Thoughts people...I have always steered clear of the water meeting electrics conundrum though if looked at in regards to our FFRRs, aren't we supposed to be able to ford the odd stream ?

I wouldn't even do that to my son's 15 year old VW Polo. Just plain lazy to go at it with a pressure washer and snow foam.

If Gunking (don't you just love the smell of Gunk ), I use a paintbrush with water to rinse it down, or damp cloths

Spray cleaning agent on to your cloth, clean the surface with the cloth, repeat process with plastic/rubber dressing. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

It's not difficult to do it properly.

This took me about an hour to do......and it's no more than 5 mins to keep it looking like this whenever I wash the car.

Pray tell Bradders.

Nothing fancy TBH.

I brushed off all the loose crud first that had accumulated and the gave everything a liberal spray with Auto Finesse Verso, diluted 50/50 but any old all purpose cleaner will do. I wiped the edges along the wings with neat cleaner on an old rag. Left it for 5 mins or so, and I then worked it in everywhere with a detailing brush and then gave it a gentle spray with clean warm water in a small plant sprayer to rinse and worked it in again and gave it a final rinse. Then wiped in down with a microfibre and repeated a couple of times.

I finished off with Autoglym Vinyl and Rubber care sprayed into a microfibre and rubbed that well in. That took a couple of coats too to get and nice and shiny.  Current: FF Westminster money pit

Gone:
RRS 4.2 SC
RRS 3.6 TDV8
FL2 TD4

I've always cleaned car engine bays with a pressure washer, albeit carefully. Never had any bother at all, that includes petrol.
Just start it when you have finished to allow it to warm up to dry it out.
Do the FFRR once a year.

I watched the valeters pressure wash a p38 engine bay at a main dealers once. They didn't want to do it but the salesman insisted.

Fecking thing wouldn't start afterwards!

Don’t be too scared of cleaning b the engine bay.

Use some autoglym engine bay cleaner and abs small brush and use a hose not a pressure washer. Then dress the engine whilst still wet with autoglym Vynil and rubber care. This will make it look new but will also help displace water.

Just don’t get the battery area wet. Everything else is fine.

I did mine with just car shampoo, sponge, damp rag and back to black
























 2003 Vogue 4.4 petrol, silver 126k on clock when I got her

I use WD40 and silicon spray.

I use a pressure cleaner in the engine bay but only where there’s no wiring. I’m not concerned with overspray or dampness generally.

I also use a microfibre cloth, brushes and silicone, quick detailer or tyre cleaner on other areas. ______________________________
Vogue tdv8 08MY poverty pack - wow

Bradders wrote:

It's not difficult to do it properly.

This took me about an hour to do......and it's no more than 5 mins to keep it looking like this whenever I wash the car.

Will it run better after cleaning? Does it prevent component failure? - if not leave well alone esp with a high pressure hose which can force water into electrical contacts and control modules of which a modern engine bay is densely populated with.
Filthy places engine bays mostly road grime pulled in by the fan / cooling airflow but don’t see it with the bonnet down. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Years ago I visited family on the east coast. Had a 735i at the time. Gunked the engine bay and for some mad reason thought it would be better to hose it off with the engine running…. Big mistake. It back fired and blew the exhaust back box to bits…. That will be £700 for a genuine BMW exhaust Sir….  2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport