Engine Bay cleaner

[Marlon]

Following the repairs to my Zed the engine bay needs a good clean.
There's lots of engine bay cleaners out there, any recommendations or are they all much of a muchness? The bay isn't that dirty, its just dusty so I'm after something that simply sprays on and wipes off?

 

[pvr]

AG engine cleaner followed by AG vinyl and rubber care.

I use a brush to agitate the cleaner and rinse off with one of those 2 litre plant spray things that give a precise area that gets wet.

Heard good stories about 303 as well but not tried it. Mr wilks seems to be an expert as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Any All Purpose Cleaner will do the trick, Marlon. Spray onto a stone cold engine bay, agitate with various brushes, then your choice of damp MF and a bucket of warm water/jet wash off.

I then polish metal work with AF Mercury, painted areas with AutoGlym SRP (since it has mild protecting properties) and finish with a spray of 303 Aerospace.

 

[Marlon]

Thanks pvr / JAD - I will get it cleaned this weekend

 

[srhutch]

Thanks pvr / JAD - I will get it cleaned this weekend

Once you have cleaned make sure you drive it to warm the engine and dry off any sitting water.

 

[Marlon]

Thanks pvr / JAD - I will get it cleaned this weekend

Once you have cleaned make sure you drive it to warm the engine and dry off any sitting water.

:driving:

 

[Chris_D]

Been usin this combination for a few years now - washin up liquid to get rid of any oilspots and pooling (Pongo my E46 M3 had plenty of them!), Autoglym Engine & Machine Cleaner then finish with a coating of GT85 for a nice protective coating and shine.

 

[Smartbear]

Hi Marlon, I've found most cleaners work well but as above, apply to a cold engine only & don't allow it to dry as they can leave streaks on paint/trim-rinse off with a watering can (I know you haven't a hose)
Rob

 

[markeg]

Degreaser, agitate, rinse, then 303.

Oh, and remember to cover the alternator (I use foil and a plastic bag)...

 

[Marlon]

. . .
Oh, and remember to cover the alternator (I use foil and a plastic bag)...

I'll have to find it first :rofl:

 

[Smartbear]

Head south once you get past the oil filter
Rob

 

[Ewazix]

I haven't tried Gunk's newer Green range but I'd advise against Gunk classic (in the orange tin). It certainly shifts oil/grease like no other but absolutely STINKS for weeks afterwards and the run-off can damage tarmac driveways. Avoid :thumbsdown:

 

[markeg]

I haven't tried Gunk's newer Green range but I'd advise against Gunk classic (in the orange tin). It certainly shifts oil/grease like no other but absolutely STINKS for weeks afterwards and the run-off can damage tarmac driveways. Avoid :thumbsdown:

+1 - still got part of my driveway missing after using that stuff.... breaks tar up big-time.

 

[patriot66]

Hi Marlon. Start with a cold engine. Spray 10:1 diluted TFR (Traffic Film Remover) under the bonnet and all round the engine bay. Agitate any particularly grimy areas with a stiff brush. Pressure wash everything thoroughly. Wipe off as much excess water as possible with microfibre towels. Go for a short drive to dry things out....high speed if possible. Leave the bonnet open and let the engine cool completely. Bring the lustre back to any aluminium/metal with Peek metal polish. Spray a light mist of Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber Care over any plastic, rubber and paintwork. Leave this for 5 minutes before gently wiping all surfaces with a clean microfibre cloth. If you want a bit more gloss on any plastics or rubber then spray a second coat of AG V & R C but do not wipe it over. Your engine bay should now look something like this.

 

[Chris_D]

Hi Marlon. Start with a cold engine. Spray 10:1 diluted TFR (Traffic Film Remover) under the bonnet and all round the engine bay. Agitate any particularly grimy areas with a stiff brush. Pressure wash everything thoroughly. Wipe off as much excess water as possible with microfibre towels. Go for a short drive to dry things out...

Now THAT is one tidy engine bay!

 

[Smartbear]

I don't agree with pressure washing under the bonnet, it's to aggressive & will work its way into places you don't want water, a hosepipe is much less likely to cause problems under the bonnet imho
Rob

 

[Gustavo7]

I used Gunk engine degreaser (spray version), let it work for a good 5-10min, rinsed it with a pressure washer from a distance (so low pressure was applied), turned the engine on to dry it all out. Sprayed Aerospace 303 protectant and wiped it all immediately.

Before:


After:


regards,
Gustavo

 

[Smartbear]

Much better Gustavo you could eat your dinner off it now
Rob

 

[pvr]

If sellers did that before they sold the car, they would make it much more attractive.

 

[Chris_D]

If sellers did that before they sold the car, they would make it much more attractive.

i think this has come up before as i seem to remember expressing a preference for an 'honest' dirty engine bay when i bought my zed due to seeing what had been tw@tted about with and what hadn't.
The patina on mine looked original and probably evolved from when the car was rolled off the production line. It was pretty in-ground and mucky apart from the engine oil filler cap and oil filter cap - confirming it's recent oil change. I just hope it wasn't it's ONLY oil change
Everything else looked 'un-touched' and tbh, that was a relief.
Spic and span now however!
:wink: