I'd like some advice about how to wash the engine compartment... How often do you guys do it (wash the engine...)? What kind of cleaning fluid should be used and is high pressure water dangerous to use? What parts of the engine that are especially sensitive for water?<p>Advices/procedures appriciated.<p>(Searched the archives, didn't find very much...)<p>/Lars

I read in the owners manual that the engine has a coating from the factory, and should not be cleaned. If it is cleaned then you must re-apply it. Check the manual.

Basically, warm the engine up, apply a cleaner/degreaser and rinse. See the above page for details.

First off, don't let the engine get that dirty in the first place. I actually wipe the engine bay, and reachable components down each time I wash the car. That way it never gets very bad. What I use is just a damp terry cloth towel with just water on it. In previous "older" cars I have on occasionally used "Gunk-Engine Degreaser/Cleaner". But you have to be real careful covering distributors and air intakes with aluminum foil or saran wrap. I really don't recommend using Gunk on the A4 though. Can you get Gunk in Norway/Finland/Sweden? I am guessing that you cannot. I forget exactly where you are located. Whatever you end up using....get it off the car as soon as possible and make sure you don't get any on the car's exterior paint finish....very damaging.<p>BTW, I think you could eat off my engine...it is so clean.<p>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM<br>

Thanks for the tip(to all of you who replied). Though you gave me a really bad concience by telling me that you can eat off the engine...<p>So it sounds like; Avoid spraying with water, clean with wet towels/degreaser. I think I'll crawl under the hood this weekend...<p>/Lars

We both were comparing car wash secrets, and we both wipe out the door jambs, and the door hinge areas, as well as under the hood, with nothing more than a damp towel every time we wash. With my body kit, the dirt in the door areas becomes MUCH more noticeable......<p>People are alwasy asking me what i use on my engine, and usually have an expletive or two when I just say "damp towel".. :)<p>Rich Quinlan<br>Nowehere near stock '97 1.8tqms<ul><li><a href="http://home.att.net/~richquinlan">Quinland</a></li></ul>