The engine compartment in my truck is pretty dusty. I'm planning on cleaning it this weekend if I have time (I need to rotate the tires & wash it inside and out. Any recommendations on what cleaner I should use/what I should cover with plastic to prevent it from getting wet? The u-wash bay in my neighborhood has a engine cleaner setting but I don't think that water under high pressure is a good idea. The air box is enclosed so that should be fine. What about the alternator and belts/pulleys? I don't want to #%$! the bearings in any of those. It's not greasy/oily under there at all so it probably wouldn't take any serious work.
Thanks,
W.
p.s. Have a good weekend. After a week like this one I think we could all use some J.D.

All I do to mine is warm the engine up a little, spray Gunk engine cleaner on it, wait a few minutes, then hose it off. Since these don't have distributors, there's not much to cover up. I never cover the alternator on mine but it's probably not a bad precaution. For the stubborn areas with any grease build up on them, it doesn't hurt to have a brush handy to help the Gunk out a little.

A nice finishing touch is to Armor All the engine afterwards. I trick I learned from a dealer friend of mine is to spray the Armor All on while the engine is wet. Since Armor All is water based, it spreads out nicely. You still need to wipe off a few places, but it makes it look like new.

You have a good weekend too. :)

all i have to say is Simple Green. This stuff werx wonders on anything from engines to wheel'z............L8R'z

I've been using the "Gunk" product, "Engine Bright". At least that's what I think it's called. I was amazed at how well it worked. I bought three bottles for $1.49/each. Make sure your engine is COLD when you do it though. I just sprayed two full cans (I had one and one of my best friends had the other) on the ENTIRE engine compartment and I didn't cover any thing or take any thing off. I didn't care. I just wanted it clean. :P I then let it sit for the five minutes as it said to do and then I sprayed it off. Any areas that weren't cleaned I used the "Purple Stuff" and that did it for me. Actually, I think I only used the "Purple Stuff" in like two spots. The thing is, my truck engine looked like it was just done going through the power-lines AKA Mud Boggin' :) The previous owner probably never washed my poor truck, ever.

Any ways it's got a responsible new owner that's GLAD to have it (me)! =)

Good luck!

Thanks for the info guys. I was a little hesitant about spraying water under my hood with all the electrical sensors and other BS that today's vehicles have but I sure do hate lifting the hood of my clean truck to see that dirty ol' engine. First when I had it I used to dust off the engine with a rag every time I washed it but well, then I got lazy and stopped doing it. I used to do the engine of my motorcycle with a toothbrush but I don't want to tackle the engine of the truck with that! :)
Later,
W.

One thing I did just to make sure I didn't screw any thing up was unplug my battery. I know you loose your stereo presets and time but hey...:) I let the truck sit for 2 - 3 hours after cleaning the engine too, that way I made sure most of the water is gone. I then let it idle for like 10 minutes before I drove it to make sure the water didn't go any where else...just another suggestion to take pre-cautions.

Good luck!