Cleaning your (modern) engine bay : article

[sparehead3]

Hi

Posting a link to an article on cleaning an engine bay : http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/caring-for-modern-engines.html - taken from the evocorner forum but thought it would be useful to keep the link.

I've never cleaned mine , I don't know of any other members' experiences ?

[Parisien]

Needless to say Steve, my (almost finished, rebuilt) engine is immaculately clean, so I shan't be reading this guide.


 


P

[frankxhv773t]

I have a policy of cleaning and even re-finishing anything I can reach whenever I have to take something apart. most of the article is common sense but the recommendation of modern degreasers is useful and tip on using aluminium foil is worth the reminder. Another point is that once you have made the initial effort it is much easier to keep everything in sparkling condition.

I should have had my Y10 bonnet open at the AGM. It would have made the judges job much easier.

[stanley sweet]

The one thing it doesn't tell you, which prevents me from doing anything like this, is what happens to all the dirty greasy water that comes out the bottom of the engine bay? I don't think my neighbours would be to happy with it in the road, and I don't want it over my parking space,

[frankxhv773t]

I suppose that depends on just how terrible a state your engine bay is in. What happens to the dirty water whenever you wash your car? If there has been a major oil leak I tend to use something like WD40 and wipe up with kitchen towel that can go in the bin. That gets rid of the major problem.

[lancialulu]

There is clean and there is spotless. Frankly if you drive your Lancias then it will be a law of diminishing returns.

Of course cleaning is probably important if you are thinking selling but then potentially you introduce a whole lot of unreliability problems for the new owner (or yourself) with water induced corrosion setting in on key and not so key electrical connections.

Go on drive them instead of wasting time......

[frankxhv773t]

With respect that isn't true. I do drive my Lancia, anywhere and everywhere including across muddy fields because it's my main car. It's no more hassle to keep the engine bay clean than the interior. It gets a thorough clean after the winter ready for the summer season and after that it's just a few minutes extra if I give the car a wash.

[lancialulu]

Frank, i must admit to a quick wipe over the visible bits under the bonnet after washing my car which I do after I have been on an event/trip etc. My point is about introducing water and chemicals to old style electrical wiring looms already struggling for 30-50 years to work in the UK climate. Maybe I misread the title and this conversation relates to cars with modern wiring looms, connectors etc, in which case.....

[frankxhv773t]

Fair point. I guess a Y10 is modern from that point of view. I probably wouldn't want to do it to something like an Aprillia.