Clean Engine
 

What do you guys use to clean under the hood and the Engine? on my old
honda I used Gunk and pressure wash it. How ever My VW is no Honda and I
actually care about my VW. what is suggested? I want to get it clean to near
new look.

-Lee

Yeah, I am wondering about that too. I have a pressure washer, but whatever
gunk I use to clean the engine with is going to leave one big greasy mess on
my driveway as soon as I start spraying. Other than taking the car to a
steam cleaning company, is there a good way to do it without creating a big
mess?

"Lee" > wrote in message
...
> What do you guys use to clean under the hood and the Engine? on my old
> honda I used Gunk and pressure wash it. How ever My VW is no Honda and I
> actually care about my VW. what is suggested? I want to get it clean to
> near new look.
>
> -Lee
>
>

First thing to do is to put away the pressure washer. Spraying water
into sealed connections is a great way to cause electrical gremlins.
Ok, I have used a pressure washer on occasion but not where there are
any electrical connections. Not too many places to spray the pressure
wand.

Park the car over your lawn. You won't make a mess of your driveway.

"Papa" > wrote:

>Yeah, I am wondering about that too. I have a pressure washer, but whatever
>gunk I use to clean the engine with is going to leave one big greasy mess on
>my driveway as soon as I start spraying. Other than taking the car to a
>steam cleaning company, is there a good way to do it without creating a big
>mess?
>
>"Lee" > wrote in message
.. .
>> What do you guys use to clean under the hood and the Engine? on my old
>> honda I used Gunk and pressure wash it. How ever My VW is no Honda and I
>> actually care about my VW. what is suggested? I want to get it clean to
>> near new look.
>>
>> -Lee
>>
>>
>


Jim B.

"Papa" > wrote in message
link.net...
> Yeah, I am wondering about that too. I have a pressure washer, but
> whatever gunk I use to clean the engine with is going to leave one big
> greasy mess on my driveway as soon as I start spraying. Other than taking
> the car to a steam cleaning company, is there a good way to do it without
> creating a big mess?

I'd say pressure washer is too much. Just a garden hose and a typical spray
nozzle is more than enough. I use some degreaser on the tougher areas and
then on the non-greasy dusty areas just soap and water and a sponge. But
try not to flood anything more than you need to.

Lee wrote:
> What do you guys use to clean under the hood and the Engine? on my
> old honda I used Gunk and pressure wash it. How ever My VW is no
> Honda and I actually care about my VW. what is suggested? I want to
> get it clean to near new look.
>
> -Lee

Loose the pressure washer.

I use Simple Green. Spray it on a damp engine (works better with a
little water) let it set a while, but not dry. You can spray a little water
on it to keep it damp if needed. Then spay it off using a not so strong
spray from the garden hose.

I like the Simple Green as it works well and is safe.


--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

In article >,
says...
> Lee wrote:
> > What do you guys use to clean under the hood and the Engine?
>
> Loose the pressure washer.
>
> I use Simple Green. Spray it on a damp engine (works better with a
> little water) let it set a while, but not dry. You can spray a little water
> on it to keep it damp if needed. Then spay it off using a not so strong
> spray from the garden hose.

Ditto, but I also use a paint brush where needed to break up any tougher
stuff. Works on wheels too.

Mark
'95 Jetta GLS

"Mark Randol" > wrote in message
...
>Ditto, but I also use a paint brush where needed to break up any tougher
>stuff. Works on wheels too.

Can also use old toothbrushes for this (small size gets into tight spaces
well).

I've come to believe that the best way to keep the grime off my engine is
before it happens. Spraying water on an engine can cause odd electrical
problems that can be really frustrating. It's a good idea to keep a close
eye on leaks and repair them as soon as possible. On my car that's fairly
easy, as just about all the oil seals can be replaced with the engine in the
car (the engine rear main seal and transaxle mainshaft/clutch pushrod seal
requires removal of the transaxle, so I replace them every time the clutch
is serviced).

I use concentrated Simple Green for all my parts cleaning, as it's a
relatively effective and non-toxic degreaser. Best practice is to clean
parts when they are off the car in a benchtop parts washer or similar, so
you can get maximum mileage out of the solution and catch the oily residue.
The spent solution can then be taken to a local waste collection area for
proper disposal. Simple Green alone may have minimal environmental impact,
but the oily rinseate should not be released into the environment (and is
actually a violation of federal law). This is one reason that DIY whole
engine cleaning, even with Simple Green, should be avoided. If you need to
clean the whole engine, take your car to a shop where the rinseate will be
properly handled. After that, you can take care of any leaks to keep your
engine clean.

I don't want to sound like "Captain Safety" here, but the solvents used in
many automotive cleaning products can be very harmful to the individual and
environment, and should be used sparingly and handled properly. Even Simple
Green can cause mild eye, skin, and respiratory irritation in some sensitive
folks. Conventional engine degreasers and brake parts cleaners such as Gunk
can be especially harmful. If you use these products and don't own an
organic vapor respirator, solvent gloves, and safety glasses, you're putting
your health at risk. Many of us that like to work on our own cars tend to
feel young and immortal, but believe me, the cumulative health effects of
repeated exposure to even common solvents can be significant. After all, we
all want to be able to enjoy our VWs for as long as possible.

--
Kent
1987 VW GTI 8V, original owner, 221,800+ miles


"Lee" > wrote in message
...
> What do you guys use to clean under the hood and the Engine? on my old
> honda I used Gunk and pressure wash it. How ever My VW is no Honda and I
> actually care about my VW. what is suggested? I want to get it clean to
near
> new look.
>
> -Lee
>
>