1. Let the engine run for a minute or two to warm it up. Grease and other gunk is easier to remove when the engine is warm (NOT HOT).

2. Cover any exposed electrical components and anything else you do not want to get a bunch of water on with aluminum foil.

3. Get a can of engine degreaser from your local auto store...they used GUNK Engine Degreaser. Spray it liberally on everything! Don't be shy...they used the entire can. Let is sit for 10-15mins so it can breakdown and loosen all that grime.

4. Get the hose out and spray down everything to remove all the degreaser and dirt and grime. Do not use a nozzle...just the hose is enough pressure. You do not want to blast water into all the engine components...especially on newer cars.

5. Let the water run off for a few mins and start the engine and let is run for 30 seconds to help dry some of the water.

6. Here's the final step spray the entire engine bay down with WD-40. use an entire can and spray it on EVERYTHING! Some substitute Pledge furniture spray instead of WD-40 (believing WD-40 attracts dust).

nice write-up. this should come in handy. but any reason for using aluminum foil?

this is one of the best write up i have ever seen for detailing your engine...even though its from the supra forums, its quite adaptable for a celice....it also comes with pictures too

http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226748

I use aluminum foil for masking off everything. its alot easier, and makes a tighter seal, no tape required either just crush it around whatever you want.

See


also the best way to wash an engine is to drive into a lake.

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CRAP! I tried that this morning, and now my car won't run. Any suggestions?

what parts would u guys mask off with foil/tape/bag???? alternator? battery?...air filter? (those with aftremarket intake) what else?

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i would add bov if you have one and its atmospheric. Not too likely that water would get in but just in case.

distributor & cap is another key area to keep covered

Is there a part number for this "Aluminum Foil"??? :'(

please tell me you are kidding?!


but if you aren't
grocery store has it

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Personnally, I've never mask anything when washing my engine bay, or engine itself, and never had any kind of problem at all.


And I detail my engine area, every time I wash my Celica

This post has been edited by GrimReaper: Aug 28, 2007 - 6:40 PM

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omg u serious???......tell us how u did it

No! Seriously, when I bought the car, the engine bay and the engine itself was covered with dirt, grease and grime. I used a mild degreaser (Castrol Super Clean), sprayed entire bottle on the engine and let it works. After half an hour or so, I used a pressure washer, and rinsed away all that s**t off. After it dries, I waxed all I could reach (engine bay) and for the plastic, I used vinyl protectant, wipe the exess off, and that was it. Since then, I wash my engine every week, simply using regular garden hose, in order to keep it clean like you see, and I use vinyl protectant (I use Turtle Wax F21 'cauz it's cheaper) every week to maintain the black.

Of course, if you guys have a cold air intake filter, you'll need to remove it or cover it with something

This post has been edited by GrimReaper: Aug 29, 2007 - 5:30 PM

its kind ascary to do it like grimreaper...i mean i might think excess water in an alternator can be dreadful....to think that waters gettin all the pigtail harnesses...jus scary.....IMHO

ill do it anyway..LoLs....

Of course, when it comes to the alternator, I take care, I do not shot a heavy stream of water on it, but anyway, some alternators, on some other models, are located under the car, exposed to road grime and water, so!

Has anyone ever heard of using tire foam instead of WD40 or pledge?

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I do. I sometimes use it to make the plastic parts shine for a bit longer.
I stopped using it on my tyres, (got new ones and i noticed that when they are left under the sun, they get a brownish colour... ) so i experimented on the engine bay and it worked!

I spray it on a piece of cloth and i shine the plastic parts with it.

I have to wonder about the common sense involved in wrapping electrical parts with an electrically conductive product only to spray it down with water....


While I agree large amounts of focused water on specific areas of the engine (example fuse box) may be a bad idea - I wonder why the large worry about hosing an engine down - ever drive in the rain? Or are you guys all from California where it never rains?

cartopia has alot of good writeups, if you want a good clean car should read up on stuff over there for detailing howto's. the sonus products are good, but there are alot of inexpensive alternatives that do an ok job compared to the sonus ones they rec over there

i mask off important stuff with foil, spray with degreaser, rinse, then i use spray wax on the underside of the hood, and painted engine bay area's, towel dry them off some so 'wax' them.

armor all cleaning wipes, the purple ones, are good for all the plastic components, they leave a satin type shine to them so its not all over the top like tire shine, pledge etc, plus it lasts ALOT longer and is more subtle.

also a good idea to touch up the rear suspension arms (so people follow you at night, and their lights hit your car, it looks new, instead of some used pickup truck thats been offroading

and wheel wells, esp if you have rims, nice shiney rim, crusty well =

cheaper way......use simple green, sponge, water.............

Zero told me a quick simple way:

When at the carwash while engine is warm, spot free rinse on all components not electrical or intake (duh), then use the engine degreaser then just use the rinse and spray all the gunk off...After just crank it up and coat the entire block and plastics in armor all....works great and takes no time at all.

It makes the 7a actually look like a power plant.

This post has been edited by Jared95: Apr 15, 2008 - 8:12 PM

Thanks Jared!
He's right: Leave running, rinse(watch electrics), dereaser, leave 2 mins., spot free rinse, armor all, "set it and forget it"!