[dgr401]

Has anyone cleaned or had their engine compartment cleaned on their Renegade? Mine has about 3 years of road grime on the surfaces that I would like to get cleaned. I am currently living in an apartment and don't have the facilities to do it. I am thinking of getting it done at a detailer. My question is, if you had it done or did it yourself did the Renegade come through the procedure ok? Any electrical problems or broken pieces after the cleaning. The main reason I am asking is that it seems most detailers will have you sign a liability waiver for cleaning the engine compartment. Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

 

[nytq]

Has anyone cleaned or had their engine compartment cleaned on their Renegade? Mine has about 3 years of road grime on the surfaces that I would like to get cleaned. I am currently living in an apartment and don't have the facilities to do it. I am thinking of getting it done at a detailer. My question is, if you had it done or did it yourself did the Renegade come through the procedure ok? Any electrical problems or broken pieces after the cleaning. The main reason I am asking is that it seems most detailers will have you sign a liability waiver for cleaning the engine compartment. Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

I clean mine after the winter season. I wouldn't trust a detailer. Doing it myself I can ensure taking care around electric components. I used to power wash it, but prefer spraying with a degreaser and then shower off with light setting o. Hose nozzle. Most underhood components have some level of water protection. They just aren't really capable of handling power washer pressure.

 

[Nev]

With all the electrics now under there I would hesitate to even get an engine bay steam cleaned now.
And definitely not pressure washed.


I just use a Meguiar's QuikDetailer on the upper painted surfaces, under the "hood", cross member etc.
Clean and re-grease the catches.
Wipe the rubber seals with silicone grease and wipe down the plastic engine cover, battery etc with a QuikDetailer damp cloth.

 

[dgr401]

Thanks for the replys. I wouldn't get it pressure washed under any circumstances. I was thinking garden hose. I would like to do it myself but don't have the resources living in an apartment. Any car maintenance is prohibited. I will check a few cleaning places and check to see how they do it or would do it. I'm not looking for car show looks, just want the grime gone.

 

[DogsRule]

I suggest, however you wash the engine bay, if you do the engine, pull the COPs and dry out the wells with compressed air and a rag on the COPs themselves.Water and humidity do get in there and cause issues. Shouldn't stop you from doing a thorough job, just be complete and clean out the wells. Have fun.

 

[RevEng]

I keep my engine really clean. Do not be afraid to wash it. Just cover the alternator and the computer with a plastic bag if you do not want it to get wet.

Okay here's really what I did. Soon after I took delivery of my car I applied dielectric tuneup grease to all the connectors that I can find in the engine compartment. I first disconnected the battery and one by one I unlocked and pulled out each electrical connector and put the dielectric tuneup grease on all the metallic contacts. I also made sure that the amount is enough to block any liquids or water that might try to reach it.

The picture shows how clean my engine is after 35400 miles.

You can use an ordinary hose to clean your engine. I use a degreaser/cleaner to remove oily dirt and grime then I spray it liberally with water to clean it off.

Here's the steps I took.
1. Blow away loose dirt and dust with a leaf blower (if you have one) or use compressed air.
2. Spray with degreaser/cleaner. Use a brush to loosen heavy dirt.
3. Wash off with water
4. Blow dry with leaf blower or compressed air
5. Spray with undercarriage spray. DO NOT USE TOO MUCH I use Griots brand. Wipe off excess. Make sure you do not spray into places where it might get sucked into the engine as it has (I believe) silicone which will damage oxygen sensors.

Note: Apartment dwellers if you do not have access to a hose you can buy a product called HYDROSHOT. It is portable high pressure washer that you can use with a bucket of water to wash your entire vehicle. They come in two versions One is a 20V and the other is a 40V