Cleaning under the Hood? Any Tips?

[Tranas]

My 2007 Fit Sport has never seen a drop under that hood yet, and I'm starting to dislike the dust and dirt that's collecting.

I'm new to this sort of thing, and the idea of water and other cleaning supplies around there without any sort of preemptive knowledge, scares the living crap out of me.

Could anyone shed some light on this dilemma for me?
Perhaps some first-hand experience or knowledge, I'm sure you guys keep your engines sparkling clean - there must be some well-kept secret?

Thanks again.

[Type 100]

Me, I just wash down the plastic parts (intake cover, airbox, fusebox, etc.) with water and car shampoo to move the dirt and dust away. Fortunately for us, the way the GDs' L-series engines are designed means it's pretty difficult for water to get in via the ignition coils. They're tucked underneath the intake manifold. That said, don't overdo the water.

Once the shampoo has done its job, I wash it away. I let it dry, then I slather on some Armor All protectant and wipe it on the aforementioned plastic parts - just to keep 'em shiny. Unless you're a professional engine detailer, it's better to stay on the safe side with cleaning the engine bay. The way I see it, you can probably get away with just cleaning the plastic pieces because they're the most obvious.

HTHs

[Tranas]

First of all, it's great to find a fellow TTGL lover. I'm thinking of getting a custom DAI-GURREN Brigade decal for my hood.

Second off, thanks for all the info! Really helped me out.

[Tofuik]

a damp towel and a dry towel works fine for mine. I clean under the hood every few weeks so that it never builds up more than a slight layer of dust.

[Revelie]

Personally I'd stay away from armorall. Autopia forums have a thread about it, and the last post says a lot. A guy that I work with is in to classic cars he and his friends swear armor all ruins your dash and plastic components over time.

heres the link to autopia. Armor All bad??? - Autopia.org

I just use the same auto shampoo/water mix i use to wash the exterior of my car on a microfiber cloth. Then I follow up with a wet microfiber cloth. It keeps the engine clean, and I do it every other time I wash my car. I get any small spots with Adam's detailing spray that I happen to miss.

[seeremlive]

I take my old rim brush and carefully scrub down the whole engine. Then I use the shower setting on my hose end and rinse. Let it dry with the hood open for a half hour or so and that is all there is to it. I know from the salt and slush that gets under there in the winter that a little clean water won't hurt it a bit. I actually get slush puddles on top of the strut towers in the winter when it is real sloppy on the interstate.

[feddup]

Originally Posted by Revelie

Personally I'd stay away from armorall. Autopia forums have a thread about it, and the last post says a lot. A guy that I work with is in to classic cars he and his friends swear armor all ruins your dash and plastic components over time.

heres the link to autopia. Armor All bad??? - Autopia.org

I just use the same auto shampoo/water mix i use to wash the exterior of my car on a microfiber cloth. Then I follow up with a wet microfiber cloth. It keeps the engine clean, and I do it every other time I wash my car. I get any small spots with Adam's detailing spray that I happen to miss.

Use 303 protectant 303 Products - Aerospace Protectant, High Tech Fabric Guard -* World's Leading Automotive Care Products never armor all! Anyone got any advice on how to clean the sound deadening material underneath the hood? I've got some white stuff that doesn't want to come off it.

[kenchan]

i usually use a 50/50 mix of simple green and water in a spraybottle
and spray the non-electric bits. remove as much crap with a paper towel.
btw, i wear disposable gloves when working under the hood.

then take water-only and spray the non-electronic bits and
wipe off the remaining simplegreen. works great.

then dressup the plastic and rubber bits with either Aerospace303 or Prima Nero.

www.detailersparadise.com
www.amazon.com

for your supplies.

[Fit4Trav]

Here's a pretty nifty DIY from bBSquad.net i know its an xB...but you can at least get the idea. Taz (surfcitylocal) is a friend of mine.

Originally Posted by surfcitylocal

A clean engine bay is a happy engine bay! People ask me all the time how do you keep your engine bay so clean? The simple answer is, I clean it.



To keep your engine bay clean and shiny you can follow these steps as we cleaned Pat's engine bay. (also known as the "how to get a buddy to clean your engine for free" move)

Start with a dirty engine...


Use some sort of household cleaner that in non-toxic. I advise against using the "grease cutting or degreasing cleaners" you find in auto parts stores. They are not good for your paint, electrical wiring and they drain to the ocean where I surf, not good.

This is a simple cleaner that smells fresh like oranges...


Pat says you should use this cleaner!



Use a lot of it, it won't hurt your engine or paint. (just a precaution, try to avoid getting too much on any electrical components.




Spray, spray away!


This is what the engine will look like after the cleaner soaks for a few minutes.


If your engine is really dirty, you may want to use the foaming action...




Once the cleaner has had a chance to sit for a while, grab some cloths and start washing. Be sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.



After you have wiped down all the parts of the engine and the bay, you'll want to rinse off the area. Use your garden hose with the spray nozzle set to MIST. This will allow you to fully rinse your engine without blasting water into the electrical components.


Notice how fine the spray of water is...


After you have rinsed the engine and bay, you may wish to take this optional step. If you have a portable shop vac, you can reverse the hose and use it as a blower to get the water out of hard to reach areas on the engine and the bay.






Once you have blown off the majority of the water, you can use some microfiber towels to dry off the rest of the engine and bay.


Again, get all the tight places.


When you are done, stand back and admire your clean engine and bay!

[Cat]

Engine bay detailing is part of my weekly cleaning even in the dead of winter it gets attention. I show my Fit in local import shows so by doing it everytime the car is washed it keeps the job easy. They guys at the Honda dealership tell me that I have a really clean engine bay for a 2007 model that is a daily driver.

Cat :x