What's new
By:
Ram Heavy Duty Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Dirty engine bay

Action man

Action man

Member
Messages
30
Reaction score
16
Points
8
Good morning, I hope I’m posting this question in the proper thread area. Took possession of my 2025 ram 2500 on 4/6. While giving it a thorough wash job, opening the hood to the engine bay I discovered it was layered in dirt. traveling from Mexico across country to Ohio its understandable. I was hoping to get some input on the proper and safest way to clean it? What product to use and can I spray with water directly on the engine. Any input would be appreciated. Equipped with the 6.4 hemi. Thanks!
 
Welcome and congrats on the new truck.

Personally I wouldn’t have taken possession if it looked like that but it sounds as though we are past that. This is a new truck, correct?

I use good old Dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle for light detailing. Anything heavy I use Simple Green diluted. I wouldn’t power wash anything under the hood but you can hose things down a bit with normal hose pressure and some suds. You can get soft bristle detail brushes and work the soap around. I use a leaf blower to dry things out after the bath. I’m sure others have techniques and products they prefer. There are tons of options.


Sent from me
 
I use Aero Cosmetics Rubber Care on the plastic components in my engine bay to keep it looking factory fresh. I don’t have a photo of the engine bay, but you can see what the product does for my bed liner. Photo is truck at over three years old . Water based product.
Use some dish soap and water with a gentle rinse to get off the initial dirt. Then use the rubber care product. I also attached a photo of my 2012 Accord engine compartment that I did this past summer. I do this once a yearIMG_2168.jpegIMG_2749.jpeg
 
whitexc said:
Welcome and congrats on the new truck.

Personally I wouldn’t have taken possession if it looked like that but it sounds as though we are past that. This is a new truck, correct?

I use good old Dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle for light detailing. Anything heavy I use Simple Green diluted. I wouldn’t power wash anything under the hood but you can hose things down a bit with normal hose pressure and some suds. You can get soft bristle detail brushes and work the soap around. I use a leaf blower to dry things out after the bath. I’m sure others have techniques and products they prefer. There are tons of options.


Sent from me
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. Yes it is brand new. After arriving at the dealership and inspecting the truck I couldn’t wait to get home and give it my personal wash job. Looking in the engine I thought to myself that the fellas they have detailing the new vehicles did not take much pride in their work so I decided to do some research and ask some questions and do it myself the proper way. As with all the vehicles I’ve owned I will wipe down the engine bay after giving them a wash job in which I use the two bucket system. This is the first new vehicle I’ve taken possession of were the engine bay is this dirty.IMG_1391.jpegIMG_1390.jpeg
 
CdnHO said:
I use Aero Cosmetics Rubber Care on the plastic components in my engine bay to keep it looking factory fresh. I don’t have a photo of the engine bay, but you can see what the product does for my bed liner. Photo is truck at over three years old . Water based product.
Use some dish soap and water with a gentle rinse to get off the initial dirt. Then use the rubber care product. I also attached a photo of my 2012 Accord engine compartment that I did this past summer. I do this once a yearView attachment 84499View attachment 84498
Click to expand...
Nice! I also have a spray in bed liner so the product you’re mentioning will be taken into consideration. Thanks!
 
Action man said:
Thanks for the reply. Yes it is brand new. After arriving at the dealership and inspecting the truck I couldn’t wait to get home and give it my personal wash job. Looking in the engine I thought to myself that the fellas they have detailing the new vehicles did not take much pride in their work so I decided to do some research and ask some questions and do it myself the proper way. As with all the vehicles I’ve owned I will wipe down the engine bay after giving them a wash job in which I use the two bucket system. This is the first new vehicle I’ve taken possession of were the engine bay is this dirty.View attachment 84501View attachment 84500
Click to expand...
Looks like it went through a sand storm. My engine was pretty clean when I got it. Shipped on rail from Mexico to Detroit in 2021. Maybe they are using a different route or it sat for a while in a reallly dusty area.
 
I live in WI and had same problem in engine bay. I found that if it was delivered in the winter it is possiable that while being transported on the truck/Trailer it could be salt or road spray from the Hi way trip while on trailer. I just washed mine with water from a hose and took care of 90% of dirt. Had no problems with eletrical whats so ever.
 
