Engine Cleaning/Detailing

[Fredrick2003]

I would like to know the best method for cleaning and/or detailing (I don't know exactly where that line is drawn, everybody seems to have thier own definition, its kinda like "mint" trading cards...) your engine. I have read numorous books and websites on the subject, and subscribed to a couple of forums, but I figured here would be a good spot to ask this question as well... Considering its like... About a Toyota...

I am going to attempt to clean out the engine of a 2001 Toyota Camry LE. Any information about this would be appreciated really, but I already have a general understanding.

Some main things I want to know...
A) I heard you are breaking a law by doing this at your house... true?
B) What components should you not get wet, as many as you can possibly think of.
C) Product Reccomendations

Thanks for your time

[Venom_5]

i have a mini-DIY on this ... ill find the link

EDIT:

here's my mini-DIY on how to wash the engine bay:
washing engine bay

my product of choice is Engine Brite [the foaming or non-foaming pink kind] ... but Simple Green also works well for tough/burnt-on stains

never put cold water on the engine while it is warm, as the sudden temperature change is known to crack metal ... namely, your engine block

----------------

if you need certain parts to be cleaned, such as the valve cover ... and it looks like this:
Before Shot

then your best bet is to sand it down [grits: 60, 80, 100, 150, 220] and paint it ... or sand it down [grits: 60, 80, 100, 220, 400-800, wetsand 1000] and polish it

After Shot (Quickly Sanded up to 220 Grit):

After Shot (Painted with 2 Coats of Duplicolor Engine Enamel):

[Fredrick2003]

Excellent little DIY, and nice pictures in the topic

What model is that?

[Venom_5]

1995 Camry LE

[Fredrick2003]

So... Its perfectly legal to do this just like... In your driveway right?

[Venom_5]

not really ... it depends on what is coming out of your engine bay ... if its just dirt, then yes ... but you shouldnt really be pouring oil or coolant or anything down public sewage

however - sometimes its unavoidable

[Fredrick2003]

My engine is so dirty I don't have any idea whats in it :/... Thats what gave me the idea to clean it. I just recently because interested in taking better care of my car, which is kinda sad...

[Venom_5]

i would just go ahead and clean it like i did mine ... i doubt anyone will give you a hard time, just try not to stain the driveway

[ASG14]

I only have ONE before shot from when I got he car, and 1 AFTER shot before I did mods.

I used Purple Power and/or Simple Green engine degreaser. Now, I do not cover up anything, but, if you want to be safe, cover up your fuse box(s), alternator, and distributor cap.

Illegal? Um, 1st I ever heard of that. Unless your doing it on a street, it;s fine.

[1996camry]

buy engine degreeaser and bring your car to car to access high pressure water. have your engine running idle (neutral) and spread degreeaser on the engine where is dirty...advice, not spread a lot on electronic components.. keep water away as possible...then use high presssure to clean it off... once you finish, keep the car run for 5 mins to dry out the water... now, you have clean shine engine..mininimize water go into spark plugs...normally, i spread the water over 1-2 times quick touch..and not keep there for long..to get the water into spark plugs..if you get water in spark plugs, the car won't start...you need get the water off the spark plugs...by taking them out..dry with a drag.

[xtremeskier97]

ASG14...did you repaint anything in your engine bay from pic1 to pic2? The reason I ask is cuz that throttle body looks CLEAN compared to the first shot...infact..the whole block looks spotless...like it's been repainted. It looks like a totally different car!

Nice job!

[Fredrick2003]

I don't know if I will get results THAT awesome but I hope something close

Edit: So what should I do about the area's I can't get wet :o...

[Venom_5]

i know Adam has painted his throttle body and valve covers .... but im not sure when that happened exactly, so its quite possible that the 2nd picture has painted parts

i believe everything is black now

[ASG14]

Only items you need to cover up are the Distributor cap, fuse boxes, and alternator. Honestly, when I was my engine now, I do not even cover up stuff anymore. Just Sumple Green or Purple Power, and a garden hose. And it took me like 2 days cleaning the engine to look like that. 1st pic to 2nd was before I did ANYTHING to the engine at all. Boith pics 100% stock. Jusr get a LOT of paper towels, and the gallon size degreaser (with a spray bottle of your choosing)

The engine was just that disgustingly dirty.

This is how it looks now, and no that engine cover is NOT done. The blue is tape, NOT paint.

[Venom_5]

there have been times when i didnt cover anything up ... if you do it that way, give yourself like an entire day to dry ... especially if its humid out

because there have been 2 occasions where i have only let it dry for a few hrs, and the distributor cap and spark plug wires were wet .... it was pretty hard to drive around