Engine cleaning

[braggy71]

Need some advice on this too chaps. The engine bay on my 110 is absolutely disgusting. Not a chance that I could open the bonnet to show anyone, it looks like it has never seen any sort of cleaning product !
Now, if I want to clean it what is the best way to start. I'd like to think I could just put the jet washer on it but wouldn't like the chances of me starting the car again !
Any help????
:thankyou:

Melanie

[BUCKYDEVIL]

Cover electrical connections in plastic bags or cling film, same as ECU and fuse box and rocker cover.
Spray on a good degreaser, and then use a low powered jet wash spray or just warm Soapy water..

[Steves Cleenz]

and then spray WD40 on all the electrical bits to disperse the water from them,

[haGGard]

I've used a steam cleaner before with good results

[talkingcars]

I always used to keep the engine running when I use water under the bonnet.

[chris106]

spraying wd40 on the electrics is just as bad as water! Can short the electrics and pretty sure it will collect small dirt and cause bad connections too...

[Enright]

But WD stands for "Water Dispersant".
I remember a great video of a car which was taking part in a classic rally (I'll try and find a YouTube link to it) - the driver attacked a ford a bit too aggressively, and got a deluge of water over the engine which cut out half way. The car would have been totally stranded but 2 marshals instantly jumped on it, lifted the bonnet and sprayed the engine frantically with cans of WD40. It started again almost immediately and drove out, with the commentator saying "you won't see a better advert for WD40 than that!"

[Mr ZS180]

spraying wd40 on the electrics is just as bad as water! Can short the electrics and pretty sure it will collect small dirt and cause bad connections too...

I have sprayed WD40 on pretty much every connection on every car I have owned and only ever had positive results.

My 1990 300zxTT I had a few years back had bad sensor problems as the connections on these cars get extremely brittle and after a proper drenching with WD40 I no longer suffered with O2 sensor and Knock sensor faults, which on that car causes 'limp mode' with virtually no turbo boost which was very annoying!!

Used WD40 on every electrical connector under the bonnet of my ZS and had no ill effects!!

[chris106]

I thought it be fine but apparently, proper electrical cleaner cleans the connection then dissipates quickly bein made mostly of alcohol... where as wd 40 doesn't and could cause shorts...
Don't no how true but I didn't fancy tempting it...

[KevG]

I use Autosmart G101 with engine cold, once sprayed over the engine etc, then start the engine and rinse the g101 off, easy

[Enright]

I should have known that contributing to this thread would be like saying to God: "come and have a go then if you think you're hard enough"! :evilmad:

After my ZS took the family and I down to Bournemouth and back over the weekend (without incident) I decided to treat it to a good clean. It had got pretty dusty, and a blowing boost hose had left some oily gunk around the intercooler and spattered about the engine bay. So I gave it a thorough jetwash and must have poked my lance somewhere naughty, because now I have a constantly lit green snowflake on the dashboard! :hmmm:

I've noticed this snowflake before - in the handbook it says it's for snow mode on 2.0 petrol auto models, but previously it's just come on as a check-light for a few seconds at about the same time as the coolant level light, then gone off again. Now it stays on constantly. Anyone got any idea how to get rid of it, short of removing the bulb?

[peterzs]

Had great weather for your trip, better then July or August.

Would have loved to have seen your motor.

Sounds like you have a sensor or plug that has got wet, should imagine it will sort itself from the heat in the engine bay.

[Enright]

Yes, the weather was faultless.

I was looking out for ZS's (particularly yellow ones!), but it seems we are few and far between.
The hotel was just slightly back from West Cliff, so it was only a few minutes zig-zag walk down to the beach. Put in a good few miles though - visited Corfe Castle, Swanage, Kimmeridge and a personal favourite of mine: The Square and Compass at Worth Matravers.
To say I wasn't hanging about, I was quite pleased that the car averaged 42mpg.
That bulb still hasn't gone out, so I've unplugged it from the back of the dash and run it into the driver's cubby-hole. It'll make a nice little storage light until it decides to sort it's life out, then it won't bother me anyway.

[peterzs]

Think we headed for the forest, bet you got some good views from Worth Matravers, must know your way around here to find that pub!!!

[Enright]

A friend of mine lives in Bearwood and took me there once.
Helluva place to try and find a second time though - took us ages!