Suggestions Wanted for Engine Compartment Clean Up...

I am currently in the process of cleaning up my 95 Chevy. I hand scrubbed most of the engine bay and what I could get to on the engine. Any suggestions on a good cleaner would be good. I grew up on a dirt road, so there was, and still is in some places, a lot of Georgia Red clay under my truck. I've tried a couple degreasers so far. They are good at "degreasing", but I need something to cut throughstubborn red clay. The most noticable areas are on the intake (underall the front mounted components, fenderwells, and frame.

A good bit came off with a pressure washer, but not all. SHould I try to get all of it off or just paint it?

HELP!!

If you paint over it, that paint will probably not stick, and WILL come off if the clay loosens. I would try keeping it wet for a day or two, just gently spray it with a garden hose to keep it wet every few hours, it should soften up and come off. I strongly advise against using a pressure washer under the hood. I've got the same stuff on my truck around the exhaust manifolds, it gets on there and the heat bakes it into almost a brick. PITA to get off, so I just left it.

maybe buffing if you want to spend a lot of tedious hours on it... other than that, you could sand and paint it

I've sprayed the engine bay and undercarriage three times in total with degreaser and pressure washed it. I'd say 60 percent came off. Then I sprayed some dawn dish detergent/water on the fenderwells and hand wiped about anoher 10 persent off. I used degreaser and some wire brushes to clean the head/intake valve covers, air conditioning/oil cooler/transmission cooler lines. I went back and wiped WD-40 over all hoses fter cleaning. If I can ever fingure out how, I will post some pictures.