How to clean/wash motor/engine bay safely?

[ctrlraven]

I always use some diluted Simple Green in a spray bottle with a parts cleaning tool and tooth brush. Spray and wipe down large areas, use brushes for tight small areas and wipe dry or use some air from the compressor.

[Eastern_Front]

Castrol super clean works wonders on the heavy grease and grime. May have to experiment with dilution rates. Used to powerwash the sludge off of school buses before inspections. It's biodegradable too.

Don't use this on your Marauder's engine unless you rinse the Fu%& outa it.. Castrol super clean will wreak havoc on your aluminum!!

simple green if you have issues with grease though I must say these cars are not chevy's so oil leaks should not be an issue..

[Guittard22]

Buy a citrus-based engine cleaner from any FLAPS or Walmart. Follow the instructions on the can. You might want to get some small paint or cleaning brushes for the hard to reach and crusty spots. DO NOT use high pressure water to rinse. Blow dry and use an engine dressing. You want something that will not attract dust and dirt. DO NOT use WD40 or silicone-based products. Once it's clean a quick spray with the hose will keep it looking good.

Iuse the WD-40 to greaser works pretty good for the crevices like a silver and purple can - but after I use that I clean it with a mild cleaner and soapy water completely dry after .

[gdmjoe]

Excerpted from the Simple Green web site FAQ ...

Aluminum — Is it safe to use Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner on aluminum?

When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser, and Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product
residues.

Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

Me ...

*Solution in a spray bottle.
.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Me ...

*Solution in a spray bottle.

Yep!