Well, I bought some simple green the other day to clean my engine bay due to all the users on here that use simple green. After I wetted down the engine compartment and let it soak for five minutes and hosed it off, white water spots were left everywhere and it made my hoses look all weathered and cracked. Am I doing something wrong?? I used Simple Green Automotive Cleaner.

 

Simple Green does suck. I hate how so many ppl recomend Simple Green to clean their engine bays and then dress it with armorall, which is also a very bad product.

I use Eimann Fabrik Natural Degreaser or ProWax Green Nitro Degreaser. Both work awesome. If you use the Green Nitro then you'll have to keep it off you paint since it is slightly caustic.

For dressing your hoses you can use 303 Aerospace Protectant or ProWax's Premo rubber dressing.

 

Get yourself some CD2 Engine Cleaner. Two step process and about six bucks at Target. Showroom clean!!

 

Get yourself some citrus solvent. It is a clear solvent and works well. Also I have found that the "wet and black" dressing seems to leave a nice shine. just my .02

 

Someone posted about using Mr. Bubbles and I have used it twice on my truck with excellant results.

 

the best use i've found for Simple Green is to polish my sprayed-on bedliner. When it gets all faded from the sun, and bird crap, and tree pollen, etc. it makes it look like new and it's not a real worry to spray that on there.

Another good use is for inside the wheel wells - it gets it back to black, and it's also an area you don't mind spraying that toxic green stuff on.

 

Why all the misconceptions about simple green?

I thought the name alone implied that it was in fact not toxic...while it is fabulous, and I use it on my wheel wells after a run at the track, or for everyday maintence on my rims, you can't use it on everything.

When cleaning my engine bay, i will mix simple green with water and use a rag the way I would wash the rest of my truck. Going over just about everything, avoid the paint whenever possible. And then use whatever polish is around to go "Back to Black" on all hoses and plastic trim.

 

I used Simple Green years ago and it didn't work for me either.

 

will cd2 harm my paint?

 

Well, I have used Simple Green and Armor All for almost 10 years and have not had one single problem. You have to make sure you dilute it, about 75% water and 25% SG, DO NOT use it full strength, it is too concentrated. I usually only let it sit for a couple minutes. Make sure engine is cool also.
I use it mainly to get off the small spots that get dirty. If you have a really dirty engine, I'd just buy a can or two of Gunk engine degreaser or something like that.

 

Well, I guess I should have diluted it and not use the SG 100%

 

As long as your degreaser is not caustic then it will not harm paint.

 

We used simple green in the air force to clean grease and oil off our fighters up in iceland (landing struts and wheels). used it on our gray-painted bay floors too because it did not eat paint and it was non-toxic... (till ya mix the oil with it)

MrPex

 

Good thing i read this thread. I'm gonna clean my engine bay 2morrow, and i forgot that i should dilute it 75% water and 25% Simple green. Hopefully it will work aight, if not i also have some other engine cleaner stuff. Its not all greasy, only dirty (only have 20K miles). I couldnt' find the cd2 stuff. I don't have any spray protectant. Cant find 303 in the stores around here (anybody got the link to website???) so would window cleaner work on the hoses to make them a little shinier? thanks guys. i think you just saved me from a lot of frustration tomorrow slapshot. Thanks alot for reminding me.

 

Simple Green sucks, and I am allergic to it!