clean engine
 

How do I keep the engine clean on my car, is there nothing in the wheel wells to stop shite from coming into the engine bay?

Spray it with engine degreaser, let it sit for like 5mins, and hose it down. Quick, easy, and simple.:)

quick simple and easy, but unecessary I would have thought. Why isn't the engine bay sealed from shit like that? and is there a way that I can seal it myself that anyone has thought about?

My engine bay doesn't get as dirty as you seem to be describing it. But then again, I clean mines just to clean it every other week. I go to the self-serve car wash and since the engine degreaser is right there I just use it.

I'm not really having problems with dirt coming through the wheel well.

'Where there's a will, there's a way', but I haven't seen or heard anyone covering up their wheel well.

It can´t be sealed, because it has to let air thru (and that includes dust and airborn stuff) to cool it (in the front, out the bottom).

But, as for the wheel well... maybe yours is not on right. I have had no problems with stuff comming into the engine compartment through there.

Yeah, seriously. Stuff is always going to enter your engine bay. Even if you sealed the front grille area (which is stupid, because your radiator needs airflow to cool properly), It is still possible for crap to come up from underneath.

I would recommend against steam cleaning your engine as this can, over time, break down seals around spark plugs, etc...

Use engine degreaser, or even a diluted solution of simple green. Spray the engine bay, let it sit for 4-5 minutes, then rinse it off. Dont spray it hard (with the water), and stay away from your sparkplugs with direct streams of water.

Doesn't the degreaser stuff make the hoses all dried and cracked up. I want to clean then engine bay but spraying it with water worries me. Is there any precautiuons I should take?

I think the degreaser is a little harsh to be used on a regular basis. Simple green is pretty mild, but even then I don't use it often. I just use the regular soap at the car wash and be sure to rinse thoroughly, since the soap will dry out the rubber under there as well.

I was thinking of using that orange stuff they had on shadetree mechanic. I usually use simple green because I heard and read that spraying your engine with water wasnt good for it.