Engine Cleaning 101

[TexasTitan05]

Hey Y'all... I just cleaned my engine this weekend with Simply Green, and that stuff works wonders. I have a question for all of you that use Simply Green, and clean your engines on a regular basis. Is it OK to clean your engine every week? Or, should this be more of a bi-weekly thing, or once a month thing? I'm also looking for someone who can paint by engine cover in the Houston area; or I might do it myself. Has anybody done that, and if so, is it fairly easy? Thanks for the feedback !!

[BigRedTitan]

I don't spray my engine too often. I do use Simple Green when I do. I have only sprayed mine twice in the 2+ years that I have owned my Titan. I usually just wipe it down with a dry microfiber towel.

As far as someone to paint your cover, I don't know. If you want to do it yourself, just clean it really good, remove and/or tape off what you don't want painted and spray light layers of paint. It doesn't necessarily have to be High Temp paint. After driving your Titan for a while, you can still lay your hand on the cover and not get burned, it's just warm.

Here's mine...

[moore101]

I wouldn't clean a engine any more than once every 3 to 6 months. There are way to many electrical components and sensors to get water into.

[ttugrad95]

I wouldn't see a problem with just hosing it off to get the dust off but I wouldn't use any kind of detergents too often. I would be afraid that even with just simple green it could start to take its toll on the hoses and seals.

[FLfinfan]

My engine is very dusty. I would love to clean it up some. If I do spray it down, do I have to cover or plastic bag anything to keep it from getting wet?

[TexasTitan05]

I couldn't see anything sticking out that would make me wrap it up per-se. I sprayed Simple Green on it, let it sit for a couple of minutes, lightly wash it completely off. I even sprayed SG on it again, and sprayed it off... Make sure that you have something to dry off your engine with. I used a leaf blower, it took a matter of minutes with that thing. My truck started right up, w/o any problems; so the water didn't damage anything. You may want to see if someone else will chime in on this to prove me otherwise.

[sedonaguy]

heres a tip, give the engine a good cleaning about twice a year whether it be simple green or the carwash engine cleaner. but in between those cleaning about every 4-6 weeks i spray engine compartment with armor all tire foam to keep the all the hoses and plastic nice and plyable, and then just wipe it down with a rag. it also looks nice ans clean too....works for me....

[StuntDriver06]

everytime i go to the car wash i open the hood, hose it down with tire cleaner let it set while i soak tires, come back and high pressure rinse the engine, dont forget the underside of hood, then i close the hood and let truck idle while i do rest of truck... always have done this and never had a problem, your sensors are not going to get wet, the connectors are waterproof to a point and letting the truck idle will let it dry, dont you think your tranny connectors and abs wheel sensors get wet when it rains?

[ttugrad95]

Yeah, worrying about things getting wet pretty much ended when cars stopped using points. It takes a ton of water to kill the engine, you pretty much have to submerge it. Hose the crap out of it and drive it off.

[Blackin]

Originally Posted by sedonaguy

heres a tip, give the engine a good cleaning about twice a year whether it be simple green or the carwash engine cleaner. but in between those cleaning about every 4-6 weeks i spray engine compartment with armor all tire foam to keep the all the hoses and plastic nice and plyable, and then just wipe it down with a rag. it also looks nice ans clean too....works for me....

Heh, never thought about the tire foam. I'm gonna try that next time I wax my truck.

[BigRedTitan]

Originally Posted by Blackin

Heh, never thought about the tire foam. I'm gonna try that next time I wax my truck.

Tire foam also does a great job on the wheel wells. Just spray the liners, frame, leaf springs, A-arms, anything you can see. Then give it a wipe down and it will look better than when you drove off the lot.

[baseballfanz]

I only use SimpleGreen when it get real dirty and I need to break up some junks in there. Otherwise I just wipe it with a wet rag.

[Blackin]

I've done ArmorAll Wheel Foam on the wells and the rear axle and springs. Just never crossed my mind to do the engine compartment. Really good idea honestly. One of those so simple, you just don't think about it I guess.