Best way for cleaning Engines?
 

Ok, so how does everyone clean their engines? I wipe mine down all the time with a rag, but I obviously cannot get into crevices and so on. Thinking about buying the foam engine de-greaser spray where you spray it on, let it sit and then hose it off. Good idea or bad? My engines are stock 496HO's with no chrome or anything like that.

I'm far from a detailer, but I just spray them down with Simple Green (up to a 50:50 mix if oily, less for general cleaning), hose them down, wipe down afterwards.

Edit: I rinse down my engines when I boat in saltwater. I'd rather rinse them off than let the salt mist sit on them. Electronic are sealed and I've never had a problem from rinsing like this. I generally do not rise the engines if boating in freshwater.

This maybe way off-- but I would NEVER take a hose/water to an engine. I know we are in a wet environment and car engines get wet all the time etc., etc., etc., -- What I've done and do is take a rag with a little WD-40 on it and slowly wipe off all the surfaces as best I can. A little screwdriver or small dowel can be used to get to the hard to reach places -- yes it takes time but with ALL the electronics that are in the engine area the last thing that I want to do is get these wet and start corrosion going. When I'm finished I take a little Armour All and wipe everything down - especially the hoses. I have a stock 7.4 MPI -- If I could post a picture of the bilge in my boat - you could eat off it- yes it is that clean and I'm not bragging.

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I edited my post about to clarify I rinse the engines when boating in saltwater.

How the hell would i know, cleaning stuff is womans work, now pass mé a cold one

As stated above, Simple Green, hose, and then I pull out the Echo leaf blower! Leave the hatch open in the sun for a bit and all good. Every vehicle I own gets the engine washed off at least once a year (definitely in the spring after the rain has washed all the salt off the roads). The only problems I have ever had since the late 70's was a couple distributor caps I'd have to remove and dry out and my son's POS '05 Hyundai Sonata college car. Koreans don't use weather pack connectors!

I do cover/avoid the ECM on my 496 which sits on top the motor.

it is expensive but works GREAT!!!!!!! its a motorcycle cleaner S-100 it cleans everything and does not spot up , you still have to wipe down but its great!!!i always use the aerosol it works better why i dont know.

Every time out I spray my entire engine with WD-40, and let it sit for 20 minutes, then I wipe it down. This engine has ~80 hours of 90 % salt water use......

And what part of divorce don't you understand???

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Now we are talking -- That is one clean engine and bilge-- this is the way we all should treat our toys!!!

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