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Cleaning your engine bay after 4wding
Moderators: toaddog, TWISTY, V8Patrol, Moderators
Cleaning your engine bay after 4wding
Hey fellas, just wondering wat everyone uses after a big day offroading? Just water or is there better stuff for the engine?
i mostly use water but clean it as soon as it gets a little dirty.
easier to spot for leaks etc... when its clean.
every now and then i will use degreaser and car wash etc... if it gets really dirty
easier to spot for leaks etc... when its clean.
every now and then i will use degreaser and car wash etc... if it gets really dirty
my GUBanzy wrote:Dial up internet.........you'd post something and come back 2 beers later to see if it loaded.
I do this with my 4x4 and my skyline.
Cover up things you don't want water in, with plastic bag or Al-foil (works great for the smaller things)
If it's been ages, I put degreaser on ( I use 'Green Goblin' it's environmentally friendly, and is the best degreaser I have used) , then hose off with pressure hose (carfeul where you shove the pressure though)
If its just the regular after 4x4 clean, I use the garden hose to soften up the mud, then I use CT18 at about 10:1 (water:Ct18) leave for 10 minutes then come back with the pressure cleaner.
Once that is done, if you want it clean as in show room clean, I do the truckwash again with a brush/cloth. Then hose off, then I use Inox on the plastics, which makes them look new (Inox doesnt attract the dust like a lot of other products)
Make sure you wash the car itself aswell, cause CT18 is not good for paint - Make sure you get it all off properly (I am pretty sure they use CT18 or equivilent at the car washes, so make sure you hose it off real well too!)
Cover up things you don't want water in, with plastic bag or Al-foil (works great for the smaller things)
If it's been ages, I put degreaser on ( I use 'Green Goblin' it's environmentally friendly, and is the best degreaser I have used) , then hose off with pressure hose (carfeul where you shove the pressure though)
If its just the regular after 4x4 clean, I use the garden hose to soften up the mud, then I use CT18 at about 10:1 (water:Ct18) leave for 10 minutes then come back with the pressure cleaner.
Once that is done, if you want it clean as in show room clean, I do the truckwash again with a brush/cloth. Then hose off, then I use Inox on the plastics, which makes them look new (Inox doesnt attract the dust like a lot of other products)
Make sure you wash the car itself aswell, cause CT18 is not good for paint - Make sure you get it all off properly (I am pretty sure they use CT18 or equivilent at the car washes, so make sure you hose it off real well too!)
x2dogbreath_48 wrote:Spray on a strong, foamy mix of CT18 superwash, leave to soak, then high-pressure rinse. As good as it gets without getting in there with a scrubbing brush.
-Stu
'05 GU Patrol coil cab ST
6" lift
Tough dogs
Snake Racing drop arms
3rds Rear Arms
Twin ARB air lockers
37" trepadors
ARB bullbar
WARN winch
High flow turbo
3" mandrel bent exhaust
6" lift
Tough dogs
Snake Racing drop arms
3rds Rear Arms
Twin ARB air lockers
37" trepadors
ARB bullbar
WARN winch
High flow turbo
3" mandrel bent exhaust
No high pressor needed.
CT18 stuff is CRAP.
I use Kenco Shift IT Heavy Duty Cleaner, just get it from Autobarn or the like.
Hose rig off with just the hose, get all clumpy bits off so you are only left with the smear so to speak.
Use a squirty bottle to spray Kenco Shift it on straight, do not add water.
Leave for about 5 or 10 mins.
I do my engine bay and then work my way down the hilux's under belly till I get to the back.
Then I just pickup the hose again and start at the engine bay hosing it all off.
Your paint will come up perfectly clean, or atleast the cleanest it can without and sponge usage.
Now I think I can honestly say I have the cleanest engine bay in any 4x4 on this site.
From this
To this with NO use of a sponge. This pic was taken when I was about to pull the starter motor out after it died from that mud in the 1st pic.
and just to doubly prove that this engine bay does get dirty
CT18 stuff is CRAP.
I use Kenco Shift IT Heavy Duty Cleaner, just get it from Autobarn or the like.
Hose rig off with just the hose, get all clumpy bits off so you are only left with the smear so to speak.
Use a squirty bottle to spray Kenco Shift it on straight, do not add water.
Leave for about 5 or 10 mins.
I do my engine bay and then work my way down the hilux's under belly till I get to the back.
Then I just pickup the hose again and start at the engine bay hosing it all off.
Your paint will come up perfectly clean, or atleast the cleanest it can without and sponge usage.
Now I think I can honestly say I have the cleanest engine bay in any 4x4 on this site.
From this
To this with NO use of a sponge. This pic was taken when I was about to pull the starter motor out after it died from that mud in the 1st pic.
and just to doubly prove that this engine bay does get dirty
Ummm nope, only a few extra wires in them, but its a pain in the arse if I want to weld to one of my chassis railsbig bundy wrote:The h0mo's Quarter panels are full as!KiwiBacon wrote:
Hell yes, where did everything go?
Last edited by MissDrew on Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Posts: 1379
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 8:28 pm
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 8:28 pm
Location: West of Woodridge, North of Ipswich, South of Oxley, East of Wacol
...where would i get this? and how much?Guts wrote:No high pressor needed.
CT18 stuff is CRAP.
I use Kenco Shift IT Heavy Duty Cleaner, just get it from Autobarn or the like.
