When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
At the point where I don't give thee slightest f*ck to power wash the engine bay down, and only cover the MAF sensor because I know it's an expensive piece, as well as removing headlight wiring.. Do I dare? Got an oil leak from the cam sensor as well and I'm tired of looking at the disgusting grime everywhere. I've done some degreaser spritzing in some areas and used a steam cleaner but still looks like poo.
Not a fan of the use of anything that provides more water pressure than a hose nozzle.
Your garden hose, a bucket, blue Dawn and one or two of these ...
... is what I've personally found to be the most efficient and effective means of cleaning and keeping clean your engine and engine bay.
On at least a monthly basis, this engine gets doused with a 5 gallon bucket of water mixed with a good concentration of blue Dawn and then simply rinsed with an open hose. After that, an electric leaf blower comes in real handy ... then maybe some water based protectant if I feel like it and some silicone spray on the hoses.
At the point where I don't give thee slightest f*ck to power wash the engine bay down, and only cover the MAF sensor because I know it's an expensive piece, as well as removing headlight wiring.. Do I dare? Got an oil leak from the cam sensor as well and I'm tired of looking at the disgusting grime everywhere. I've done some degreaser spritzing in some areas and used a steam cleaner but still looks like poo.
I've done it back in the day when I didn't understand the problems that could be caused by it.
3) Death valley (under the intake manifold) - If you spray water against the Timing Cover's back side, it will run down and fill into the valley where the Knock Sensor is mounted to the block. Enough water in this area will fill up the valley and submerge the knock sensor. I would not submerge my knock sensor in water and expect it to work afterwards. I saw a water mark on one of my Maxima's in the valley where a dealer must have sprayed a lot of water against the intake manifold area that filled up the valley. No wonder I had to replace the KS soon after I bought it.
4) A/C Compressor Clutch and Belt Tensioner. I have seen clutches and belt tensioners become noisy after pressure washing -- usually by a used car lot attendants that have no idea of the damage that can be done from using a soap dispensing hot water "steam cleaner" on a Nissan engine. The old Frigidare A/C compressor clutch bearings that were used on 1960s GM products were notorious for becoming noisy after an engine steam cleaning. About one month after a steam cleaning, the clutch bearing would start to develop a grinding sound because the cleaning washed away grease from the clutch bearing.
5) There is a main wiring harness that runs through the firewall to the ECU. There is a curve in the location where this harness makes the turn to go into the firewall boot. I have seen this outer cover crack open at the location where it makes the turn just enough to open a small V shaped funnel in the cover that exposes wires that go to the ECU plug socket.
If you spray water along the rear of the engine near the harness, and IF the harness has cracked open from heat over the years, the opened V will catch water like a small funnel and the wiring cover will become a conduit to send the water along the wires down to the ECU. If your wiring harness is not cracked, it reduces the risk. However, after seeing what could happen, I avoided it.
When I bought my 99 model, its engine had been cleaned by a dealer before the owner sold it to me. A few months later I experienced an unexpected ECU failure. After the failure and my work to refresh engine components, I opened the upper part of the wiring harness and found water, oil, and grit inside the conduit along with the wires. I always suspected something like that may have caused an early ECU failure. Though I can't prove it.
You can see how the wiring harness conduit on the right has cracked into pieces. After a couple of decades, the harness covering and conduit will lose the ability to protect like it was new. Somehow I think if you get water inside a wiring harness, it increases the chance of causing strange electrical issues that are hard to find and fix.
So I had to clean the wires to remove any water and oil that had accumulated from the dealer's engine cleaning, then reinstall a conduit and use silicone tape (e.g. $10 per roll) to re-wrap the entire harness. I remember it cost in the neighborhood of $120 to re-wrap the harness using air, water, and oil resistant silicone tape.
Cleaning and drying the harness wires.
Re-wrapping the wires with "water and oil" resistant silicone tape
Re-installing conduit.
Finished product.
To clean an engine without removing most of the parts, I use a combination of Kerosene on a small brush to cut the heavy oil buildup areas with brake parts cleaner on other areas. Sometimes I use Gunk engine cleaner on the lower block areas that pose no risk to electrical components.
Then follow it up with Turbobink's example above. Turbobink keeps his engine bays "show quality" all of the time. It is amazing how he does it.
My 4th gens are usually oil covered messes when I get them so it takes a lot of work to reverse years of neglect by the previous owners.
