[Dan12GT]

Most everything in your engine bay is sealed to prevent dirt and moisture from destroying those parts.

My method is very similar to Josh's.

* Cover all exposed areas that might worry you like the intake, exposed wires, etc. ( I actually remove the intake tube, battery, plenum cover, radiator cover, and coil covers, to get in those areas under those parts that normally don't get as much normal attention)

* I generally wrap things like the throttle body, battery leads, and my HID ballasts / wiring with tin foil. I like to use tin foil because I can easily bend the foil around the areas I need to cover. Also the foil will repel the water and not soak it or become compromised it if gets damp.

* Then I fill up a spray bottle or two with water mixed with a bit of dawn dish soap and spray the entire engine bay down. ( I like to use dawn because it is non intrusive and doesn't contain any harsh chemicals like simple green or any of those other harsh chemical cleaners)

* Let sit for 10-15 mins to eat on the dirt, spray more if needed. Use a microfiber towl to scrub on any areas that need more attention.

* Rinse the engine bay with a hose on lowest pressure (You don't want high pressure because you could dislodge something or get water in areas you don't want. You want to control the water as much as possible) I suggest not running an open hose as the water will get everywhere and you will have little control.

* Let air dry. (park in the sun to dry quickly or put a fan on it)

* Once dry put everything back together and fire it up!

I have had great success with the method and actually I don't need to do it much. I try to maintain the engine bay with each car wash by wiping the water down after a wash and following up with some detail spray.