , got the tuff stuff with a toothbrush, gently washed off. thats it!

i know it may sound crazy, but this is a tip i found on another ford (truck) web site and have been using for years.

try a spray can of scrubbing bubbles!yes, i know, its bathroom cleaner! no matter. its easy, will make your engine compartment sparkle- and the lemon-y aroma is not bad either! try it, you will like it! just used it on my new to me 98 'stique and boy, does the under hood area, hoses and all, shine! doesn't take much.....

lakeside

Looks great man! I need to clean mine soon. It's already fairly clean, so it won't be a huge pain. It's previous owner took great care of it.

I use Blue Coral Degreaser and Meguiars Vinyl/rubber protectant+ Mag polish in areas that need it.

Wow, blue coral degreaser works better than i thought

It works VERY good. It's about on par with the industrial stuff we use at my workplace. Even smells the same, except orangy. I love Blue Coral's products. Anyone know what happened to their wax products?

I use simply green to clean my engine and it works GREAT!

Originally posted by MadMerc97:
It works VERY good. It's about on par with the industrial stuff we use at my workplace. Even smells the same, except orangy. I love Blue Coral's products. Anyone know what happened to their wax products?

I think their wax products went out of style with parachute pants

Their products make me think of Rain Dance, Simoniz and Nu-Finish too

hmmm. So much for the Cadillac of Waxes...

Originally posted by MadMerc97:
hmmm. So much for the Cadillac of Waxes...

Yeah, "Cadillac of waxes" went out with the 4-6-8 engine system on the Cadillac of the early 80's, kinda like Blue Coral. All I can see is cords and a mullet when I think of the above mentioned waxes

Yeah? The mullet=powa grasshoppa!

p21s total auto wash

pre rinse with plain water from the hose, then spray with simple green automotive, let sit a few minutes and rinse. My uncle has a steam cleaner that i'm itching to try though.