[Sledgehammer70]

I talked about this subject about a month ago and it became really apparent not many people knew they could or were simply afraid to clean their motors/engine compartment.

I have done so for years and got over my fear after talking with a handful of detailers, but to note many of them do not offer the service to their customers, just in case they did break something. #liability

But here are the steps I take to keep my motor looking great for car meets and shows. It is very basic, but gets the job done in a safe manner.



But the real question is, how many of you actually care, or clean your engines? In the grand scheme of things, once cleaned, you really only need to wipe things down to upkeep it.

[1sspat]

I usually take the time to wipe down what I can under the hood with a damp cloth while drying the car after a wash. Definitely not as detailed as your cleaning process Sledge, but I would place myself in the category of uneasy using a garden hose under the hood. Great video, we appreciate your wealth of knowledge, so keep 'em coming.

[freddyD]

I don't know how a 2016 engine would be that dirty but once a week I wipe it down with a damp rag-no products needed really-unless you drive through a swamp!

[SSDan]

Originally Posted by 1sspat

I usually take the time to wipe down what I can under the hood with a damp cloth while drying the car after a wash. Definitely not as detailed as your cleaning process Sledge, but I would place myself in the category of uneasy using a garden hose under the hood. Great video, we appreciate your wealth of knowledge, so keep 'em coming.

Originally Posted by freddyD

I don't know how a 2016 engine would be that dirty but once a week I wipe it down with a damp rag-no products needed really-unless you drive through a swamp!

I'm with these guys as part of the "wipe it down every week or two" crowd. That's always worked well enough for my needs. However, thanks for the vid in case I ever need to do a deeper cleaning.

[camaromike77]

Originally Posted by 1sspat

Great video, we appreciate your wealth of knowledge, so keep 'em coming.

Agree 100%. I REALLY enjoy watching your videos. Being new to the "Camaro world", I have watched quite a few of them. Very informative and much appreciated!

Thank-you.

Mike

[SSport16]

Originally Posted by 1sspat

I usually take the time to wipe down what I can under the hood with a damp cloth while drying the car after a wash. Definitely not as detailed as your cleaning process Sledge, but I would place myself in the category of uneasy using a garden hose under the hood. Great video, we appreciate your wealth of knowledge, so keep 'em coming.

100% agree, no hose for me, too many plugs, wires, cables, fuses, etc., that are not waterproof and not designed to get wet. I always clean under the hood with a damp MF towel, engine, hood, etc. when I wash my car, always clean underneath there so no need for a full clean for me. I sometimes use rinseless detailer mix on engine cover and some dirty areas inder the hood which works great...less is more under the hood and a quick clean every wash does wonders.

[i007spectre]

Great video.
I cleaned my engine bay a few months ago, it looked BAD, using degreaser and a water hose. I was amazed how great it looked afterward. I had recently moved away from a dusty area.

[KirkH]

Garden hose is no problem. I used it on my car. Sprayed everything.

I use a pressure washer on my 2002 7.3 L PowerStroke that burns vegetable oil for fuel. Several times I have had a hose clamp loosen or break and leaked veggie oil all over my engine. That stuff is thick. I use Simple Green and a pressure washer and have never had any problem.

[Sledgehammer70]

Originally Posted by freddyD

I don't know how a 2016 engine would be that dirty but once a week I wipe it down with a damp rag-no products needed really-unless you drive through a swamp!

You would be shocked on how many motors I have seen from the factory that look like they have 40k miles on them. It's like they got a mud bath with the hood open.

[Sledgehammer70]

Originally Posted by SSport16

100% agree, no hose for me, too many plugs, wires, cables, fuses, etc., that are not waterproof and not designed to get wet. I always clean under the hood with a damp MF towel, engine, hood, etc. when I wash my car, always clean underneath there so no need for a full clean for me. I sometimes use rinseless detailer mix on engine cover and some dirty areas inder the hood which works great...less is more under the hood and a quick clean every wash does wonders.

Just about every connection under the hood is water proof and has rubber seals. Most of the motor can and will get wet. I normally don't hose down my motor either as I have kept it very clean, but for the purpose of the video I did hose it down.

[SSport16]

Originally Posted by Sledgehammer70

Just about every connection under the hood is water proof and has rubber seals. Most of the motor can and will get wet. I normally don't hose down my motor either as I have kept it very clean, but for the purpose of the video I did hose it down.

Just leary about doing that, just be careful man! I am OCD with my cars, including under the hood, so a quick clean after every wash under the hood keeps everything clean and tidy.

[AndyUK]

GM put symbols on the parts it recommends not to pressure wash. If that doesnt confirm its safe to use a hose under the hood then i dont know what does.

[KirkH]

Originally Posted by AndyUK

GM put symbols on the parts it recommends not to pressure wash. If that doesnt confirm its safe to use a hose under the hood then i dont know what does.

Great point!

[gringo]

What I usually do when spraying off a dusty/dirty engine (haven't done it to the Camaro yet since the wipe down method works well) is to drive the car afterwards to evaporate all the residual water left in the engine compartment.

This works well to ensure that no water is left standing or pooling in crevaces that could cause an electrical problem. However, I usually do this on older cars where the seals/connectors may be compromised due to age.