Hose rig off with just the hose, get all clumpy bits off so you are only left with the smear so to speak.
Use a squirty bottle to spray Kenco Shift it on straight, do not add water.
Leave for about 5 or 10 mins.
I do my engine bay and then work my way down the hilux's under belly till I get to the back.
Then I just pickup the hose again and start at the engine bay hosing it all off.
Your paint will come up perfectly clean, or atleast the cleanest it can without and sponge usage.
Now I think I can honestly say I have the cleanest engine bay in any 4x4 on this site.
'98 Jackaroo
Bullbar, 32" muddies, Homebrew Timber centre console, Homebrew 3" Stainless rubber bend snorkel, Homebrew Steel rear bumper, Campervan interior
Bullbar, 32" muddies, Homebrew Timber centre console, Homebrew 3" Stainless rubber bend snorkel, Homebrew Steel rear bumper, Campervan interior
you're all wrong! 
the best and cheapest by far way of cleaning the engine bay of all of my 4by's has to be "Dynamo" yes, the washing detergent, no this is not a joke.
Put about an inch of it in the bottom of a hand trigger spray bottle of even better put 50mm in the bottom of a 5-10L weed sprayer pump up bottle, spray it all round the engine bay and under the car. leave it for 10-15 mins then hose it off!
even gets rid of Menai mud, those who wheel out there know this stuff is radioactive and turns your tyres blue.
Try it, you won't be dissapointed.
the best and cheapest by far way of cleaning the engine bay of all of my 4by's has to be "Dynamo" yes, the washing detergent, no this is not a joke.
Put about an inch of it in the bottom of a hand trigger spray bottle of even better put 50mm in the bottom of a 5-10L weed sprayer pump up bottle, spray it all round the engine bay and under the car. leave it for 10-15 mins then hose it off!
even gets rid of Menai mud, those who wheel out there know this stuff is radioactive and turns your tyres blue.
Try it, you won't be dissapointed.
Outers & Arms up stickers coming soon you hungry bitches!
http://www.myultimate4wd.com
http://www.myultimate4wd.com
GRIMACE wrote:How I miss the days of care free wheelin with the crews!
I've been using it for a few years now and its great. Makes your hands feel slimy afterwards but 
Some types of mud it doesn't like as much as others, but with that said it still does a great job. One thing to note thow is my paint is near new, don't know how it works on older paint.
Boy I should hit them up for some free bottles now
Some types of mud it doesn't like as much as others, but with that said it still does a great job. One thing to note thow is my paint is near new, don't know how it works on older paint.
Boy I should hit them up for some free bottles now
I am guessing the liquid. But it's a good question ...KiwiBacon wrote:Liquid or powder?Roctoy Designfab wrote:you're all wrong!
the best and cheapest by far way of cleaning the engine bay of all of my 4by's has to be "Dynamo" yes, the washing detergent, no this is not a joke.
" If governments are involved in the covering up the knowledge of aliens, Then they are doing a much better job of it than they do of everything else "
Posts: 1379
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 8:28 pm
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 8:28 pm
Location: West of Woodridge, North of Ipswich, South of Oxley, East of Wacol
I don't know, as I've said earlier it works well on my almost new paint. I also use it on my 80 series engine bay and it comes up nice and clean to. I normally keep my cars fairly clean (except atm because of stage 4 water) so I never have that type of bad stuff on them.chikoroll_ wrote:so with this "Kenco" will it get rid of sticky anti rust coats?....sand is trapped all through the crap... and i can't get to it
haha thats where i had just returned from when i posted this thread!Roctoy Designfab wrote:you're all wrong!
the best and cheapest by far way of cleaning the engine bay of all of my 4by's has to be "Dynamo" yes, the washing detergent, no this is not a joke.
Put about an inch of it in the bottom of a hand trigger spray bottle of even better put 50mm in the bottom of a 5-10L weed sprayer pump up bottle, spray it all round the engine bay and under the car. leave it for 10-15 mins then hose it off!
even gets rid of Menai mud, those who wheel out there know this stuff is radioactive and turns your tyres blue.
Try it, you won't be dissapointed.
Ill have to get some of the stuff u were talkin bout GUTS, considering my engine bay was clean enough to eat off 3 weeks back, its messy as faark now haha
Here are some before and after pics from when I cleaned it up just before xmas.
The engine bay was very dirty and I hadn't cleaned it in months so some of the dirt was cooked on. Because of this, this time I used a sponge on the under side of the bonnet and the open part of the inner guards, but I didn't use it at all on the motor.
It doesn't look as bad as it was, weird
The engine bay was very dirty and I hadn't cleaned it in months so some of the dirt was cooked on. Because of this, this time I used a sponge on the under side of the bonnet and the open part of the inner guards, but I didn't use it at all on the motor.
It doesn't look as bad as it was, weird
Kenco degreaser is the best degreaser I have found. good for cleaning oil spills off concrete too.
Kenco degreaser rips into alloy parts. It seems to strip the surface off, so after using Kenco degreaser I find that alloy parts will look real shiny for a while but then quickly go dull and get a powdery oxide on them says on the bottle to keep it off alloy parts too.
Guts are you using the degreaser or is it different?
Kenco degreaser rips into alloy parts. It seems to strip the surface off, so after using Kenco degreaser I find that alloy parts will look real shiny for a while but then quickly go dull and get a powdery oxide on them
says on the bottle to keep it off alloy parts too.Guts are you using the degreaser or is it different?
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