ive almost come to the end of the hunting season,...and dont see me going off road for the next 6 months,or so.ive done a far bit of off road work,...nothing to extreme,since novermber and the outside of the vehicle is still like new,no marks ect,as im a bit of a cleaning/detailing geek!!!but under the bonnet there are dirty water splashes all over the place,,ive cleaned off in the easy areas,but was thinking of having it steamed cleaned by a garage or some where.is this a good idea.? Current: Freelander 2 GS, Orkney Grey, Factory fit privacy glass, design pack and Clearview pack. Almond Leather ,rear spoiler,rear mudflaps.my13.

Gone:Freelander 2, GS, "61"

Gone: Freelander 2, GS.e, "59"

Gone: Freelander 2, S, "08"

personally I would never steam clean a modern engine bay ( although I am sure a lot will disagree )

there are too many electronics to take a chance.

I would use some diluted gunk and a paint brush.

Iain

steam cleaning is perfect if you have got a decent machine. Never pressure wash! I just use some degreasent on a sponge and then use an oily rag over the bay after. An oily rag goes a long way folks!

Dont steam clean just think of all the moderm electrics and sensors in there. Wipe mine round with polish and a cloth. (house hold polish)

as Chris says do not pressure wash but everything else should be OK after all it can go off road and wade through burns (TIC) so all should be protected.

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
____________________________________________
55 Nissan Navara SE Black - My Toy.
08 Freelander 2 XS Santorini Black - Her Majesty's Toy.

why dont you ask your local dealer there advice about cleaning the engine bay thay should give you an idea  rainy-city
xs

Differing views here! I mentioned this on the Off Roading thread as my under bonnet area still has some caked mud and all the plastics/resevoir bottles/inside of rad etc are badly water/mud stained. Bill suggested a careful pressure wash and I was going to get my local (cheap) Eastern European staffed valet place to do this with some plastic taped over any obvious electrics followed by a plastics polish of some sort, Is this the right approach??? JT Upgraded to an ex demo, 7 mth old, Rimini Red/Ebony Napoli Auto HSE on 28th Jan 2011, added roof rails, mudflaps and side strips.
Gone - A great 57 Plate, Auto SE, Bought Feb 2009, Roof Rails and Mudflaps added on purchase. Blue colour, anything but drug dealer black.....

I pressure wash ours, just using common sense as to where abouts to spray! Everything still works! Occassionally when you next start it the belt squeals very briefly but that's obviously just the belt being wet and slippy for a turn or 2.

When I was at BMW they steam clean, with high pressure cleaners, the entire engine bay of every car that has work done. Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

i use Meguiers APC and a brush to clean mine (not very often though) and rinsed with a open hose or hose gun on a fine mist, obviously not going everywhere

Then once dried sprayed with Aerospace 303 Protectorant and left to dry for a few hours, then a quick wipe down and you'll have an engine bay looking like new, and SPF30 against the sun so it doesnt get suntanned when your stuck at the side of the road if its went wrong

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/30...at19.html#

Steam cleaning and pressure washing is perfectly fine. Modern day engines although containing more electronic equipment are built with much higher IP ratings to withstand higher wet conditions.

I have my FL2 for over four and a half years and pressure washed the engine on several occasions and never had one issue. I have done the same on all my cars over the past 15 years without issue. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

I just use some mild degreaser on a warm engine, using a stiff brush where neccessary. Autoglym do a 'motorcycle engine cleaner' which is perfect and doesn't smell like Gunk Then I simply use my jetwash carefully, keeping the spray away from anything electrical and when I'm done take it out for a blast on a fast A road to dry everything off nicely. Cheers,
Raz
FL1 TD4 GS Auto 2001 Silver
FL2 TD4 Auto 2007 Black
FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2012 Fuji White

When I clean engine bays & I did a Jag XF last week & a RRS recently I just have a hose on a fairly light flow with a trigger gun then have a truck wash (TFR) stray with detailing brushes. This keeps water to a minimum & you don't have high pressure water ingrssing in the wrong areas. Then dress with a silicone based dressing.

Whenever possible I don't do it on a warm engine though I can see the point re water drying out quicker but then so does the TFR then it stains! (Past) Freelander 2 HSE 2010 MY In Rimini Red.
(Past) RR Evoque Dynamic Lux Si4 In Firenze Red.
(Past) RR Evouque Pure Tech in Barollo Black with bespoke Firenze Red colour coding.
(Present) Freelander Metropolis 2015 MY In Santorini Black with Ivory Premium Leather.

julytourist wrote:

Differing views here! I was going to get my local (cheap) Eastern European staffed valet place to do this with some plastic taped over any obvious electrics followed by a plastics polish of some sort, Is this the right approach??? JT

That's just about the worst place to go, they will pressure wash everything. I have heard on more than one occasion that people I have spoken to or known have taken a car into one of those places & asked for an interior clean - guess what they cleaned the seats & carpets with? Correct a pressure washer! (Past) Freelander 2 HSE 2010 MY In Rimini Red.
(Past) RR Evoque Dynamic Lux Si4 In Firenze Red.
(Past) RR Evouque Pure Tech in Barollo Black with bespoke Firenze Red colour coding.
(Present) Freelander Metropolis 2015 MY In Santorini Black with Ivory Premium Leather.

The Valeter wrote:

julytourist wrote:

Differing views here! I was going to get my local (cheap) Eastern European staffed valet place to do this with some plastic taped over any obvious electrics followed by a plastics polish of some sort, Is this the right approach??? JT

That's just about the worst place to go, they will pressure wash everything. I have heard on more than one occasion that people I have spoken to or known have taken a car into one of those places & asked for an interior clean - guess what they cleaned the seats & carpets with? Correct a pressure washer!

Iain

The Valeter wrote:

julytourist wrote:

Differing views here! I was going to get my local (cheap) Eastern European staffed valet place to do this with some plastic taped over any obvious electrics followed by a plastics polish of some sort, Is this the right approach??? JT

That's just about the worst place to go, they will pressure wash everything. I have heard on more than one occasion that people I have spoken to or known have taken a car into one of those places & asked for an interior clean - guess what they cleaned the seats & carpets with? Correct a pressure washer!

Perhaps that was the only option to remove the stains  2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone