How can I clean my TJ engine bay?

When I worked on BMWs, I did a lot of oil leak repairs. Lucky for me we had a lift in the shop with a drain beneath it.

After fixing the oil leak I would generously spray a general purpose cleaner (I’d compare it to Simple Green) over the entire engine bay with a warm engine. I’d let it sit a couple minutes and I’d pressure wash the entire engine bay with an electric pressure washer we had. It wasn’t too strong but was a bit more than a garden hose could do.

After I thoroughly sprayed it, I would close the hood and take it for a drive immediately. After a 5 or 10 minute drive the engine bay looked better than brand new. I will be doing it soon on my TJ but I have a couple more things to work on first.
 
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OHFIVETJ said:
These are pretty good & detailed vids ( ha no pun there ) ;)






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Ammo nyc is top notch. His products are so good IMO. To top it off if you have a resto or detailing question Larry K the owner will go above and beyond to help you out
 
Everyone's talking about best engine cleaners .... people! Just go buy a couple cans of oven cleaner at the dollar store, it's made to cut baked on grease.

I did zero scrubbing on this job.

Engine bay.png
 
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And covered in shiny shit that will attract dust and dirt again. If you need to get black finish back, use a water based product like carpro pearl. It should be matte black, not Tire Wet tire shine
 
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AndrewLJR said:
And covered in shiny shit that will attract dust and dirt again. If you need to get black finish back, use a water based product like carpro pearl. It should be matte black, not Tire Wet tire shine
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Agreed. I use Carpro Pearl diluted 3:1 or Sonus Motor Kote. I prefer the Sonus but Carpro is also good. Spray it on a don't touch it.
 
AndrewLJR said:
And covered in shiny shit that will attract dust and dirt again. If you need to get black finish back, use a water based product like carpro pearl. It should be matte black, not Tire Wet tire shine
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You've used this product? Obviously not.
 
CodaMan said:
You've used this product? Obviously not.
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I have and chucked it right in the trash. The problem with most of these products is they streak, don't last and aren't water-based. Non-water based products in your engine bay is asking for disaster. I used to detail and actually took classes on this stuff.
 
AndrewLJR said:
I have and chucked it right in the trash. The problem with most of these products is they streak, don't last and aren't water-based. Non-water based products in your engine bay is asking for disaster. I used to detail and actually took classes on this stuff.
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Can you share more? Do you mean they will cause problems, or do you just mean that they don't work so well?
 
Zepp citrus based cleaner. Spray it on liberally, let set a few minutes, hose off with hot water hose, or power washer, blow off excess water with leaf blower, start engine and run until dry. It is biodegradable and leaves no after scent.
 
What engine parts should I cover/wrap besides the PSU and the alternator before rinsing with the hose?

What about the connectors?
 
TJim said:
What engine parts should I cover/wrap besides the PSU and the alternator before rinsing with the hose?

What about the connectors?
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I had a bad experience with water getting in my distributor and the shop changed it under warranty, but recommended that I cover it next time, because they won't warranty it again if it happens. I also used shine to make it look great, and maybe too much shine messed up the distributor. Also, most people cover the open alternator.
 
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