Engine bay cleaning

[Dean Fletcher]

@Wighty where in the engine bay would I find the ECU plug? The stupid car went into limp mode again this morning but soon as I turned it on and off it's been fine all day. I want to check the plug as last time this happened and the same code came up my Indy said my ECU plug was dirty he cleaned it and it been fine for 6 weeks.

is it this

 

[Wighty]

View attachment 49423 is it this

I think it might be buddy ?

 

[Dean Fletcher]

I think it might be buddy ?

I think it might be buddy ?

Thanks iv had a look and cant see anything suspicious this code keeps popping up unverified tho. So hasn't manifested into a full blown code. I had this sensor changed lately when the indy thought it was that when It turned out to be a dirty plug. Only happens on a morning when cold which is strange.

 

[Bopo]

This is mine before and after

Nice job, that.

I was definitely angling towards using the hose on a light mist setting as further research still leaves me worrying about using the jet wash, even from a distance and on a lower pressure. Various guys on YouTube seem totally happy about wrapping a few bits of foil around the alternator, then giving the engine the full snow foam / jet-wash / degreaser / jet-wash / dry and polish treatment. Makes me nervous.

I've got some Meguiar's D10101 APC which should be up to the job mixed at 10:1. I've heard good things about that 303 Protector from a few places now so it's on order in time for the long weekend. I've also got some black detailing spray and some metal polish just in case I have a really funny turn.

Thanks for the tips, all. I'll post my own before and after pics!

 

[Bopo]

Finally got time to give the engine bay a once over the other weekend. Dead easy, really, as it wasn't exactly manky. I suspect this is the first clean it has had in it's 30k miles.

Prep - maximum 10 mins
First step was to cover a large exposed electrical connector above the offside shock mount: I wrapped it in tinfoil. Same for the two intake pipes which are some kind of fabric for about 20cm. Nothing else really looked vulnerable. I used some old rags and stuffed them into the air intakes at the front to stop serious water ingress.

I removed a collections of leaves from the hinge and heating air intake area and used a toothbrush to loosen some compost around the bonnet hinges. Guess some leaves had been in there a while.

I took the cover off the engine to get better access: there's another air intake which looks to be cooling for the turbo housing which just unclips then the engine cover pops off. Looking at the maze of pipes, cables and dilithium crystal anti-matter warp drive stuff under there earned a "F**k that!" and the cover was popped back on.

Cleaning - about 20 mins
I used Autoglym Machine Cleaner & Degreaser and also Meguiar's APC mixed at 4:1. The degreaser went on any metal/painted parts mainly around the edges. Grubby plastics got the APC. I used a couple of detailing brushes to agitate it all then used the garden hose on a sprinkler setting to wash it off, working in sections to ensure that none of the cleaner dried in situ.

Finally I did the underside of the bonnet. It was surprisingly dirty and needed a wipe with a sponge rather than brush and rinse. Sorry, not a sponge, never a sponge... a Himalayan lambs-wool mitt made of specially selected fibres from descendents of the Dalai Lama's holy flock.

I failed to record the flow-rate of the hose, the water hardness, water purity, pollen count and how many buckets were in my line-of-sight. I'll try harder next time.

Polishing - about 10 mins
A final rinse of the engine to get the bonnet water off, then I dried it all with a towel and used Autoglym plastic polish and finished off with 303 protector.

It took about 40 minutes and was time well spent, to be honest. It makes no difference to anything but my pride in the car, but it meant I had a good look around all the hose fittings, hoses, cables etc and saw that nothing was perished, nothing showing signs of leaking, no heat damage, no cables rubbing. First line of preventative maintenance and all that.

TLDR;
In short, some decent cleaning products and equipment allowed me to use the minimum amount of water. A bit of common sense covering up stuff I didn't want to put a hose may have helped. At least it made me feel better about it.

While I had the cover off my son was really interested to have a sniff about and try to work out the air and exhaust flows. Good lad. He's in a Fiesta at the moment (only 19) but really wants an AMG when he qualifies. :-D

 

[LostKiwi]

Looks a job well done!

 

[mercmancdi]

No need to use a jet wash at all, spray the degreaser on, agitate with a small brush and rinse with a standard hose spray gun on "sprinkle".

The under bonnet electrics are no problem at all as they are all waterproof then use this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JG3OIFU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

to give a nice shine

This is mine before and after

View attachment 49421

Looks good just ordered a bottle spray of above. Did you ever use on dash I read on reviews someone had used it on interior.

 

[JBell]

Looks good just ordered a bottle spray of above. Did you ever use on dash I read on reviews someone had used it on interior.

I use Meguires Quick Interior Detailer

 

[Wighty]

Finally got time to give the engine bay a once over the other weekend. Dead easy, really, as it wasn't exactly manky. I suspect this is the first clean it has had in it's 30k miles.

Prep - maximum 10 mins
First step was to cover a large exposed electrical connector above the offside shock mount: I wrapped it in tinfoil. Same for the two intake pipes which are some kind of fabric for about 20cm. Nothing else really looked vulnerable. I used some old rags and stuffed them into the air intakes at the front to stop serious water ingress.

