When doing this be smart and watch what your blasting.
While everything but your alternator and knock sensor holes are water proof.
A strong pressure washer can do damage to wire, conduit, and sometimes push water into wire connections.
you will need a couple items to do this.
Pressure washer.
Simple green or purple power.
Your favorite plastic and rubber dressing, I dont use anything but Silk shine.
A nylon bristle brush, its really not needed but just in case.
some old clean towl.
Brief description of silk shine:
Unlike armor all and most other dressings that use Alcohol as its base, Silk shine uses water.
This doesn't Dry out your plastics or rubber.
Also unlike most dressings Silk shine is not slimy or greasy feeling, it goes on smooth and makes what ever you apply it on feel perfectly clean and new and it smells great!
As a added bonus it dilutes down very well. Just be sure to buy the gallon jug as once you use the stuff, you will end up cleaning every vehicle you own and probably your friends as well.
Ok now onto the reason your reading all this.
First step,
Start with a cold engine.
You want to warm up the engine just enough that the cylinder head is warm to the touch, not hot but nice and warm. This softens the oil and dirt thats stuck to everything.
Second step,
Cover your alternator with a plastic bag from a grocery store to keep from accidentally blasting it with the pressure washer.
Third step,
Hose down absolutely everything with your cleaner, purple power or simple green. Frame, steering linkages, etc.
Now let that sit and soak, it will take a few mins but watch the cleaner and as soon as you start to see it start drying, its time to blast it.
Forth step,
Fire up that Pressure washer and start blasting all of the cleaner off.
Get down in there and start blasting all that crap off.
You will want to get under the coils, and timing chain cover really well. they tend to get real dirty.
Don't be shy, cram that pressure washer tip down in, under and behind everything. Just be smart about it.
Now be careful when your blasting under the front of the intake manifold as you will Quickly fill up the Knock sensor holes and causing a Rapid increase in corrosion and their destruction, They look like this after being under water for awhile. They are located down in holes under these caps that are sealed with Blue silicone. Stock are NOT sealed.
anyways, Blast all that crap out and when you get to a point where nothing else is coming off or the cleaner is rinsed off its time for next step.
Fith step,
Fire up your engine, LoL at the squealing belt and let it warm up the same as you did before, just warm, not hot, but nice and warm on the cylinder head.
I like to close the hood, Dont latch it down, just gently set it down.
Now sit back with a beer and watch.
Your looking for steam to start coming out from the sides and front of the hood.
It wont be alot, but you will see it. when you do, kill engine and raise hood.
If the heads to hot to touch, wait a few mins until you can touch the head.
If you don't get steam, fire up the engine just long enough to get steam.
Sixth step,
Repeat Third step.
This time pay special attention to area that didn't come clean.
If you want break out the brush and help break some of that stubborn crap loose.
Seventh step,
Repeat forth step.
Again pay attention to the stubborn areas, Really get in there and blast that crap out.
Repeat these steps as many times as needed until your satisfied.
Once your satisfied with your work, its time for the final step.
Eight step,
while the engine is still wet and warm, Hose down everything with Silk shine or your favorite dressing.
If it puddles up, no worries. Hose that engine bay.
Now sit back with a beer.
When beer is empty, grab your towel and wipe down everything.
Thats it.
Sit back and look at that shiny ass engine bay.
Now if you want to really deep clean it.
Repeat these steps in 3-5 days, when the Dressing has a chance to creep and really loosen up all the left over dirt and grime.
This is when it gets really clean and shiny.
If you didnt half ass it. your engine bay will look like this.
Wow that's a long ass post!
While everything but your alternator and knock sensor holes are water proof.
A strong pressure washer can do damage to wire, conduit, and sometimes push water into wire connections.
you will need a couple items to do this.
Pressure washer.
Simple green or purple power.
Your favorite plastic and rubber dressing, I dont use anything but Silk shine.
A nylon bristle brush, its really not needed but just in case.
some old clean towl.
Brief description of silk shine:
Unlike armor all and most other dressings that use Alcohol as its base, Silk shine uses water.
This doesn't Dry out your plastics or rubber.
Also unlike most dressings Silk shine is not slimy or greasy feeling, it goes on smooth and makes what ever you apply it on feel perfectly clean and new and it smells great!
As a added bonus it dilutes down very well. Just be sure to buy the gallon jug as once you use the stuff, you will end up cleaning every vehicle you own and probably your friends as well.
Ok now onto the reason your reading all this.
First step,
Start with a cold engine.
You want to warm up the engine just enough that the cylinder head is warm to the touch, not hot but nice and warm. This softens the oil and dirt thats stuck to everything.
Second step,
Cover your alternator with a plastic bag from a grocery store to keep from accidentally blasting it with the pressure washer.
Third step,
Hose down absolutely everything with your cleaner, purple power or simple green. Frame, steering linkages, etc.
Now let that sit and soak, it will take a few mins but watch the cleaner and as soon as you start to see it start drying, its time to blast it.
Forth step,
Fire up that Pressure washer and start blasting all of the cleaner off.
Get down in there and start blasting all that crap off.
You will want to get under the coils, and timing chain cover really well. they tend to get real dirty.
Don't be shy, cram that pressure washer tip down in, under and behind everything. Just be smart about it.
Now be careful when your blasting under the front of the intake manifold as you will Quickly fill up the Knock sensor holes and causing a Rapid increase in corrosion and their destruction, They look like this after being under water for awhile. They are located down in holes under these caps that are sealed with Blue silicone. Stock are NOT sealed.
anyways, Blast all that crap out and when you get to a point where nothing else is coming off or the cleaner is rinsed off its time for next step.
Fith step,
Fire up your engine, LoL at the squealing belt and let it warm up the same as you did before, just warm, not hot, but nice and warm on the cylinder head.
I like to close the hood, Dont latch it down, just gently set it down.
Now sit back with a beer and watch.
Your looking for steam to start coming out from the sides and front of the hood.
It wont be alot, but you will see it. when you do, kill engine and raise hood.
If the heads to hot to touch, wait a few mins until you can touch the head.
If you don't get steam, fire up the engine just long enough to get steam.
Sixth step,
Repeat Third step.
This time pay special attention to area that didn't come clean.
If you want break out the brush and help break some of that stubborn crap loose.
Seventh step,
Repeat forth step.
Again pay attention to the stubborn areas, Really get in there and blast that crap out.
Repeat these steps as many times as needed until your satisfied.
Once your satisfied with your work, its time for the final step.
Eight step,
while the engine is still wet and warm, Hose down everything with Silk shine or your favorite dressing.
If it puddles up, no worries. Hose that engine bay.
Now sit back with a beer.
When beer is empty, grab your towel and wipe down everything.
Thats it.
Sit back and look at that shiny ass engine bay.
Now if you want to really deep clean it.
Repeat these steps in 3-5 days, when the Dressing has a chance to creep and really loosen up all the left over dirt and grime.
This is when it gets really clean and shiny.
If you didnt half ass it. your engine bay will look like this.
Wow that's a long ass post!
Last edited:
