How do you clean an engine?

i have a 92 prelude si and the engine bay is quite dirty. How do i clean it with out wrecking something in the process.

what will i need to cover and what should i use to cover them?

i was going to use steam premium engine degreaser and spray it and let it sit then hose it off. Is this a good idea?

How do you guys/girls keep your engines nice and clean?

Oky, first off...keep the water away from the distributor...it will mess it up if it gets water inside. Also try and keep the water away from the battery, the vavle cover here the plug wires go down intop the plugs, and the fuse box. One way to help keep overspray of water out is to wrap all those parts very well, several layer deep. This provides a sort of "barrier" in case water should accidently get near or on it. Okay, get and engine degreaser, gunk or something simlear designed to clear the engine bay. Spary it in there and let it sit, par manufactorers directions. When the proper time has elapsed, spray it off with water. Try to use a jet pattern you have some control over, and try and keep the water away from the listed parts. When you are done, you can unwrap thw motor and start it up, let it ideal for a bit, maybe 15 minutes. This should help dry up the engine bay.

I hope this helps a bit, it's a basic rough beginners guide to cleaning an engine bay. I'd try to be more detailed, but it's 1am and I am tired.

dont just try to keep water away from these componants ..you need to apply anything from plastic bags to ghetto suran wrap over all electric componants sich as distibutor,alternator,if you have an intake, around your filter etc etc...anythign you see with an electrical connection..use a kind of foaming degreaser and follow the directions.. Do it in a place where you have an airhose available !!! that way as soon as your done rinsing it off you can blow all the water off of the engine and make sure all componants are dry !! last thing you want is to foul something. just use common sence

dont just try to keep water away from these componants ..you need to apply anything from plastic bags to ghetto suran wrap over all electric componants sich as distibutor,alternator,if you have an intake, around your filter etc etc...anythign you see with an electrical connection..use a kind of foaming degreaser and follow the directions.. Do it in a place where you have an airhose available !!! that way as soon as your done rinsing it off you can blow all the water off of the engine and make sure all componants are dry !! last thing you want is to foul something. just use common sence


Tha's what I said..."One way to help keep overspray of water out is to wrap all those parts very well, several layer deep. This provides a sort of "barrier" in case water should accidently get near or on it."...I ment wrap it several layers deep, not just one or two layers, that way there are several layers of a barrier...I just assumed that he'd figure out I ment suran wrap or plastic bags...I guess I should have been more specific and mentioned that, as he probably had no clue what to use seeing he never has done it before...if he doesn't have an airhose...a shop-vac that has a very high MPH blowing capability will be better than nothing. Some of them can blow air upwards of 220mph.

soap, water, scrub, tooth brush, mothers mag pollish, towels. Thats what I used to use when I showed my car. Just cover up the things that you need to keep dry.

I used this shit

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/uploads/71957/gunk.jpg

Rinse off the engine with a hose, spray this on and scrub with a plastic-wire brush, let the foam go away, then rinse off.
Made my engine all purdy and dirt-free.

james--lets see an engine shot after your clean up