Cleaning engine bay procedures.

[91_festy_Gl]

Ok my festivas engine bay is probably the most nastiest on the forum not due to a oil leak but just years of grime and build up. Most any car I have owned and had to wash the engine bay usually ends up with a bad miss fire or wont start at all. I am about to attempt to wash mine here in a few mins and was wondering if you fellas had any tricks to cleaning one while avoiding this problem.

Im not rich so I wont be going to a car wash or using a pressure washer but insted washing by hand. I have been told to use shopping bags or trash bags but what do I cover with these? I figure I should atleast cover the ALT, fuse panel, dizzy, and spark plugs but is there anything else?

This is going to be a dirty nasty mess but i will post before and after pictures. I thought about just waitng untill I swap in my b8 but that is a spring project and I cant wait that long.

Here I go!

[bravekozak]

distributor

Just cover the distributor with a plastic bag and make sure it is sealed good and tight. I washed my car once and it stalled downtown on top of the elevated Gardiner Expressway. I popped the hood, took off the distributor cap poured out the water, gave it a few puffs from my lungs, started the engine and made it home. It is the distrubutor that must be protected at all costs.

[91_festy_Gl]

Well here is a before picture of the engine bay.



I also couldnt help but to throw up a picture of the festy.



I will have a after picture probably tomorrow. I figure it will probably take that long to get it some what clean. This grime was caused by a freeze plug blowing out. In person it is actually worse then the picture shows.

[Damkid]

Ha you should have seen my old green BP festiva, that engine bay was WAYY dirtier then yours :lol:

[Aaronbrook37]

Lots of simple green degreaser (regular or heavy duty), a couple of scrubbing pads, and a power washer. All I did for prevention was to bag the distributor as stated above. Man... that stuff was so thick... I can't wait to replace/rebuild this B3... there's major issues around the radiator hoses and the valve cover gasket.

[91_festy_Gl]

This engine bay wasnt that bad when my brother bought the car for 75 bucks. It was kinda dirty but then he took it off road and this was the aftermath plus the 10,000 miles I have put on it. Im sure the bay will clean up fine, as for the engine... I will try. Not really concerned but a clean bay with a dirty engine would be kinda be pointless.

The worst I have ever seen was a aspire we tore apart. The rear part of the block had to have atleast 2 solid inches of grease lmfao.

[91_festy_Gl]

Wow Aaron that is a totally nice cleaning job. I have everything needed besides a pressure washer but I guess a garden hose with a spray nozzel is gonna have to do. Im gonna grab a bottle of STP's ooomph just to cut the grime alittle easier, but nice job man.

[drddan]

A can of engine degreaser and a garden hose......

[TominMO]

I use aluminum foil to cover both the disty and the alternator--altho I think the alt is not as crucial.

[91_festy_Gl]

Im just going to take a shopping bag and cover the dizzy and clean away on it. As long as it will start back up and dont back fire and choke out it'll be fine, I just want to be able to pop the hood and not be disgusted.

[Team Lightning]

If you don't have a pressure washer, take it to the car wash. That's where I took mine.

[drddan]

If you get water in the disty, do not fear...WD-40 is here! One shot of WD-40 to the disty after cap removal, and it WILL start.:sunny:

[daniel_cogar]

i did have fun proving how well my festi would do goin off road lol it was a good party before leaving to basic. -Daniel

[91_festy_Gl]

i did have fun proving how well my festi would do goin off road lol it was a good party before leaving to basic. -Daniel

Lmfao bro I know, you left me the mess to clean up.

[91_festy_Gl]

Better late then never I guess. Well here is the after pics. I half A$$ed the engine simply because it is coming out some time, when I get a B8 computer.







A bottle of royal purple and a friends pressure washer.