Steam Clean Engine?

[SW SHO]

Not sure if this topic is the best for this question, but I've been looking at all these engine bays.. clean and looking good. Is it a good idea to have the engine bay steam cleaned or is there another method besides crawling in there with a spray bottle and a tooth brush?

Also, any one have a faster yet safe way of drying my K&N box type filter?

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92 Black MTX, 95K K&N, Stock but not for long !

 

[Shoman594]

This is the thing, if your motor was allways clean it is very easy to keep clean... but if you bought your car and it is dirty it is very hard to bring it back to really clean.
I have used a power washer with good sucess, though some people have reported problems after doing so. I ususally just try to keep the water away from the spark plug holes.
Nother good thing to use is Simple Green Cleaner. Spray it all over then let it sit and then blast it all off with water.

With the k&n not much you can do but just let it sit and dry.

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Ryan

SHOcago Enthusiasts Club President
SHOcago Web site
http://www.SHOcago.com
SHOcago SHOforum.com Board
http://www.SHOforum.com/SHOcago
'94 Opal Frost MTX "Shoman 4"
'91+ Deep Jewel Green Build Date 6/91 with rod shifter
AIM "Shoman594"
To Join SHOCAGO Enthusiast Club, Please Email me
E-Mail mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

 

[ACV1081]

I myself cringe at the idea of the power washer but if Shoman has the technique down then to each their own. Personally the easiest(if you want to call it that) way to get your engine spruced up is to remove the intake & valve covers & timing belt cover too. This would most likely be at a 60 or 100K but if ones been done recently then you may want to just do it for the cleaning aspect. Also if your outside is filthy imagine your runners & such inside the engine. Good luck with whatever you chose.

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My gen.1
My gen. 2

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~Adam Varney~ mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>
1993 RED ATX(3 replacements) W/shiftkit, 130,000 miles(Fresh 60/100K THANKS SDPATT!), 17" Konig Reigns, 245/45/17 Goodyear F1 Gs(Summer), 225/55/16 Blizzaks WS-15's on slicers for winter duty, 26mm ASB w/poly bushings, Tweaked stock airbox with K&N panel filter, D4U1 computer, blazertech fogs, & performance friction brake pads, SHOSHOP Stut tower braces(front & rear). GTECH times 0-60 in 6.92 1/4 15.3 @ 98.4.
Not yet installed: 24mm ASB(spring), & rest of the poly bushings... Upcoming: Well you could just say I am on hold since I bought a gen.1 now.
New to the lineup: 1991 White MTX- 122,000 miles, recent 60K & clutch, K&N filter, rod shifter, dynomax catback, SHOSHOP y-pipe, & white slicers w/ 225/50R16 Dunlop SP Sport 8000 tires. Too bad she'll be sitting till spring cause I'm not driving it in the salt & sand. Website with pics from previous owner: http://www.homestead.com/SHOIOWA/SHO_Spring_2001.html

 

[SHOemup]

I wouldn't powerwash the engine. Just takes a little more effort to spray degreaser on and wipe off with a rag. I envy SHOman because if I were to try to powerwash the SHO engine, just because of my luck, I would screw something up. Good luck.

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Chris Reina

"Don't drive like you own the car, drive like you own the road!"

AIM=turbochris12

93 MTX stock
emerald green
filler decals
Yamaha emblems
110k
Lund Headlight Covers
Lund Tailight Blackouts
SHO window banner
Tinted Windows (20%)
Vent Shades
Big wish list!!

 

[Bizzy]

My one experience with water on my engine wasn't a total disaster but it wasn't a good one either. I bought some engine degreaser/cleaner, applied it and then rinsed the engine off with water. No hard pressure, it was straight out of the hose. It did a very good job BUT my battery light came on and stayed on for about 2 weeks and my idle was uneaven for about the same. Eventually it would flicker every now and then and eventually it was fine. I don't know that it cause me any permanent damage but it wasn't too long after that that my CPS went. My water pump was not leaking so the rinse with water I believe was a contributing factor.

I believe that each owner has their own technique to clean their engines and to each his own. My sole method now is by hand with a damp rag, a tootbrush and a dry paintbrush. As Shoman594 said, once it's clean it's easier to keep that way.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

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SHO's are like kids...they test your patience but you gotta love 'em!

Beth
'91 Plus MTX, Mostly stock
K&N Filter, Coneless
Colgan Custom Bra
Racing Series Driving Lights
Mods in the works
Many items on wish list!

 

[mikeymac]

I go to the carwash once a week. What I do is spray some wheel cleaner on the motor and let it sit while I wash the rest of the car, then I go back and powerwash the motor clean. I guess Im lucky because I have never had a problem doing this. Just my 2 cents.

 

[sdpatt]

I really wish you wouldn't use steam or water under the hood of the SHO. It may come back to bite you in a really ugly way.


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Scott

1991, 254K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
6 disc CD, Class II hitch, Silver award at SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[SHO SPD]

I use the all mighty simple green and a rag!

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Matt
1989 Titanium
ITS FOR SALE!!!!!
e-mail me for details, would like to sell SOON.