Excellent write up! I appreciate the detailed response. I was thinking to use Purple Power degreaser, and buy a pump sprayer. Dousing everything in sight. I'll take precaution and cover up the firewall entry for the harness. As far as 'death valley', I have a cheap eBay knock sensor. It's on it's way out anyways but I may just put a plastic bag under there.
@ Turbobink - I am jealous of that bay! Super minty.
My dishes don't come out of the dishwasher as clean as your engine bay - and we eat off of our dishes after the come out ! Maybe wife and I should dine in your engine compartment !
I just went and cleaned my engine bay with some microfiber and water to get rid of a lot of oil/dust that were on the frames/white areas that didn't look white anymore. Spent about 3hours cleaning up, it did make a difference! It does need a little more cleanup in some tight spots I was unable to get to. But defanlity a start! Looks better last time that's for sure. Love to see the white come back to life. Again, this was by myself. I am gonna work on it some more.
you need a re-do josh, polish and clean man. water ain't gonna do much. i see a lot of grease on the uim, and you need to shine up the plastic!! c'mon man!!
wow amazing how clean that engine bay is.. I think the key is to wash the engine bay down every time you wash the car and course taking care not to wet components that shouldn't get wet. Like others have mentioned, I agree to not use a power washer in the engine bay but I've had it done before.
I had a CEL pop up after the wash but it went away on its own once everything dried up and I reset the ECU.
you need a re-do josh, polish and clean man. water ain't gonna do much. i see a lot of grease on the uim, and you need to shine up the plastic!! c'mon man!!
Haha I know it needs more work, this was just a start to get rid majority of the dirtyness, Also I didn't touch anything near the engine cover/intake manifold/MAF. I just cleaned up the area's that were no-longer white anymore due to all the dirt/oil on it. Cause I know that would of made a difference.
I wouldn't power wash, but you can use the spray engine cleaner / degreaser from autozone and wash out the engine bay with a hose, and it makes a world of difference! Just be sure not to spray water directly into the important electrical components (maf, alternator, ect...). I used to clean my engine bay in my 4th gen at least once per year!
I'm gonna bite the bullet and do it on Saturday. I bought a pump sprayer and this Zep degreaser concentrate. It says not to use on painted surfaces, chrome, copper, etc... but ya know.. zero f*cks. Only meant for machinery parts. Now the bay will be sparkly haha.
I'm gonna bite the bullet and do it on Saturday. I bought a pump sprayer and this Zep degreaser concentrate. It says not to use on painted surfaces, chrome, copper, etc... but ya know.. zero f*cks. Only meant for machinery parts. Now the bay will be sparkly haha.
Be careful ... if you're concerned about the finishes in the e-compartment that is.
Don't let it sit too long, don't let it dry and rinse it completely.
That industrial purple is way to strong you can dull some of the finish under the hood, what i recommended this is i usually do. Is get like 2 cans off engine degreser spray the whole engine bay let it sit for a bit like 10-15 mins then pressure wash it, till clean. BEFORE STARTING YOUR CAR if you have a leaf blower or compressed air which is better blow out the entire bay connectors everything. What was mentioned earlier in this thread where the knock sensor sits it does get flooded in there so wanna make sure you blow thay out!! Cover alternator for sure. Id wait a good hour to start car up. Thats just me. But there is definitely more ways to get this job done. :Cheers:
So I doused everything and didn't scrub anything because I had no brush to use for the grime. Hosed it all down and everything still kinda looks the same. My battery ended up dying. Which is funny because last time I did something to my car, my battery died as well so I seem to jinx my luck. It was nearly 4 years old anyways. No CEL triggered.
Not a fan of the use of anything that provides more water pressure than a hose nozzle.
Your garden hose, a bucket, blue Dawn and one or two of these ...
... is what I've personally found to be the most efficient and effective means of cleaning and keeping clean your engine and engine bay.
On at least a monthly basis, this engine gets doused with a 5 gallon bucket of water mixed with a good concentration of blue Dawn and then simply rinsed with an open hose. After that, an electric leaf blower comes in real handy ... then maybe some water based protectant if I feel like it and some silicone spray on the hoses.
Here's another example:
Dude, you have one very clean engine bay! I need to get mine looking as immaculate as yours.
Dude, you have one very clean engine bay! I need to get mine looking as immaculate as yours.
better start buying a few new parts then. looks like he probably replaced a good amount of hoses and covers as well. not to mention the fabbed stuff that's in ther that aint stock.
02-13-2017, 07:43 PM
