Engine compartment cleaning

Well, spring is here and I think a lot of us are ready to do some spring cleaning. What I am wondering is what is the best method for cleaning your engine and related area?

It all depends on how badly soiled it is under the hood as to what the first steps are to be. If it is really bad with grease and oil , you need to start with a degreaser product of some kind first. If it was like my truck and was just on the heavy dusty side (I wash it down about every time that i wash the truck) it will not be all that difficult at all. What i do is (here goes my tricks :biggrin: ) take a can of no touch tire foam and lightly spray under the hood being careful of the K&N filter and anywhere else that i think should not get wet by such a product paying more attention to the more dirty spots. I do this before i leave to go to the car wash, this allows the tire foam to loosen all the dirt and crud so that when i am at the car wash and once i am done soaping the truck and am ready to rinse not with water but with wax (i never rinse with water cause imo it is a wasted step) i open the hood and give it a good rinse off under there, i use wax and not rinse cause the wax allows the excess water to run off easily. After I get back home, out comes the Armour all and an applicator pad, and if you spend the time that is needed to do the job right the end result will be worth the time. I just did the engine compartment of my 2000 Silverado with just over 91,000 km's on it and it looks like a brand new truck under there but don't take my word for it , judge for your selves.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/255587Silverado_under_hood_ps-med.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/255587Silverado_under_hood_ds-med.jpg

Oh ya i forgot to add it took me about 2 1/2 - 3 hrs and a whole lot of scrubbing, rubbing and wiping. I was too into getting it cleaned to think of it untill after i was done, but some elbow lubrcant (which was in the basement fridge) would have probably made the job a little easier. If you are unsure on which brand of elbow libricant to use, a few i might suggest would be, "The silver bullet" for one . perhaps "The King.....of something or other :biggrin: ". Just to name a couple, but i am sure that most of you have your prefered brands already lol.

Wow Kenny, that's one hell of a clean looking engine bay, My buddy just repainted the whole compartement on his 67 Firebird and I don't think it came out that clean. Nice job.

Kenny, nice job! How do you get the Coolant Overflow Tank to look so new? Mine (year 2000 too) looks like it was colored with a yellow hilighter.

wow super clean engine kenny.
i always thought you weren't supposed to spray your engine?

Mine looks like new and all I have done is first spray it with the engine degreaser, wash the rest of the truck and then come back and just rinse down with water. Of course I don't go mudding with my 2wd so others will be worse.

wow super clean engine kenny.
i always thought you weren't supposed to spray your engine?

Are you meaning with water, tire foam or both lol . The tire foam trick i have been doing for years , it started with my 88 K1500 jimmy , then my 96 Sierra and now my 2000 Silverado without ever having any problems of any kind due to water or the tire foam. The older vehicles you had to be careful with the water spray , but it is not like i am right in there full force with the pressure washer nozzle. The tire foam does the job of loosening the dirt and crud like i said so all you have to really do is rinse it off.

I used to use simple green on my old honda's engine, and sometimes when I rinsed it off, I would get water down the spark plug "chute." Thay caused problems, but hitting it with a hair dryer would fix it

i meant water

The engine gets wet on a rainy day from water coming off the raoad. So as long as you don't force feed lots of water in sensative places; air cleaner, spark plugs, header gaskets while running, etc; why should water hurt the engine?

what type of tire foam did you use?

Are you meaning with water, tire foam or both lol . The tire foam trick i have been doing for years , it started with my 88 K1500 jimmy , then my 96 Sierra and now my 2000 Silverado without ever having any problems of any kind due to water or the tire foam. The older vehicles you had to be careful with the water spray , but it is not like i am right in there full force with the pressure washer nozzle. The tire foam does the job of loosening the dirt and crud like i said so all you have to really do is rinse it off.

Greetings Kenny,

I often use Tire foam cleaners for tires. On the cans (3 brands I've used) - each says to avoid spray on painted surfaces or metals.

The reasoning I had - was that Tire foams are a petroleum based product (to work well with rubber) - but that it is too hard on paint and metal surfases - actually softening or weakening any clear coat or painted surfaces. Does the tire foam product you are using allow spray on painted items or metal surfaces?

White Lightening

what type of tire foam did you use?


The tire foam i used is called "No Touch"

Greetings Kenny,

I often use Tire foam cleaners for tires. On the cans (3 brands I've used) - each says to avoid spray on painted surfaces or metals.

The reasoning I had - was that Tire foams are a petroleum based product (to work well with rubber) - but that it is too hard on paint and metal surfases - actually softening or weakening any clear coat or painted surfaces. Does the tire foam product you are using allow spray on painted items or metal surfaces?

White Lightening


As i said in the post above , the tire foam i use is called "No Touch Tire care" It specifically says "Do not spray it on brake rotors, brake drums, floors , motor cycle tires and seats. Avoid spraying on OEM or custom rims, if sprayed onto painted metal surfaces or rims simply wipe off upon contact". Also like i said in my first posting , i spray it on just before i goto the car wash so it is not like it is on there for hours or days , maybe 30-45 mins. I have done this trick with my last 3 vehicles and never had a problem with the paint under the hood or any metals, but i will say that the clear coat on the rims of my 96 sierra was all cracked looking and probably from the tire foam. The clear coat on the rims on my 2000 now are the same but were like that when i bought the truck so most likely the guy before me used tire foam as well.

that is the one i have also.

...............take a can of no touch tire foam and lightly spray under the hood being careful of the K&N filter and anywhere else that i think should not get wet by such a product paying more attention to the more dirty spots. I do this before i leave to go to the car wash, this allows the tire foam to loosen all the dirt and crud so that when i am at the car wash and once i am done soaping the truck and am ready to rinse ...............


So like i said it is not on there all that long , maybe 1 hr tops.