# PW needed to clean engine bay or can you hose?



## Keir (Aug 31, 2010)

As title, is a pressure washer needed to give the engine bay a good clean, or is using a flat spray on a hose pipe good enough?

Is it more, blast the dirt away rather than use the water to clean with a APC?


----------



## karl_liverpool (Sep 25, 2008)

pw helps with the job. but you can get same result br brushing gunk loose and then rinsing with hose.


----------



## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

never been a fan of pressure washer on the engine bay sure it safe as plenty use it on here just make sure electrical connections are covered i guess


----------



## Stoner (Jun 25, 2010)

I use a steam cleaner. The cheapish Vax (£50 from B&Q) does a really good job without risk of damaging anything with a few precautions.

Use tin foil to cover the core components (electronic ignition, alternator etc.), use some APC on oily stuff to loosen it and then steam wash off. A couple of hours to dry then Aerospace 303 (or similar) to protect. :thumb:


----------



## Keir (Aug 31, 2010)

Think I might get this it's Gunk ULTRA, in a *5 litre* tub/bottle. same cost as a 500ml spray bottle.

That, a brush and rinse should be ok?


----------



## Matt. (Aug 26, 2007)

I have cleaned my engine before using G101 4:1, spray on, leave a few mins, agitate with brushes then spray water out of a spray bottle and wipe dry with mf's.


----------



## AFK_Matrix (Aug 27, 2010)

Just cleaned my Golf with a PW (very cheapy one from B&Q £20:doublesho) and it is fine. Only thing I covered was the battery and it started fine. I did stand a little ways back and had it on a semi spray.


----------



## Miglior (Feb 12, 2006)

Im not a huge fan of using high pressure on an engine bay.

Purely because, i've never felt at a loss not using high pressure water. Always been ok rinsing with the nozzle turned down to low pressure. Plus the thought of driving water in places in the engine bay where it shouldn't be, are not worth thinking about!


----------



## Roswell (Aug 11, 2008)

I just use baby wips / flash wipes or what ever is spare around the house


----------



## rsdan1984 (Jul 31, 2009)

i use a watering can to do mine. have a bottle of APC, spray and agitate with a brush (covering the electrical connections), rinse with the watering can and dry with MF. using a pressure washer doesnt sound like the best idea to me.


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2009)

Been recommended on here loads when using the PW that as soon as you have finished the rinsing start the engine, the warmth generated by the engine will quickly drive any water out


----------



## KEVLO (Oct 7, 2009)

can you use gunk on the plastics aswell?


----------

