cleaning the engine bay
 

i was wondering whats the best way to clean the engine bay of a 92 camaro rs, im not going to remove the engine so i was wondering what kinds of degreasers work best but wont ruin the electronics, any other tips on a general restoration would be great also, thanks

i second that. i pulled out my blown up 305 and i want to get all the oil off of everything so i can repaint the engine bay.

I clean the engine bay in my cars usually twice a year. First, cover up important things such as the alternator, air cleaner/intake (if you have an open style), a/c unit, etc. with plastic bags. You don't want water getting inside those. Gunk degreaser works well, I don't like the foaming kind though. Spray it on, then after the "soak cycle", I follow up with my power washer. You can just use a garden hose if you don't have a washer. Then I blow the water off everything with air, towel off the important stuff, and start the engine up to let it cook itself dry.

I usually do mine all by hand (due to the ton of electrical BS in the 4th gens lols).

Usually degreaser to get all the nasty stuff off and then a spray bottle with just water in it to clean that off. Then I finish up by shining with Meguiar's Natural Shine.

i'm having excellent results with "simple green". granted the engine is out of my car but the stuff eats through the heavy greasy gunk like axle grease and oil but hasnt eaten the paint. some of the engine parts i took off and cleaned with that stuff even took paint right after the wash without an acetone dip! it supposedly biodegradable too so maybe you wont kill every tree near the driveway and have the limbs fall on your nice clean car!
definitely a good tip about wrapping stuff up though! and unless you are sure your gasket is good at the distributer and intake manifold you may want to duct tape over that too. nothing worse than power washing water into your block!

Ah yes simple green works wonders! I used to use it for my wheels and under the hood. Degreaser is just easier cuz it's in a spray can haha =D

does the simple green leave a film at all? ive used it before around animals, but i wasnt familiar with it. im going to repaint my engine bay and i need to get everything off

most if not all engine cleaners leave a film that will not allow your paint to properly mate with surface. after engine cleaner, use a mild soap to clean area that is to be painted rinse well and dry very well. should also run a scraper over it if paint is chipping and a little sanding to be sure of a good mate. (smoothes things out for a better job to) then if your really wanting to do it right wipe down with acetone. let her dry and paint.

very true! another option for sanding is fine grade steel wood. it works well in the engine bay and on engine parts because it is so flexible. jut make sure you get it all out of the crevices or it will rust and bubble the paint!.