My car is completley cold and I am planning on cleaning the engine. Can I just spray water on the intake manifold and wipe it clean with a cloth? and spray the engine with a little water and wipe the visable parts clean with a cloth? to do or not to do?

 

it might work. I would suggest some meguiars all purpose cleaner.

 

Before I had my Apexi intakes (still could do it now if I covered them), I warmed up the car, sprayed the entire engine bay real good with Simple Green (Gunk works well too), then powerwashed it, being a little careful spraying some parts. Then wiped it down with clean cloths and let the rest heat-dry.

Didn't seem to do any damage. Other might disagree, but when I got my car, the engine bay was really really dirty and it needed a REAL good cleaning!

it looked like this when I was done...wish I had a BEFORE picture, you would be amazed!

http://flathat.woodstream.net/RX7/Cl...y/P2120092.JPG

It looks like this now, plus the Cusco Strut bar which wasn't put back on before I took this pic.

http://flathat.woodstream.net/RX7/Gr...l/P5110091.JPG


K

 

Thats one ****** clean engine bay man, what is that stuff called again? and did you pressure wash the motor when it was at operating temp with the car off?

 

that's insanly clean man- so let me get this straight, you just spray the gunk **** over everything pictured, and powerwash it all? that wont mess up anything? please confirm. thanks!

 

be careful with the simple green... i've read that it corrodes aluminum parts so if you use it, make sure to clean it all off when you're done.

 

Yes - The FAA issued a bulletin to all Airframe & Powerplant mechanics about the corrosive effects of Simple Green on Aluminum.

 

Simple Green has an automotive cleaner too... Prolly the same stuff... But it works great! Don't get it on the paint. Eats wax right off leaving streaks galore!

 

Yes, I didn't use Simple Green on mine, I used a different engine cleaner but here's what i did:

The cleaner I used said the engine should be cold, so I took that time to install my BOV. I was also working on some other things, so I had the battery out of the car at the time:

1. Covered air intakes with plastic
2. Covered battery cables with plastic (battery was removed)
3. Spray engine cleaner

The cleaner I used said it needed to sit for about 20 minutes, so I also grabbed a scrub brush and did some scrubbing as well.

4. After the alotted time, hosed down the engine.

I let the car sit outside with the hood up for about 2 hours and then went back to put the battery back in the car and the other things I had removed. I let the car sit for about another hour.

After that, I fired the car up. Some of the engine cleaner was still left around so it smoked for about 5 minutes or so. I took a nice 20 minute leisure drive to help burn off any excess of the cleaner left in the car and that was it.

Some people cover the alternator, some people don't. I didn't, but it's up to you.

 

To clarify, I warmed up the car, and LEFT IT RUNNING.

I then sprayed <insert your favorite engine bay cleaner>, (I had to ask the guys who's cleaner I used), he said it was a "citrus based engine cleaner", smelled like oranges. Very similiar to the Simple Green Automotive Cleaner. I've also used stuff called "Gunk" which can be purchased from AutoZone, etc on other cars...

Left the car running, Spayed the engine bay with the citrus cleaner, let it soak for a few minutes, then powerwashed everything. Continued to leave the car running, wiped off any remaining dirt w/towel, put the hood down (1/2 latched) to let the engine bay bake the the rest of the water away. Opened the hood 10 minutes later and admired the sparkling engine bay posted previously in this thread!!!

K

 

If you decide to wash the bay with the engine off, make sure that you cover the alternator and the area where the spark plug wires are located. I usually just lay a piece of plastic on top of those areas.

I washed my dads engine bay one time and soaked the spark plug wires. Then....it had problems starting over. Water got in it.

 

nice engine bay...


as for the LAST reply.......so do we NEED to cover the wires and alternator or NO?

 

I didn't cover mine. Some people do, some people don't.

 

what i would do is use the gunk foamy engine cleaner.

cover altenator, cover almsot anything electrical. Spray the cleaner on, let sit for 5-10 min, then i would start the engine, and spray the water to clean off whie the motor is on. The reason i like the motor to be on is if i get something wet that shouldn't, i should be able to tell

Danny

 

NOCAB, what PSI pressure washer do you have, is it gas or electric. Or what setting did you have it on. My pressure washer is 2400PSI, I think that would be a little too much for my engine, so maybe I should turn it down before I do that.

Mike

 

I just used a pressure washer that connects to the good'ol garden hose. Nothing with massive pressure...

Ya, I think you would tear some **** up with 2400psi!

K

 

Are there anything side effects of watering down the engine with the engine on?

 

Read the directions on whatever cleaner you have. Some of them say to use when the engine is off and cold (because some of that stuff is flamable).

 

Here's what I did. https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=205104

 

I've cleaned 40+ RX7 motors, never covered the alternator. You do not need to cover it period.

Jeff

 

for some area..it's better to use brush..

 

I had a FB and have an FD now, I would spray GUNK engine cleaner when the car was cold weight 10 minutes and hose it down. I have done this many times and had no problems

I never cover any of that stuff

 

heh I just took everthing out of my engine bay,
polished anything that was metal, and armorall anything plastic. and had the whole engine bay repainted.

a lot of work, but well worth it . will post pics later.

 

nice looking engine nocab. I should try that, my engine could use a cleaning im sure.