Engine bay cleaning, hot vs cold
- Thread starter PremierAuto_NJ
- Start date
builthatch
New member
- May 25, 2008
- 2,352
- 0
i think it's hilarious that dudes who have done hundreds of engines in a certain manner say it's ok to do it a certain way, in unison, and then someone else will arbitrarily say "nah, sounds too risky."
for the user who asked about keep a relatively new engine clean, the easiest process for me is to strategically spray Optimum Power Clean (1:1 at the strongest, usually 3:1 will do the trick for really grimy areas) in the dirtiest spots with a cool engine (because you don't want the OPC to dry), agitate with a brush then have another spray bottle with water or hose and run water over those areas until the OPC and dirt are gone. you can agitate whilst running the water if you need too. i don't think it's necessary to go full strength with OPC on such a new engine, but it depends i guess. even diluted 1:1, OPC is freakin' strong. if someone at some point put some dealer or volume detailer grade schmutz on the engine, then you might need OPC in more places that normal. then, from that point forward, honestly a spray bottle with wash dilution of Optimum No Rinse and a separate spray bottle with plain water are all you need. for painted parts underhood (or anything, really), you can spray those areas with ONR and wipe down with a microfiber towel.
depending on your driving conditions and such, this is a really easy way to keep your engine looking fresh. no need for dressing or anything. if you MUST, i can recommend Megs Hyper Dressing at 4:1-6:1, but it's not necessary at all imo, esp. on a new engine.
for the user who asked about keep a relatively new engine clean, the easiest process for me is to strategically spray Optimum Power Clean (1:1 at the strongest, usually 3:1 will do the trick for really grimy areas) in the dirtiest spots with a cool engine (because you don't want the OPC to dry), agitate with a brush then have another spray bottle with water or hose and run water over those areas until the OPC and dirt are gone. you can agitate whilst running the water if you need too. i don't think it's necessary to go full strength with OPC on such a new engine, but it depends i guess. even diluted 1:1, OPC is freakin' strong. if someone at some point put some dealer or volume detailer grade schmutz on the engine, then you might need OPC in more places that normal. then, from that point forward, honestly a spray bottle with wash dilution of Optimum No Rinse and a separate spray bottle with plain water are all you need. for painted parts underhood (or anything, really), you can spray those areas with ONR and wipe down with a microfiber towel.
depending on your driving conditions and such, this is a really easy way to keep your engine looking fresh. no need for dressing or anything. if you MUST, i can recommend Megs Hyper Dressing at 4:1-6:1, but it's not necessary at all imo, esp. on a new engine.