Do you clean your engine???

[NeedaCobra]

Oh, when I was in highschool I would wake up early before school to wash and detail my truck before getting to school. Some of my classmates laughed at me, but when they rode in my truck they were like "This is nice!" It was a 2001 Dodge Dakota SLT club cab (blue, w/ black interior). My dad referred to the truck as a show car

 

[TwoToneFreak]

I wipe my engine down everytime the car gets washed and give it a good wash with simple green or gunk engine cleaner once a month. But this year the pollen has been a pain in the arse!! Plus I have the inner fender wells out(hiding the main harness wires) which has made it even harder to keep clean.

 

[Cobra10thaniv]

I do the whole car but dont wash engine bay but do wax it since the car is out for shows and sunshiny days. I also wax the undercarriage i put it up on the lift. I do the floor pan and every part including tranny and half shsfts keeps them from rusting from humidity.
Also shocks basicly everything but the car is for shows

 

[BrianR]

Originally posted by kens03cobra
Here's clean, and the SONIC BLUE touch up paint matches and looks great IMO on the blower and the TB:-D

Ken, what are you using on your car? It looks like it took the paint off!

 

[caveman6666]

Wipe it down. Never ever spray it with water.

 

[98cobrancali]

not a 2003, but I soak mine in simple green and then spray it down with a light mist of water, not everytime I wash the car, but when its dirty

 

[SVT4ME]

Every so often

 

[Cobra10thaniv]

watch out with simple green will take paint off if strength is there. I use Wizards wipe and shine. This will take the heat others that have carnabu wax dont leave a base for dirt to wipe off later. the wax can only hold on to about 170 degrees

 

[lxtacy]

If your car is new, the best way to keep the motor looking new is to use compressed air to blow the dust off the motor every time you wash it. Do this before you wash the car, because the dust will most likely settle on the vehicle. After you wash it, pop the hood again and clean the water out of the jams.

 

[Imperial Pose]

I try to keep the engine bay clean.
In staging lanes the hood is popped open to cool down the engine/KB between runs, so lots of people see it, and I want to represent with some pride.

 

[Juiced-03]

I just hosed mine down after a good soaking with some degreaser this morning

 

[95rcobra]

I use P21S total auto wash degreaser to clean my engines on my everyday commuter vehicles. Its safe for every part of the car including the paint and does an excellent job. For the Cobra I use an air compressor to clean off the loose dirt and dust then just wipe down. its not a daily driver so the engine compartment rarely gets dirty.

Later,95rcobra.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004 Mystichrome Cobra coupe.

 

[bkoe]

Edit: just to be clear, probably best NOT to use green, until you read their FAQ first....

green FAQs:

Many private and commercial aircraft owners and operators have cleaned their craft with All-Purpose Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green for many years. However, these products do not have Mil-Prf (military testing) authority. The testing involves very long (168 hours in one test) soaking of various metals in the solution and then a corrosion inspection. If an aircraft owner only wants to use mil-prf approved products; he will not want to use Simple Green. Please see the additional information under "Aluminum".

Aluminum - Is it safe to use Simple Green on aluminum?
Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All-Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.


have fun... http://www.simplegreen.com/faq.html

edit: added the link

edit 2: plenty more info in the FAQs (incl "aluminum" above) which CLEARLY state that it is *BAD BAD BAD* to just spray green on without any regard.
so... to those few that said "spary and let it sit": it may not be wise to do it again. either way, i'm not really sure. bottom line: check the faq out and make your own decision.

Originally posted by Annihil8or
I agree with your conclusion, (However, I do respect our military and its intelligence but I suspect that the earlier post about the "dangers of Simple Green" has little to do with either) I have used the Simple Green Degreaser for the last year and a half on my engine compartments since I discovered that nothing I have ever used previously worked better and that it does not harm painted or chromed finishes. Like many other cleaners and degreasers, Simple Green can corrode aluminum if allowed to remain in contact with this soft metal, BUT SO CAN WATER!

That bit about the overnight flat tires is the biggest crock of sh*t I've seen yet. Just to test out this ludicrous proposition, I am soaking various rubber components in Simple Green. Also, I am spraying various other rubber products with Simple Green and allowing it to air dry without rinsing. I will post the results in 24-48 hours but I am confident that there won't be anything to report.

Can you imagine what Simple Green would do to paint and other easily marred finishes if it had the power to erode a tire off of a "20 ton aircraft" overnight? And just think what a great weapon Simple Green would make if this BULLSH*T were true. :lol:

Simple Green, simply put is the safest, least harmful, most biodegradable, highly effective cleaning agent I have seen to clean an engine compartment bar none. I have yet to have any rubber, neoprene or latex dissolve or deteriorate with or without Simple Green.

 

[Matt M PA]

Everytime I wash the Cobra, I dry out the door jambs, trunk jamb and wipe down the engine compartment with the damp towel.

I have found that 303 Protectant is GREAT on the plastic parts, and I even apply this to the battery and inner fenders. It is safe for paint. Afterwards I give a quick buff to make sure all the exces is removed. Little dust atttraction too.

I read some reviews of a product called CD2 Engine Detailer. I contacted the company and found it to contain silicones...just like most other vinyl-plastic-rubber protectants. (303 does not have silicones)

Finally, I have used Wimple Green on my tires for many years and never had a problem. I understand that it can stain raw aluminum.

 

[SALEENGTROUSH]

yea i used gunk, found at advanced auto parts....i use it prob like 1 time every 2 months....keeps it super clean1!!!

 

[L67GTP]

I use Orange Blast made by Greased Lightning. I simply spray it on, let sit for a min. or two and hose off. I let the engine run while I soak up some of the puddling areas to dry it off. Stuff works great! I pick mine up at WALMART or in the larger sizes at BJ's Wholesale.

 

[xVENOMx]

i bet that orange blast works really good! greased lightning is an excellent product. i haven't foudn one thing it can't take out,grease,pen, anything

 

[PowerWheels]

I just did mine the first time with simple green the other day, I don't know what I will use in the future, but can someone post a picture of the engine and circle things I should cover. The only thing I watched out for was the FIPK this time.

PS, its damn clean!

 

[hmwave]

Originally posted by NMRAcer
Rain?

Yeah she saw rain once. I opened the garage once while it was raining. Thats the closest she'll ever get to the wet stuff.:beer:

Mine has been through two Washington winters, snow, sleet, hail, rain (lots of it), and road grit.
It's also been through car washes a few times when I got lazy (oh my) though now I detail it myself.

 

[Wightmn]

I had some belt squall from the supercharger belt. First thing the dealer ask was, "Have you ever washed your engine while washing the car?" I usually wipe it down, but its also only 9 months old with 3k miles. Spends too much time in the garage. What effect can cleaners have on the belts? If overspray gets on the belt, will it cause it to slip any more than normal?