Detailing a Prius engine compartment. How do you do yours?

Steam.

And don't see Camry.

 

I have cleaned the engine compartments of every car I've owned since the 1970's, and the method hasn't changed much. I get the engine a bit warm (not hot), then lightly wet it with a garden hose on mist. Then I spray Simple Green on the entire wet surface, and let that sit for a few minutes. Then I wipe and brush all the surfaces, and if needed go back for seconds (that is rare). Then I rinse and let dry a bit, then start the car and give it a quick drive. I don't bag electrical connectors or fuse boxes (I don't blast water on them either).

I recently cleaned up the engine bay on a 2007 Camry my daughter was selling. She lives on a dirt road and it wasn't much cleaner than yours. It came out pretty clean with the method I described above:



For your seriously dirty bay, I would start with an air bath with a compressor nozzle. The more dust you remove now the less mud you make when you wash it. I would skip the shiny treatment at the end - in my experience this stuff isn't necessary and tends to attract dust (it can be sticky).

Here are a few videos from a professional detailer and Chris Fix showing how they do it.

 

There are NO specifics just because it is a hybrid.
I certainly would NOT use steam because the excessive heat can damage stuff.
And I would not use a pressure washer either because the high pressure can force water into places it shouldn't go.

I think that this is likely to cause problems no matter HOW you do it.......except maybe blowing out the loose dirt with a leaf blower or compressed air.

My advice is: DO NOT DO IT. Others are saying that too for very good reasons.

 

Those videos offer good guidance.
Covering the fuse box/ other electronics is my best one sentence advice.

As for specific hybrid, I'd certainly pay special water intrusion sealing attention to the orange wires.
Also good advice is to not use a pressure washer but instead to use a low pressure water hose stream and let gravity be your friend.

I have no advise of Simple Green, Engine Degreaser, Soapy Water or other cleaning products for this project.
I would not use Aluminum Foil and instead use plastic baggies and/ or plastic Saran Wrap to seal the oil, air intakes and electronic areas.

OP posted a photo of a really dirty engine.
I'd typically say top down, but in this case, I'd lift the vehicle and begin on the lower half of the engine compartment
in an effort to remove the major grime first.
Then go to top down procedure.

Good luck.

 

My advice is do it, but be careful with where you spray water. A little bit of water mist from a garden hose will do a surprising amount of cleaning, particularly when combined with a few brushes and rags. If you keep the engine bay clean, it's easier for you to see if there are leaks or other problems. It's also a lot easier to work on an engine that isn't filthy. And it is likely better for the long term health of the car, with less debris in the engine compartment to hold moisture, dirt to work it's way where you don't want it, etc.

 

I like the method the detailer used with a rubber glove wrapped around connectors. Those gloves are pretty flexible and stretchy and seal up pretty well.

 

Bottle brushes.

 

This is a good shape for about 90% of the engine compartment.

 

Good to know... I use that kind inside the cabin a lot, great for dusting all the little crevices in the plastic trimparts. I hadn't tried them for dirty-dirty work.

 

Get a cheap set and keep them separated for the grimy stuff. I found that the soft-ish brushes work well - they can get into the nooks and crannies where the stiff brushed cannot. I also use soft toothbrushes, pipe cleaners, rags, and a spray bottle. The bottle is nice to blast a bit of water and/or soap into an area where I am brushing. I also have a high pressure blow nozzle hooked up to my compressor - that is handy for blowing dirt/water out of tight spots. Get it wet, scrub, wet it again, blast it.

 

I have been periodically washing my 2006 Prius engine compartment since new. The rationale is that I do not like to get my hands dirty when working on my car. I just use one can of engine degreaser chemical and garden water hose w/nozzle. Make sure engine is not hot. Rinse the engine compartment really well with water after chemical spray. No other special precaution was ever taken. There has been no issue.

 

Judging the pictures in the initial post, conditions are terrible, mostly dirt roads, etcetera. I'm thinking even if you clean it within an inch of it's life, it won't be long before it's filthy again.

It's not just the "hybrid" factor, there's many 12 volt connectors as well, and if water gets in and is trapped, you can shorts, corrosion, or both.

I'd do nothing, or dry clean only.

 

Use compressed air after, especially around connectors. Maybe pull off a few connector you can reach, blow them out, at least till you get a feel for how dry they are inside.

 

I just get out the pressure sprayer. Easy as cake. Car still runs fine.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

This is in the back of my mind:

Corroded AC wiring harness 2010 - anyone heard of this? | Page 2 | PriusChat

 

NOT A GOOD IDEA.
That might force water into places that it would not go otherwise.

 

You have been lucky.
No competent mechanic anywhere in the world recommends cleaning a working engine with a pressure washer.
Unless maybe you keep the nozzle at least 3 feet away and "mist" it.