Had a heart stopping moment when power steering resvoir cap came off and covered engine with fluid, Believe me you think the worst when you see smoke belching from every gap and vent in your bonnet, Problem repaired ( 93p rubber ring ) engine bay very well lubricated with fluid , Its a 95 STi Jap import , can anybody give me any tips on what to cover up, remove or avoid when I steam clean Engine and bay area ?

Thanks
Pete.

cover up electric stuff

cover over intercooler (so fins don't get bent)

If I were you, I'd go down to halfrauds and buy some of their engine detailing stuff, there's a good claener, that you spray on, and gently hose off, and then a silicone based spray that gives a good shine, about 8quid I think, but good!!

Ron.

If you do pressure wash, a good tip is to have the engine running... then at least if you do upset it and it stalls or slows, you'll know in which area to start looking first.

Usually, with care, avoiding the obvious it's o.k to do but not recomended as a regular event!

I'd second the Halfords route -Stuff is called CD2, £7.99 and comes as a pack with two aerosol cans.
Spray it on and rinse off with a normal hose, so you don't run the risk of forcing water under pressure into places its not supposed to go.

I've seen an engine bay cleaned with CD2 (Tiny) and it looks very good for little cost and little work...

I've used the halfords stuff too, very good. Make sure the gunge has somewhere to drain tho, when I done mine it stained the concrete on the road.

Many thanks Gents
Off to Halfords it is.

I wouldn't steam clean it at all, you can easily hit the alarm / immobiliser and cause damage to the unit as well as other intricate bits around the engine bay, i use gunk spray on stuff or golden film degreaser, comes up a treat especially with a paint brush to really get in those hard to reach places, good luck anyway. :D



[Edited by andypugh2000 - 7/30/2003 8:35:15 PM]

run engine till warm
switch off
lift bonnet
spray cleaner over enire engine inc wings and under bonnet
close bonnet for 10 min
lift bonnet
clean with pressure wash (dont aim directly at IC fins, alternator or alarm)
start engine (don't press acelerator)
leave running (idle) for 20 mins (let fan come on twice)
switch off
spray detailer
leave for 10 mins
go for a run


then :)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stlaw/engine.jpg


Cleaning Engine

But scoty, you have bent intercooler fins!!! :D did you not do it properly first time!! :D

:p

i personly would not run the engine till it was warm as all of these chemicals we use to clean the grime off, make sum wierd smells and smokey effects when sprayed onto a hot engine (well the ones i use do)

nice one scotty. sounds like mr swissol instruction to me. best £25 i have ever spent on cleaning material.

cheers

big sinky

Word to the wise, if steam cleaning FFS DONT USE DETERGENT.
I had mine done recently, I told the guy specifically NOT to use detergent, but he apparently had difficulties with simple instructions and the end result was an engine bay with virtually every ferrous part in it corroded :( The O-ring on the IASPV was also damaged in the process.

IMHO, which was seconded by the Autoglym rep it is not reconmended to warm the engine, as this can cause deposits to become welded to the plastics etc. Especially if u use detergent :(

Anyway i`m off out with my citrous cleaner to try n remove some more of the detergent i have welded to my under bonnet plastics.

Pete

Yeh sorry peeps, only use my instructions (Marks ;) ) if using his stuff (Swissol) :rolleyes: :D

In fact, only use Swissol products :p