Clean Engine

Yeah, I am wondering about that too. I have a pressure washer, but whatever gunk I use to clean the engine with is going to leave one big greasy mess on my driveway as soon as I start spraying. Other than taking the car to a steam cleaning company, is there a good way to do it without creating a big mess?

First thing to do is to put away the pressure washer. Spraying water into sealed connections is a great way to cause electrical gremlins. Ok, I have used a pressure washer on occasion but not where there are any electrical connections. Not too many places to spray the pressure wand.

Park the car over your lawn. You w>Yeah, I am wondering about that too. I have a pressure washer, but whatever

Jim B.

I'd say pressure washer is too much. Just a garden hose and a typical spray nozzle is more than enough. I use some degreaser on the tougher areas and then on the non-greasy dusty areas just soap and water and a sponge. But try not to flood anything more than you need to.

Loose the pressure washer.

I use Simple Green. Spray it on a damp engine (works better with a little water) let it set a while, but not dry. You can spray a little water on it to keep it damp if needed. Then spay it off using a not so strong spray from the garden hose.

I like the Simple Green as it works well and is safe.

Ditto, but I also use a paint brush where needed to break up any tougher stuff. Works on wheels too.

Mark '95 Jetta GLS

Can also use old toothbrushes for this (small size gets into tight spaces well).

I've come to believe that the best way to keep the grime off my engine is before it happens. Spraying water on an engine can cause odd electrical problems that can be really frustrating. It's a good idea to keep a close eye on leaks and repair them as soon as possible. On my car that's fairly easy, as just about all the oil seals can be replaced with the engine in the car (the engine rear main seal and transaxle mainshaft/clutch pushrod seal requires removal of the transaxle, so I replace them every time the clutch is serviced).

I use concentrated Simple Green for all my parts cleaning, as it's a relatively effective and non-toxic degreaser. Best practice is to clean parts when they are off the car in a benchtop parts washer or similar, so you can get maximum mileage out of the solution and catch the oily residue. The spent solution can then be taken to a local waste collection area for proper disposal. Simple Green alone may have minimal environmental impact, but the oily rinseate should not be released into the environment (and is actually a violation of federal law). This is one reason that DIY whole engine cleaning, even with Simple Green, should be avoided. If you need to clean the whole engine, take your car to a shop where the rinseate will be properly handled. After that, you can take care of any leaks to keep your engine clean.

I don't want to sound like "Captain Safety" here, but the solvents used in many automotive cleaning products can be very harmful to the individual and environment, and should be used sparingly and handled properly. Even Simple Green can cause mild eye, skin, and respiratory irritation in some sensitive folks. Conventional engine degreasers and brake parts cleaners such as Gunk can be especially harmful. If you use these products and don't own an organic vapor respirator, solvent gloves, and safety glasses, you're putting your health at risk. Many of us that like to work on our own cars tend to feel young and immortal, but believe me, the cumulative health effects of repeated exposure to even common solvents can be significant. After all, we all want to be able to enjoy our VWs for as long as possible.