I just got my car and it looks like nobody ever washed or cleaned under the hood for 5 years of it's lease period. I was just wondering if I use one of those engine spray cleaners and then just blast everything off under high pressure with hot water could that affect the engine somehow? I did it on my audi before and it was fine, I just wanna make sure that I can do that on this car without potential problems.
Should I maybe cover some things with plastic bags or somehting?
Or do I just take rag and start cleaning inch by inch to avoid possible water damage to some (dunno which) components ?

 

make sure the engine is cool, Simple Green it and spray it off. Should be fine.

 

I was planning to go to a manual carwash because of the high pressure water hose, house ones suck. I guess I'll have to sit there for a while and wait until it cools down.

 

Be careful with pressure washes, even car washes; car makers do this as a quality check on electrical connection seals under the hood. If you get water into a connector, it will fail either immediately or 6 weeks later after corrosion hits the tin-plated terminals.

I work for Tyco (AMP) and a bad connector seal on a connector could cost us re-working 500 cars by hand in a parking lot outside the factory!!

Many connectors are only "Splash-proof".

 

Old man recomendation:

NEVER pressure hose your engine bay.....

Get some cotton rags. Put your gloves on. Spray plain-O armoral and start wiping it down. You'll be surprised how nice it will look once your done. This is a job to "take your time with too"........

Good luck !

 

i used a foaming engine cleaner - you let it sit for ten minutes or so on a cool engine and rinse-not power wash it off.

my car is newer and the engine in good clean shape, but i could still see some difference

then you let the car run for 5-10 minutes, smells bad and may smoke/steam alittle, like it was overheating but no problems since

 

i've heard of steaming the engine bay too, but i dont think your average joe has the equipment for that. i just use the wet towels from after i wash my car, it takes some time, but you also get all the nooks and crannys.

 

No power washers...do what I said in my previous post.

 

Do not power wash it. You may want to also try to cover off any of the electrical components that are accessable. I was lucky when I got mine it was fairly clean. I've never had to wash it.