 

[ManySHOs]

I tend to use a rag, small amounts of water and a mild detergent (dish soap etc). The motor is very easy to clean and does not take much time. If your car is clearcoated in the engine bay, that is very easy to clean. Otherwise, some carwash on a wet sponge or even dishsoap again will clean the grime off the inner fenders, rad. support, etc. I would stay away from using powerwashes, etc, especially if you have non OEM plug wires. Many aftermarket plug wires don't seal against the head very well and will allow water into the plug wells. Obviously, this is a bad thing..

Ian
93 mtx
ex 94 atx

 

[SW SHO]

Thanks everyone... looks likes it's Simple Green and some elbow grease. I just can't take the chance of screwing something up by using a powerwash.

Lance

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92 Black MTX, 95K K&N, Stock but not for long !

 

[IVEYSSHO]

simple green at 100%? It wont hurt anything or stain? How long do you let it sit?

 

[poissonverte]

Berrymans

Simple green sometimes doesnt cut it.. Im taking bets mickeymac will be posting on in a few months. "powerwashed engine, car stutters" hahaah..

)

 

[Jeremy Hohn]

carb cleaner and rags....PERIOD!!

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Jeremy

1993 atx 126k miles
ENGINE:
-SHOSHOP underdrive pulleys
-SHOSHOP cold air induction
-SHOSHOP 80mm MAF
-Ted Breaux LPM
-Performance Plus y-pipe
-SHOSHOP catback exhaust with Magnaflow chrome tips
-Redline Water Wetter
-fresh 60k (SDPATT)
TRANNY:
-Rebuilt 94/95 axod tranny with trans-go kit and Redline Type 3 ATX fluid
BRAKES:
KVR cadmium plated and cross drilled rotors with performance friction pads
APPEARANCE:
-Colgan hood cover with SHO lettering
-Lund blackouts front and back
-Cincysho white face gauges
-black body filled s-h-o lettering
-Blazer fog lights
-PIAA high output headlamp bulbs (fratperformance.com)
-fish-tank bulbs installed
-wclewis "powered by yamaha" black badges

 

[ericwick19]

wd-40, definatly wd-40,

 

[Artesia]

HERE'S THE WAY CAR SHOW PEOPLE DETAIL THEIR ENGINE BAYS! This is GREAT info, please take note!

Items Needed
1. Nev'r Dull (autozone)
2. Black Magic (autozone)
3. Rags to wipe off Nev'r Dull
4. Rags to wipe ON Black Magic
5. Possible Toothbrush or cleaning brush

That's about all you'll need. Here's what it's all for and what is required to do it.

1. Nev'r Dull is AWESOME for making silver and gold shine! You know the air conditioning lines that are a very dull grey/silver? Well, you can go over those a/c lines about 4 times with this stuff and eventually it will make it shine like crome! And all of the gold/copper looking fittings can be rubbed down with Nev'r Dull and it will turn them to a crome shine. (literally changes the gold to silver/crome!) The stuff rocks. It's like cotton with chemicals on it. You open it up, tear off a little peice, then start rubbing down stuff with that piece. Keep a little rag or towel in your other hand to wipe off the chemicals after you rub something down with the Nev'r Dull. Don't wipe the chemical off. It won't hurt anything and you're supposed to leave it anyway, cause it makes it shine glossy.

2. Black Magic is for anything black and anything rubber or plastic. So the intake box can be shined up nicely with black magic. And all the black things, even some metal parts can be shined up with it. The fan shroud...anything like that.

3. Take off the intake manifold. Shine up the valve covers with the Nev'r Dull. Looks really nice. Shine intake manifold with the Nev'r Dull also.

If you do all of this, your engine will be lookin' REALLY freakin' nice, and be extremely shiny and glossy and happy.

I did this not long ago on my car, but I have yet to actually take off the intake manifold and fan shrouds to do them seperately. Plus, the car has 113k on it and I just got it...so it wasn't too pretty when I got it. I'm fixing that though, so it's all good. When I install the new cams and valve cover gaskets, I'm clearning the valve covers and fan shrouds.

Hope this helps...this really is about the best way to do it. Also, use the Nev'r Dull on your rims and Black Magic on the tires! They work together great. Be SURE and wipe off the Nev'r Dull from your Rims though, because while it can shine very nicely while it's on, usually you can't get the dirt off without wiping away the Nev'r Dull. Hope this helps. Later guys!

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- Brian C.
5576 Ragan Dr
The Colony, TX 75056
(972)625-2123
[email protected]

"We do not see things as they are...we see things as we are."

 

[sdpatt]

Originally posted by mikeymac:
I go to the carwash once a week. What I do is spray some wheel cleaner on the motor and let it sit while I wash the rest of the car, then I go back and powerwash the motor clean. I guess Im lucky because I have never had a problem doing this. Just my 2 cents.

Yet.

 

[bigsho]

I have justed hosed it off with water. Then I go get a air hose and stay under the hood for 15min to try to get all the water out.

Question for Scott I saw the pictures of Adam's intake what did you use to get it that clean/shiny. Thanks

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Robbie
95 MTX red
SS SNORKEL
26 sway bar
24 sway bar in box
SHO NUT motor mounts in box
IPT 3 gauge pod in box