wuts the best way to clean my engine. its so filthy i dont even like opening my hood sometimes

 

how about a can of spray gunk on a warm engine ,,then hose it off , don t soak it ,,, towel dry wiring ,, ,,,and start engine to allow it to dry

 

Seriously, your best approach it to not expect it cleaned up all at once. Do a little bit at a time. Start real simple, and use a shop rag to wipe off the grease and dirt (and bugs and acorns and odd little dead things.)

Eventually, you'll start taking things apart and painting them... replacing various little bolts with shiny new ones.

Take it slow, make it a hobby...

...or pay a detail shop to do it. That works, too.

(You realize you're pretty much daring people to post pictures of their engine bay.)

 

carwash engine cleaner (green stuff) and power wash it! Or industrial cleaner (purple power) garden hose and parts cleaner brush, then blow dry with compressed air and apply Armour All don't rub in just put the hood down and forget about it! 2hrs later take a peek like new engine!

 

Be extremely careful with Gunk it will ignite with a hot exhaust manifold!

 

You knew we would do it ! ... but your advice is so true, take your time a little cleaning here and a little cleaning there, patience, a tooth brush, little painting and swap some nuts and bolts. and a 150,000 km engine bay can come up very nice

 

Yeah I agree with the previous posters, start small and work up. Like what I did was start cleaning at one corner of the engine bay then I would work out until I reached the other corner and before you know it, you are done!!!

 

Here is another method if you want to get it done a little faster, however, ymmv. Take the usual precautions for the intake, etc.

http://forums.maxima.org/6067625-post19.html

 

thanx, i might start tommorow

 

i would most definitely not spray any water under the hood.

look at a can of engine cleaner and FOLLOW the directions.

damp rags also work well

 

Use an engine degreaser and follow the directions. Expect it to take 3 or 4 times before most or all dirt and grease is removed.

Follow-up the degreaser with a can of CD2 engine detailer. You just foam it on all over the bay and let the heat of the engine seal it and set in the shine. It works AWESOME, but only if you have cleaned/degreased your engine bay first.

 

bro you literally inspired me to clean my engine. Mines not that bad at 70K miles but holy hell do I have something to do now.

 

If the engine is greasy due to leaks and stuff, then you need to fix those first, then use degreaser and the high pressure car wash.

If its just dusty dirty, take it to the car wash and spend about $3.25 and just blast everything you can with the regular soap. It won't hurt a thing, I just did it on my max I just bought with 147K on it and it looks like showroom clean. Just give it a couple mins to cool before you do it. I did it to my 98 F150 I just sold and my wife's 02 Escape. You won't believe how nice they look afterward. Any puddles trapped on the engine will quickly evaporate.

The guys telling you do do it a little at a time are doing it wrong when its just a normal high mileage type of dirty.

 

107k

to inspire some more! lol

sorry for the cellphone pic..

 

what do you guys use to make the intake manifold so clean and shiny. I dont think mine was ever like that

 

So you apparently don't drive you car in the rain? Been washing car motors installed in cars for over twenty-five years! Are you driving an electric car? Got a 86.5 Nissan Hardbody which has fuel injection, etc...332,000 miles+ still washing that motor (since 1988)! My 2003 Maxima with 99,000 miles still washing that motor! 1990 Maxima that engine been washed as well! So what's suppose to happen if you wash an engine?

 

Heres what I did to clean the engine bay..

1. Find one of those coin operated car washes..
2. pop the hood..
3. put in quarters..
4. spray engine with that degreaser stuff..
5. spray with pressure water gun..
6. dry with a few towels..
7. close hood..
8. go home and enjoy..

 

Driving the car in rain is quite unlike sparying a high pressure power washer on the top of the engine. Electronics don't enjoy behing saturated with water. Although most have no problems, many will encounter problems after cleaning this way, I've seen them. Even when using compressed air to blow out the water, it can't find every drop laying inside the connectors.
Just be cautious.

 

Pictures can blur scuffs and stains, however that's a good question. I'd like to hear some opinions on that, too.

 

Believe it or not, you can spray tire foam on all the plastic and rubber and it will make it all shine like new! It does attract dust though but not too bad. You can even use the shiny liquid interior spray on it. Just spray it on a rag first.

 

Tire Black on the hoses... that's an interesting idea. But I'm pretty sure Czerkas is asking about the aluminum intake. Tire Black won't do much there.

 

Definitely a different story if he meant the aluminum, but most have the black plastic intake don't they? Tire foam will still work a little on the alu. intakes since it is a colorless shine.

 

I have the 3.5 with the aluminum intake. Thats what I was wondering. but hell we may as well share all sorts of tips on this thread.

 

Um, no. Given the march of time, there are probably more 5.5 gen'rs here.

Again... how are members cleaning their aluminum intake?

OK, here's my bay... 51K, 7 years of northeast winters. Engine shroud hides alot But after this thread, now I'm thinking about getting that intake manifold cleaned.

 

ive had this car a while n neva cleaned my engine, this is going to tale some time there is just caked up dirt n grime everywhere. i would post pics but its to ugly

 

Priceless! I love it, Im going to buy a leafblower this weekend hahahaha

 

steam clean ftw and if you can find a silicone spray that shines all black stuff up nice and its also good for your rubber hoses too.

 

do i need to take my aem filter off before i do any type of sprayin, i dont want to mess it up

 

just power wash the **** out of it... that should solve it for sure.

 

make sure when you blast water at your engine, dont blast the battery please.

and try not to blast water into that air intake. bad things will happen.

 

makes me wanna get to work

 

I'm telling you guys, the BEST ENGINE DETAIL PRODUCT is CD2 Engine Detailer. Use this after you clean off all the dirt from your engine bay. VERY EASY TO USE...spray onto warm engine and let the engine set in the coating. You just need to drive around for about 15 or 20 minutes after foaming down the engine bay with the stuff.

http://www.turtlewax.com/main.taf?p=2,2,2,1

 

I know this may sound weird but i need a cover for my engine i want to get one custom painted/airbrushed. i have a 01

 

i try to keep mine clean

 

Has anyone ever thought of using one of those handheld steam cleaners they sell on those infomercials? I assume you would still have to do alot of scrubbing, I'm just wondering if it would be betting than spraying water from a hose or pressure washer in the bay.

 

The little braids look really good. The big ones, however... not so much. And while I don't care for the red radiator brackets, the blended black-to-red battery tie-down is pretty clever.

I'm surprised you didn't paint your reservoir caps red, or go with yellow braids. (But I bet you thought of it, eh?)

 

nah im not a big fan of yellow but i might go with the red reservoir caps

 

Max Man, you ever see that tide comercial where the stain on the guy's shirt is talking and distracts the interviewer? That is what your red wire loom is doing. I now know where all the wires and hoses are running, and don't really notice the engine. Try putting black loom on it so that it doesn't stand out. It will look a lot cleaner and attract fewer rice boys.

 

you dont have to take the filter off.
A good trick is to tie a grocery bag over the air filter so no water gets on it.
Just remember to take off the bag before you start your car...