My valve cover is getting a little dirty and I am not sure what to use on the valve cover to remove dirt and oil stains. Is there something I can use on the valve cover that won't harm the red paint? How should I clean my engine bay? Should I use a power washer or regular garden hose? And what is a good cleaner to use on rubber hoses?

 

Cover up all electrical and ignition systems.
Use simple green liberally all over the engine bay.
Hose it down. Dry it off.
CLEAN

Or

Steam clean it.

 

simple green

it's all natural!

 

IF you SIMPLE GREEN it once really well then everyother time you wash your car just hose the engine bay down with mild pressure you will have a bay that looks new.

Take a look and this is with 27k miles... :

 

Is Simple Green ok to use on the rubber hoses? It won't damage the hoses right?And does it work good on the valve cover.

 

Simple Green works great, after that I wash the whole bay with soap and water. Oh yea sometimes I break out a tooth brush, dont worry its not the same one I use for my teeth

 

That's one of those things you just really have to keep up on. Every other time I wash my car I clean under the hood, just with a damp cloth. Wipe up oil, dust and everything. Keeps everything nice and spic and span!!

Simple green is good stuff if you haven't kept up. After that, put a bit of armorall on a rag and just wipe your hoses down...


[Modified by reefer_bob, 3:21 PM 6/6/2002]

 

Simple green!!!

 

simple green, if you check my sig you can see pics...I clean it about every other wash....but I'm crazy and wax under my hood, the CAI, etc....

 

Neat...waxing your CAI. I wish my engine bay was that clean.

 

does gunk engine claener hurt hoses/plstics?

 

I wax under my hood, and the shock towers, and the rad support... polish the intake pipe. I've actually removed most of the anodized yellowish bolts, and pieces and buffed them to a chrome finish... Polished: both ends of fuel line, hood prop, all valve cover cap nuts/washers, ac line support, all bolts on the rad. support, power steering hose end. That's my bling bling!!! Looks sweet...

 

iv seen a guy that works for simple green drink the stuff to prove that it is not harmful. i think its safe to use on your ride. it is recommended to use simple green on dirt bikes because it does not eat away the seals and gaskets.(not that this has anything to do with your ride)

SIMPLE GREEN=

 

are you sure you need to cover those things up. I took my car a couple of months ago to a car wash and they just sprayed everything down without covering anything up. They said since it's a newer car, I wouldn't have any problems. I want to try doing it myself...can i just spray the hell out of it without feeling guilty????

 

You can spray but when you start up the car, you gotta make sure it's all dry.

 

As for my motor, it is so clean that you can eat off of it.

The trick is for me, I've always wiped down the motor with a rag after each car wash, and occasionally, I'd use some engine gunk spray to clean off the block....

that pretty much does it.