I removed a collections of leaves from the hinge and heating air intake area and used a toothbrush to loosen some compost around the bonnet hinges. Guess some leaves had been in there a while.

I took the cover off the engine to get better access: there's another air intake which looks to be cooling for the turbo housing which just unclips then the engine cover pops off. Looking at the maze of pipes, cables and dilithium crystal anti-matter warp drive stuff under there earned a "F**k that!" and the cover was popped back on.

Cleaning - about 20 mins
I used Autoglym Machine Cleaner & Degreaser and also Meguiar's APC mixed at 4:1. The degreaser went on any metal/painted parts mainly around the edges. Grubby plastics got the APC. I used a couple of detailing brushes to agitate it all then used the garden hose on a sprinkler setting to wash it off, working in sections to ensure that none of the cleaner dried in situ.

Finally I did the underside of the bonnet. It was surprisingly dirty and needed a wipe with a sponge rather than brush and rinse. Sorry, not a sponge, never a sponge... a Himalayan lambs-wool mitt made of specially selected fibres from descendents of the Dalai Lama's holy flock.

I failed to record the flow-rate of the hose, the water hardness, water purity, pollen count and how many buckets were in my line-of-sight. I'll try harder next time.

Polishing - about 10 mins
A final rinse of the engine to get the bonnet water off, then I dried it all with a towel and used Autoglym plastic polish and finished off with 303 protector.

It took about 40 minutes and was time well spent, to be honest. It makes no difference to anything but my pride in the car, but it meant I had a good look around all the hose fittings, hoses, cables etc and saw that nothing was perished, nothing showing signs of leaking, no heat damage, no cables rubbing. First line of preventative maintenance and all that.

TLDR;
In short, some decent cleaning products and equipment allowed me to use the minimum amount of water. A bit of common sense covering up stuff I didn't want to put a hose may have helped. At least it made me feel better about it.

While I had the cover off my son was really interested to have a sniff about and try to work out the air and exhaust flows. Good lad. He's in a Fiesta at the moment (only 19) but really wants an AMG when he qualifies. :-D

View attachment 49960

View attachment 49959

View attachment 49961

View attachment 49962

Now that is one excellent write up buddy , good job and good result .

 

[Wighty]

Feast your "mince pies" on this little engine spritz from last month

 

[Bopo]

View attachment 49969 Feast your "mince pies" on this little engine spritz from last month

Ooh, you went under the cover! What bits did you cover up, if any, before getting it wet?

Might try this to make it all shiny before I head over your way to visit those nice people at GAD...

 

[ajlsl600]

View attachment 48541 View attachment 48542
Just thought I'd give the bay a quick once over, not bad with a pack of the wife makeup remover wipes and tub of dirt remover.

spray a can of wd40 at it leave a day warm eng wid hood down (might get a bit smelly ) not too hot, give it a going over with the karcher, cone not jet! DONT aim at wiring just a good wash. let it dry out and a quick short spray over with the wd again. i swear by it .keeps eng bay looking new AND deters our furry friends

 

[Bopo]

keeps eng bay looking new AND deters our furry friends

Eh?? You have problems with mice under the bonnet?

 

[ajlsl600]

A303 Aerospace protectant

ACF50 also grand stuff . kills corrosion especially on any alli used to plaster that in my commanders wheel wells. ,batt box and anywhere where any multiple alli parts were riveted together, if i could get at it. net result .no known corrosion in my 7 yr.really good stuff

 

[ajlsl600]

Eh?? You have problems with mice under the bonnet?

no and wanted to keep it that way ,one of the little shxxs ate one of my rear abc valve wires tho and it took me over a week to find it !!

 

[LostKiwi]

Eh?? You have problems with mice under the bonnet?

@Craiglxviii did.....
A family of the little blighters moved into the valley between the heads of his V8 and peed on the knock sensor. Cue failed knock sensor, poor performance and a thirst like a jumbo jet on takeoff!

 

[Wighty]

Ooh, you went under the cover! What bits did you cover up, if any, before getting it wet?

Might try this to make it all shiny before I head over your way to visit those nice people at GAD...

No I didn't cover anything up , as someone else said to me , all the connections are waterproof to low pressure water mist . I normally just put a cloth over the oil filler cap to stop water pooling there .

 

[Capra]

View attachment 49969 Feast your "mince pies" on this little engine spritz from last month

Hello Wighty, did you spray water over these bits as well, or was this done with a rag?

 

[Wighty]

Hello Wighty, did you spray water over these bits as well, or was this done with a rag?

View attachment 50052

Yes , sprayed with degreasant , rubbed with various brushes , then fine water mist

 

[Jimbo1959]

Did my youngest lads Fiesta today. Sprayed the complete engine bay with WD40 then, agitated with a brush, an additional spray with some brake cleaner and finally a wash down with very slightly soapy water applied with a plant spray to prevent any wiring or electrical damage. I then gave it another light spray with WD and a wipe with an cloth suffused with WD to give it a nice finish.
Only the alternator disappoints tbh. I think I'll need to remove it and the support bracket and give it a couple of coats of silver paint.

Before and after pictures : -