I’m getting the Z ready for summer and the engine bay and engine is kinda dirty. I need to clean it but don’t want to short, flood, ruin anything. What is the best way to clean the engine and engine bay? Is there any precautions I should take, areas to avoid. Any best practices would be appreciated, particular if they pertain to the Ellis Juan.
well if u have an open element filter cover that up…some people say cover the coils…i never do and i soak my engine with degreaser and blast it with a pressure washer and never have had a problem…i usually leave it running when i do it…but thats me
Spray it down with Black Magic engine degreaser. Let it soak for 5-10. Fire the car up then proceed to spray it off. Try to keep it away from the area under the throttle body as water has a tendency to pool in the valley cover and destroy the knock sensors. To combat this we use an electric leaf blower to blow the motor off after washing/ or shop air in my case. If you have some heavy areas use a soft brush to work the black magic in.
i like using engine bay degreaser from autozone, the kind that has lemon scent works really good lol
then after its clean and blown off i spray with tire shine foam and wipe that off
take pics of results
I’ve used this, assuming you mean the 2-in-1 degreaser and dressing that you spray on, agitate, and then rinse off. It did a good job and didn’t leave an annoying, sticky finish. I would say it’s good for moderately dirty engines that haven’t been cleaned in 2 years (depending on conditions), but a dedicated degreaser and dressing is probably better for really greasy engines.
agreed. It does do a good job of leaving a nice shine.
i cover up my intake cone, spray the engine bay in simple green, let it soak for a min or two, start the car up, spray the engine bay down, while its still wet spray the engine bay with wd40
Sounds good guys. Thanx for the tips. I’ll have to post up some pics when done.
- rinse lightly
- soak in simple green spray, leave concentrated.
- let sit a couple minutes
- rinse lightly
- go over everything with some quick detailer or armorall of your choice.
I approve. This is also what I do 
I use that Foamy Engine Brite stuff in the can on all the cars I sell and it does a pretty good job. I like when the engine bay looks clean. I’m not a fan of that glazed look
Shut car off warm, disconnect battery, spray liberally Simple Green or Purple Power, or another engine degreaser, let it set for a moment, then powerwash it clean. Wait a few minutes until mostly evaporated, then spray Meguiars Tire Dressing throughout (Can), wait a few more minutes, reconnect battery, and then done.