Does anybody have any tips or methods on cleaning a dirty engine bay? Maybe some safe chemicals to use?

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1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE- Stored -All stock, Sony CDX-GT570UP HU w/ Scosche HD 6.5"'s front/Alpine S 6x9 rear, 153,000 miles
1996 Pontiac Bonneville SE- Now a parts car - HAI, Muffler Delete, Summit Y-pipe, 250,000 miles

1997 Pontiac Firebird - DD - 3800 Series II, Cold air intake/FWI, Y87 Package, Sony DSX-S100 Digital Media Reciever, 180,000 miles

Purple Power Degreaser works great.

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1994 Bonneville SE - Series one. L27
1998 Bonneville SE - Series Two. L36
2001 Bonneville SSEI - Series Two. L67

And then to keep your engine bay clean wash it when you are at the car wash. I usually just leave the pressure washer on the wash setting and gently wash everything.

Just be careful and it will be ok.

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Seth

Bonita 78,000 miles traded on a CTS4

I hose everything down real good, but do not spray directly into the alternator.

so the alternator is the only thing to be VERY cautious by? I can gently spray the rest of the engine bay lightly? I just don't want to short anything.

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1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE- Stored -All stock, Sony CDX-GT570UP HU w/ Scosche HD 6.5"'s front/Alpine S 6x9 rear, 153,000 miles
1996 Pontiac Bonneville SE- Now a parts car - HAI, Muffler Delete, Summit Y-pipe, 250,000 miles

1997 Pontiac Firebird - DD - 3800 Series II, Cold air intake/FWI, Y87 Package, Sony DSX-S100 Digital Media Reciever, 180,000 miles

You have to be somewhat smart about it, I try not to wash it so hard it pushes water into fluids it connectors even though they are water tight.

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Seth

Bonita 78,000 miles traded on a CTS4

IIRC, there is a thread on "How-to-clean-your-engine-bay". I have been looking for it without any success. I believe willwren made some posts in the thread and maybe Matt (myfirstbonnie) too. - BC

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In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321

X2

Simple green ain't bad either.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles

That, and Castrol Super Clean, will...WILL...eat away at unprotected (i.e. not clearcoated) paint, and will at best case scenario discolor it. Simple green, any orange degreaser, wd40, will be fine for firewall and inner fender stuff.

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2005 GXP - White Gold Pearl, no mods...yet.
2000 SSEi - Resurrection in progress. Built L67 w/L32 fuel rail, ported heads, and cam. Camaro front brake system, GXP cluster, and much more in planning.

I've used two methods, both already mentioned here.

(1) Gentle wash with light water spray, then spray on Simple Green and scrub dirty areas with a parts-cleaner brush, then gentle spray water rinse.

(2) Go to DIY carwash and just use the power wand to clean the engine bay. Be smart about it, don't stick the wand right up to delicate components, but keep it a respectable distance.

After doing (2) it's pretty much the only way I do it now, and don't need to do it more than once a year.

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PontiacDad at WCBF `08: "By any chance, was his name. . .Radomir?"

R.I.P. 10/31/15: 1997 SE: "Silver Shadow"
`05 Mercedes S500

FOUND ONE OF THEM - lol BC
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9975&p=106037&hilit=degreaser#p106037

Never use Castrol SuperClean under there. It eats paint.

A mild degreaser is best. I usually start with gunk foamy engine brite, two applications back to back.

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In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321