Dirty Engine
 

My engine is pretty gross looking. Covered in dust and all sorts of crap. What should i do to clean it up and make everything look all nice and sparkly

I think washing it would be a good start... :p use some degreaser & mid-pressure washing nossle. cover the distrib w/ a plastic bag, so you don't have a hard time starting it afterwards.

as for the degreeser get that at like the autoshop correct?

yeah...im interested too....just spray the engine down with water and all the electrical stuff will be fine gettin wet???

pressure washed the motor in my '87 and never had a problem. and yes, an auto parts store is the place to get de-greaser. i've had good luck with the "gunk" brand products.

I can't believe I just read a question asking how to clean something.

HOLY CRAP!

Goto cleaning aisle.
Grab "ENGINE CLEANER".
Read instructions on label.

Do you need instructions included with a bar of soap also?

No worries all, az-zbum forgot one of the notes in this forum, the one that states be nice, everyone is learning. But yes go to any autostore and purchase a degresser. Make sure your wires are not bare, cover your distributor and all should be good from there..

late

Thank you

=)

No problem, I really like az zbum, he is very smart when it comes to the z31 frame. So dont get me wrong az, your info has helped everyone in this forum at least once!!!!

You could always take the hood off and run it through a car wash. Just don't use the wax cycle.

If you are worried about the electrical connections getting dirty use Simple Green, old toothbrushes and rags. That and good ol elbow grease will make it look pretty darn good when you are done.

I just may be doing that

What's the size ratio between an engine & toothbrush? I'm sure in time, it would equal several hundred hours of brushing? hum... pretty effective work there...

BTW... how ya gunna get down to the intake plentum, and lower parts of the engine bay w/ a toothbrush? Unless your arm has 3 to 4 elbows... it's not gunna happen. ;)

lol several hundred hours is a bit of a lost thought there. Try it and put some effort in and you get results like this.

Ratio is

effort:result

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45...eenandtime.jpg

So it only took 15 minutes to go from "pretty gross looking" to that, using a toothbrush? You're indeed very talented!

I want that engine!!!!

Well I will tell ya what then so we don't have to compare too much abut what not to do or should do.

You can go ahead with your "some degreaser & mid-pressure washing nossle" and take your chances of doing something potentially damaging. And I on the other hand will take my slightly longer than 15minutes and get a far greater detailed result and still be able to drive my car. Ok, that is all.

Thanks and you know what they say...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45...uddyChrist.jpg

LoL... explain to me what is potentially damaging (besides spraying it off when hot).

BTW... I used to detail cars as a job... I've washed thousands of engine bays & never had any problems.

I guess if you dont pay atteention whith what you are doing. I understand both sides, with my camaro, its all about detailin. I use both methods however, you use the degresser with a STEAM cleaner, and use the brush for the special peices.


thats the info I would stand by.

pissing match, great, here we go.

I will be simple.

Water + electrical = bad

I know you may think otherwise but maybe you have been very lucky and fortunate in your experiences. But hey, you seem to have the angle here. No waves needed, just an opinion and I say Simple Green will give you better results than the water method you mention. Fly at it NismoPick. I will correct myself though, I said "if you are worried about the connections getting dirty when I should have said getting wet ".

Thanks again but are we going to entertain the last word about what you think is best, maybe you missed my thank you.

lol, to each man his own!!!! Its inhuman to piss on each other, besides, I drank 4 mountain dews, I got you both beat. This is a place for suggestions. besides, I even said to look for bare wires and such, and that I use both methods. but if you use water, steam is the way to go, it will lessen the risk of cracking a hot block.

These are the two cleanest engine bays I've ever seen. Neither were done with engine degreaser.
http://www.az-zbum.com/images/p1080797.jpg
http://www.az-zbum.com/images/p1080807.jpg
http://www.az-zbum.com/images/p1080808.jpg
http://www.az-zbum.com/images/p1080815.jpg

he is just showing off his car.

last i checked, zbum doesnt have a white one.

Neither car is mine. Mine are pretty dirty. But I'm not looking to eat off them either. Or enter any serious car shows with them.

edit: oh yeah. They were cleaned with toothbrushes and q-tips.