Share Some Engine Bay Clean-Up Tips

I have had great results from using the purple cleaner from Castol. I mask off everything that doesn't like water getting into it, spray the cleaner on everything and scrub it with a parts brush. Once I feel I got everything good enough, I spray it down with a good strong stream of water. I am careful not to get the cleaner on the exterior, as it will streak.

Sometimes I have to re-apply the cleaner to particularly heavy grease deposits several times and rinse everything thoroughly.

I then fire up my gas powered leaf blower and blast the compartment with air until the majority of the water is out of it.

The cleaner can affect porous aluminum by turning it an oxidized white color, so do a small test patch on anything that is porous cast aluminum first.

I have come back the next day and sprayed some things with a clear gloss or even a spray oil product like WD-40. It makes a lot of stuff look like new.