Action man said:
Thanks for the reply. Yes it is brand new. After arriving at the dealership and inspecting the truck I couldn’t wait to get home and give it my personal wash job. Looking in the engine I thought to myself that the fellas they have detailing the new vehicles did not take much pride in their work so I decided to do some research and ask some questions and do it myself the proper way. As with all the vehicles I’ve owned I will wipe down the engine bay after giving them a wash job in which I use the two bucket system. This is the first new vehicle I’ve taken possession of were the engine bay is this dirty.View attachment 84501View attachment 84500
Click to expand...
To be honest I don’t find that dirty at all but I also travel lots of salty roads and dirt roads lol
 
CdnHO said:
Looks like it went through a sand storm. My engine was pretty clean when I got it. Shipped on rail from Mexico to Detroit in 2021. Maybe they are using a different route or it sat for a while in a reallly dusty area.
Click to expand...
My truck went from Mexico to Texas then to Toledo oh
 
First time I went to wash my Power Wagon, looked like someone had been offloading at the factory with it. Dirt and gravel all under the truck and in the frame. Engine bay was dusty.
 
Crusty old shellback said:
First time I went to wash my Power Wagon, looked like someone had been offloading at the factory with it. Dirt and gravel all under the truck and in the frame. Engine bay was dusty.
Click to expand...
That may explain the dusty engine bay and the mud that had been flung up by the wheel wells
 
Action man said:
Good morning, I hope I’m posting this question in the proper thread area. Took possession of my 2025 ram 2500 on 4/6. While giving it a thorough wash job, opening the hood to the engine bay I discovered it was layered in dirt. traveling from Mexico across country to Ohio its understandable. I was hoping to get some input on the proper and safest way to clean it? What product to use and can I spray with water directly on the engine. Any input would be appreciated. Equipped with the 6.4 hemi. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Call the dealership and see if they will clean it for you... I've always just sprayed Degreaser on certain areas and use a soft brush on heavy soiled areas. then use a low pressure washer to wash it all down. Leave the hood open and dry out. I never use any dress up chemicals or restore products as it seems to collect more dirt. I do this to my truck and my Gladiator all the time, just pay attention where you are spraying water and never point it at electrical connections or fuse box.
 
My engine is a bit dirtier than that. I specifically instructed the dealer to no more than rinse the salt off the body from my test drive and vacuum the seats and carpet, because dealers always wash new cars and trucks with bricks.

Irritatingly, they DID wash it, and so I'll be spending a Saturday going over the truck with a DA to fix their damage. It's wild to me that anyone *wants* the dealer to clean it... hell no! I've already compounded out a few deeper scratches, and waiting for the final freeze here in Michigan to come and go so I can turn on my irrigation circuit, which is what my front spigot is connected to. Then I can wash, iron decon, clay mitt, and polish in prep for coating. Bought the truck two month ago and annoyingly the weather forecast still shows a couple overnight lows under 32F.

Washing the engine on a new vehicle is easy, no need to think far into it. You might be able to simply rinse it down with a garden hose and blow dry to get all the dust out. I would have already done that myself if I had a hose right now instead of car wash pressure washers.

If it's more just dust, then spray your favorite APC (I use Meguiar's Professional series APC concentrate and diluted in a spray bottle) or degreaser (10:1 dilution for lightly soiled areas, 4:1 for older engines with grease and grime), scrub with a wheel brush (use a long brush intended for wheel barrels to get deeper areas) and rinse it down. Blow dry the bigger pools of water and then air dry. If it suits you, apply a dressing for that "factory fresh" look.

The truck is far too new to need a steamer. Don't use a pressure washer. Don't spray into the airbox. Don't spray directly into connectors/alternator.
 
Ramsomair said:
And we pay PDI why??
Click to expand...
Pre delivery Inspection has nothing to do with cleaning the vehicle it covers the inspection (which should be on the seller honestly as its a QC check on their product) the cleaning is “complementary” I usually request them not to clean the vehicle as its usually covered in swirl marks after the wash boy runs his dirty rag across it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top