# Advice needed on how to clean engine bay



## TheVarix (Apr 3, 2013)

Hi,
I am fed up of my engine bay being dirty so I have decided that this weekend I have to do something about it!  
In fairness it's not bad but I want to have it really clean. If I covered all electrical bits, plugs + alternator and battery with clingfilm or something like that, could I use some Gunk degreaser, give everything a good scrub and then rinse with a jet hose? 
Any other method? I am afraid that time is always an issue for me so that's why I mentioned the jet hose rinse as it seems to be the quickest way to rinse, give it a god clean.
Any advice appreciated.
Many thanks


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## J3SHF (Jun 25, 2014)

Do you have the engine covers still in place, if so are you wanting to clean all the areas you can't see?

I'm not saying this is the best method however I have always used a selection of paint brushes and toothbrushes with white spirit used carefully and one part at a time to clean dirt off the affected areas. Be careful cleaning around the dipstick as I broke mine (it was old :lol: ), once the dirt has been removed I then use back to black to spray on the pipe work and a trim restorer on the plastic sections and a polish on the body colour areas.

Mine bay was an absolute mess when I got the car so I removed the plastic covers, strut brace and air box.

If it helps here's a before and after ( I wasn't after mega clean in all places as it's used everyday) however I wanted a bay that is pretty tidy and easy to maintain.


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## TheVarix (Apr 3, 2013)

Thanks for your reply! 
That engine bay looks really neat now. You've done a great job there!  
I'll try your method but it sounds a bit time consuming, isn't it?


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## J3SHF (Jun 25, 2014)

TheVarix said:


> Thanks for your reply!
> That engine bay looks really neat now. You've done a great job there!
> I'll try your method but it sounds a bit time consuming, isn't it?


It's really not that time consuming, the plastics that a few minutes to get off and I'd comfortably say half a day would get it all done. It also gives you a good opportunity to have to bit of a poke around and check for leaks, split hoses etc.


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## J3SHF (Jun 25, 2014)

Even the inlet manifold only took a couple of hours to paint from start to finish, have a look at my build thread and you can see it all getting done.


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## BaueruTc (Aug 21, 2011)

When i first bought my TT, I went over it quickly with Autoglym engine cleaner. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-1L-Eng ... B001AZE5WS

Simply spray it on, Agitate it with a paint brush and rinse it off. I rinsed it off with a garden hose with the end off. Took no more than 15 minutes to do the whole bay. I then used WD40 on on the plastic trim, Spray it on and wipe off with a rag.

Quick way to tidy up your bay with not too much effort.

A few pictures,

Before









After









Trouble is that if you clean it up you may get the urge to bling it out a little more....

Now


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## J3SHF (Jun 25, 2014)

BaueruTc said:


> When i first bought my TT, I went over it quickly with Autoglym engine cleaner. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-1L-Eng ... B001AZE5WS
> 
> Simply spray it on, Agitate it with a paint brush and rinse it off. I rinsed it off with a garden hose with the end off. Took no more than 15 minutes to do the whole bay. I then used WD40 on on the plastic trim, Spray it on and wipe off with a rag.
> 
> ...


Shame you forgot to replace your coolant bottle  :lol:


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## TheVarix (Apr 3, 2013)

BaueruTc said:


> When i first bought my TT, I went over it quickly with Autoglym engine cleaner. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-1L-Eng ... B001AZE5WS
> Simply spray it on, Agitate it with a paint brush and rinse it off. I rinsed it off with a garden hose with the end off. Took no more than 15 minutes to do the whole bay. I then used WD40 on on the plastic trim, Spray it on and wipe off with a rag.
> Quick way to tidy up your bay with not too much effort.
> A few pictures,
> ...


Thanks BaueruTc, 
I lean towards doing it your way although J3SHF's way will probably be much more thorough. Time (lack of it) is really an issue for me during the weekend so the quickest I can do the job, the better.
By the way, that engine bay looks sexy but J3SHF is right...that coolant reservoir is a bit of an eyesore as everything else is so nice and neat.


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## TheVarix (Apr 3, 2013)

And J3SHF, That inlet mani looks really nice in that colour with the Quattro decal. Nice colour and quite subtle although don't you think that the same colour you used for the manifold would have worked better than red for the strut bar?


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## J3SHF (Jun 25, 2014)

Grey would look nice and like you say subtle, I wanted some contrast in the engine bay and now the calipers have been painted red it goes well.


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## BaueruTc (Aug 21, 2011)

J3SHF said:


> Shame you forgot to replace your coolant bottle  :lol:


Believe it or not but I actually have had a new one sitting in my shed for two years lol.



TheVarix said:


> Thanks BaueruTc,
> I lean towards doing it your way although J3SHF's way will probably be much more thorough. Time (lack of it) is really an issue for me during the weekend so the quickest I can do the job, the better.
> By the way, that engine bay looks sexy but J3SHF is right...that coolant reservoir is a bit of an eyesore as everything else is so nice and neat.


You would be surprised at how well you can clean the bay with a paintbrush and some Autoglm. I can assure you that every bit of paintwork in and around my bay is spotless.


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Just keep it clean & almost OEM 8).. click to enlarge










Hoggy.


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## BaueruTc (Aug 21, 2011)

Hoggy said:


> Hi, Just keep it clean & almost OEM 8).. click to enlarge
> 
> 
> 
> Hoggy.


Looks perfect Hoggy!


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## TheVarix (Apr 3, 2013)

Hoggy said:


> Hi, Just keep it clean & almost OEM 8).. click to enlarge
> 
> Hoggy.


Wow, that looks like new!!


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

TheVarix said:


> Hoggy said:
> 
> 
> > Hi, Just keep it clean & almost OEM 8).. click to enlarge
> ...


Hi, Thankyou, 13+ years old had her from new, but bit of a garage queen.  
Hoggy.


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## sweeney23 (Feb 20, 2014)

steam clean and a good degreaser or even autosmart g101 with the steam cleaner then some good plastic and rubber dressing


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