Engine bay cleaning chemicals? Where & what to buy?

[moab]

I have all the major parts stores near me - Autozone, Pep Boys, O'Reilly's & NAPA. Which one is cheapest? I just need an engine degreaser and an amorall type product to leave on the rubber.

Gonna go to the coin op car wash and do my engine compartment today. Looking thru the various websites I can't make heads nor tails of all the engine degreasers and Armorall type products.

I just want a cheap engine degreaser that foams or does the job. And a cheap Armorall knock off for leaving on the wires and rubber to make it stay looking clean. Which place is generally the cheapest and what if anything should I avoid?

I know I'm not going to use brake cleaner. IT's cheap. But I use that stuff to strip paint. And I don't think I want that flying around my engine compartment.

I usually just use what is cheapest. But would be interested in hearing what you guys use?

 

[LADenali]

Gunk or simple green to remove grease.

 

[iamdub]

I've had good luck with the Super Tech engine degreaser from WalMart. Their brake parts cleaner works great, too. Can't beat 'em for the price.

I'd advise against putting anything greasy or oily on anything. Sure, it might make the wires and hoses shiny and new-looking. But they will collect and hold even more dirt and grime. I can't stand working on a car which the owner (or used car lot "mechanic") sprayed the engine bay down with dress-up fluids.

Dirt on a dry wire or hose cleans off much more easily than if it were held by baked-on oil.

 

[Fosscore]

^^These guys have the info. I personally use Simple Green and cover my alternator and intake with double plastic bags like the threads says. No pressure wash for me, just a light spray from the hose, but mine wasn't too tragic when I first did it. I got in there twice with a toothbrush and now it is much easier to keep up on it.

I followed this thread initially.
http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/cleaning-your-engine-bay.72806/

@moab

 

[moab]

Thanks for the recommendations. I ended up at Pep boys. Got some Gunk and used the foamy and original. I have to say original kicks ass. Much better. There was nothing foamy about the foamy kind. Maybe I got a bum can? I remember the foaming stuff getting really white and foamy. This stuff was just clear liquid.

Anyway it all worked. To dark to really get a good look at. But I used two cans on the motor and a bunch of aluminum wheel cleaner. Rinsed it off with the turbo jet at the hand car wash. Worked wonders. My engine was filthy. Now it's clean. Started right up too. Was a little nervous about that on a sunday night. (Did not want to spend my sunday night waiting on a tow truck to get home!).

I bought some engine shine stuff too. But I waived it off at the last minute. What do you guys think of that stuff? Just seemed like it would attract dirt and make it harder to clean again.

 

[adventurenali92]

Anything shine,based is just a pain in the ass in the engine bay. Gets everything super greasy when you have to work on it later. Plus I've seen guys use oil based shine products and that's a no go in the engine bay. Im a detailer and am extremely **** about my car being clean. I just spray it down with a little bit of all purpose degreaser and then towel it down with cheap terry cloth tags. Gets everything clean and that works fine.

 

[Fosscore]

@Bigbeardenali1992

Could have used your expertise and extra muscle this weekend on the Tahoe. lol Pretty shattered last night to say the least. Figured you were snow boarding, but then again you said you had rain.

 

[ISU-152]

A light soapy water will do fine for clean up with some rags and elbow grease. Dont expect to spray some magical spray and all is done with a rinse. If Queen Victoria is coming you can shine up the plastic and rubber all you like after you put in the work. If you like your engine bay clean I'd suggest doing it once a month or maybe 2. Once a year is like not brushing your teeth and going to the dentist and saying "well how did that happen"?

 

[05Single]

Simple green. Not the cheapest but not the most expensive. I would also guess the best environmentally, ie. rust and corrosion free. (Like Fosscore I just lightly spray it down, no need for full high pressure rinse)

Then I spray armorall on just the plastic pieces, I don't soak the entire engine bay in it. Then spray some on a rag and hand wipe it on.

 

[RED TAHOE LS]

All the suggestions are very good, just depends what you like. Myself, I found in WalMart auto section in the oil area a gallon jug of purple all purpose cleaner that really works great for me and cheap. Take a spray bottle and mix it 50/50 for engine bay and tires, let it soak maybe 10 minutes an hose off with your garden hose @ home. JMHO and good luck.
David g...................