# How can I clean the engine bay? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920 "2014-08-31T18:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mattmro444](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@mattmro444](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mattmro444)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/1 "2014-08-31T18:04:39Z")
Summer coming up so gonna give the car a good going over. What is the best way to clean the engine bay? Thanks MRO Supply ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/2 "2014-08-31T18:18:06Z")
You can spray it down with a good water based cleaner, but there are problems. First, all the electrical components have to be protected from the water. Then there is the problem of disposal. The water and probably the water based solvent can likely be dumped down the drain, but the stuff you wash off the engine may not be legal. I’d watch out for power washing because it is more likely to push the water stream up under the covers you put on your electronic components. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/3 "2014-09-01T01:09:17Z")
**“Summer coming up so gonna give the car a good going over”** Do you live in The Southern Hemisphere? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/4 "2014-09-01T01:31:23Z")
Yeah, leaves are even starting to change in Minnesota. I’ve used Gunk before, then spray off with hot water. But you have to be very careful of what you get wet. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/5 "2014-09-01T01:46:52Z")
Is any special care required if one is cleaning the engine bay of a _Marlin_? **;-))** ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/6 "2014-09-01T02:28:25Z")
My first pass is to get a spray bottle of 409 and a roll of paper towels. I don’t like spraying down my engines with a hose or power washer, I’ve done it maybe once. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/7 "2014-09-01T02:41:45Z")
I have a professional do it…while I play golf. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/8 "2014-09-01T02:57:08Z")
I don’t know whether to say anything or not… ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/9 "2014-09-01T03:23:48Z")
Troll Alert ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/10 "2014-09-01T03:30:34Z")
Ditto. This poster has lost credibility with the incomprehensible post he/she posted on multiple sites, to which he/she never responded to anyone’s questions. And, exactly WHERE is summer coming up? Here in NH, FALL is coming up. Something makes no sense here. I suggest this poster be banned from this site. Guys? What say you? ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/11 "2014-09-01T03:36:35Z")
we should at least answer his question. Answer ; Oven cleaner works great. Spray it on and wait a few days before washing it off. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/12 "2014-09-01T03:45:19Z")
You’re probably right, yosemite, but I’d still like an explanation from the OP. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/13 "2014-09-01T03:56:39Z")
> I don't know whether to say anything or not.......... > Troll Alert > Ditto. This poster has lost credibility with the incomprehensible post he/she posted on multiple sites, to which he/she never responded to anyone's questions. > we should at least answer his question. Doesn’t hydrochloric acid clean just about anything?? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/14 "2014-09-01T04:10:35Z")
Do a search for the text in the OP’s post. You’ll see he posted the identical words to multiple sites. I counted 9 of them. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/15 "2014-09-01T04:35:48Z")
An excellent suggestion, Pvt. Wash everything down well with straight hydrochloric acid. Then flush the entire engine compartment down well with a garden hose. That’ll get all the grease off. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/16 "2014-09-01T04:35:48Z")
Yes but its not necessarily for the benefit of the OP. Lots of people that pass this way might also be interested in cleaning under the hood. We should be careful what we say lest someone do serious damage or injury using acids and oven cleaner. Although oven cleaner does work well on saw blades and router bits, some say it harms the metal. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/17 "2014-09-01T04:56:42Z")
I also find Mattmro to be an irritant and think he should be blocked, But Bing has a valid point that some of the responses might actually cause some uninformed person to do damage to their vehicle. I respectively ask that you consider editing your posts and just ignore this person in the future. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/18 "2014-09-01T05:18:38Z")
I agree that providing useful answers can help others besides the OP, whether he is a troll or not. I learned that oven cleaner can clean an engine. Thanks, Yosemite. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 5:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/19 "2014-09-01T05:19:25Z")
I agree with Bing, many people search and read these threads for advice/tips. Your offering destructive advice because you don’t like the BOT that has you on a chase. **Do not use hydrochloric acid for cleaning.** Some would be bored without matt, Mountainbike has 15 posts on BOT matts threads. I am looking forward to the third half of summer. July and August are too hot, September and October are pleasant. ---
**Author:** ![cdaquila](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cdaquila/32/18089_2.png) [@cdaquila](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cdaquila)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 5:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920/20 "2014-09-01T05:37:28Z")
Strange. I waited to see a) what he did and b) what you guys thought. It’s true this account has posted a bunch of places. Anyhow, I blocked him, so that concludes the curious episode of MRO Supply. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-engine-bay/86920.md?page=2)