Hi all, new owner of a 2014 V8 Vantage. My engine bay is pretty clean but I would like to spiff it up. I was wondering though, if I "clean" any grime off the engine and rinse it off, is that grime just going to drip down to the covers underneath the motor? I'm thinking I wouldn't be cleaning the engine bay but just moving it down to where I can't see it anymore.

TL;DR - Do you guys have any tips or preferred engine cleaning methods or products? I would be very interested to know what already works.

Much appreciated!

 

I wash the engine bay similar to washing the outside of the car, but don't try to spray too much water on the engine. Start from the backside of the hood and go down. You don't have to go crazy to keep it looking presentable. Be careful not to drop anything or you'll have to drop the under tray :-(

 

My favorite YouTuber on detailing is, "Pan the Organizer"
He claims to have 25 years of experience, seems very thorough and is entertaining to watch; he does identify when an episode is sponsored - No affiliation, but have gathered some great tips and products from his channel-- Good luck, KH

 

Please remember that electrical items do not water. I use a detail spray and microfiber cloths rather than a hose.

 

Thanks everyone! I am definitely not interested in drowning the engine in high-pressure water! I think, for my relatively clean engine bay, I would like to try one of the "foaming" engine cleaners, and a horse brush to "scrub" and then a very light rinse. I was just wondering where that grime would wash down to.

@khiroshima , I actually have an affinity for Dallas Detailing. I don't know why but he seems pretty straightforward.

I'm getting the car paint corrected and sealed right now so of course I'm thinking of all the details while my car is out of sight!

 

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@khiroshima , I actually have an affinity for Dallas Detailing. I don't know why but he seems pretty straightforward.

Thanks! Always looking for new ways to "waste" time . . . I will check it out!

 

I am from Texas and his accent is really interesting. I don't know if he's the best of the best but I like his approach. Let me know what you think!

 

A steam cleaner is the pro move. I worked with a guy who used one on every car that came into his shop to be worked on. First step was cleaning the engine bay. Then start the job, no matter how big or small. Made for lots of repeat & happy customers.

 

Get your engine bay cleaned before the outside. Definitely remove undertray and start from rear to front. I spent a whole weekend cleaning engine bay on my Vantage 5 years ago and now it's simple to keep up...

Steam, patience, small brushes and spray cleaners degreasers are great products...I mix my own from concentrates. cover up electronics... no pressure washing... light water spray... high pressure air spray works great to also remove dirt and to rinse. work outdoors, cover your driveway

once you get the top cleaned get under the car remove front wheelsn under trays and fender liners to get access to sides and bottom of engine and transaxle.

It's a real pain but if you are going to perform some DIY work you will be glad you spent the effort.

 

Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner.
I've used this on various modern engines(Aston, Maserati, Ferrari, ...) to clean up the dirt. Last weekend I also used it to clean up the suspension on my Vanquish - taking care not to get any on the brake rotors or pads. Removed a wheel at a time to get to the suspension parts.
Spray the cleaner on a cool engine, taking care not to get a lot around electrical connectors - a little bit is fine. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then wash down with a light stream of water. The point is more to get enough water to wash away the cleaner and dirt that's trapped in the foam. Engine bays in modern cars can in general get wet, you just want to avoid a hard stream of water. It's no worse than the rain getting in through the hood vents.
Sometimes takes several rounds to get all the dirt washed, but it leaves a very clean engine bay and underneath.
I'd also remove any undertrays before doing this process.

 

Cryo cleaning is the way to go.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a3...gine-cleaning/

 

Go to YouTube and go to Chris Fix or Chemical Guys’ channels. They seem to get great results.

 

I wash mine with the water vapor washing gun and never had a problem