Most owner neglect to keep their Accord engine bay clean. It's the "out of sight, out of mind" theory, and most owners don't consider it a priority. But having a clean engine is important. It can make it easy to identify the source of an oil or fluid leak, rather than getting lost in a sea of stains and dirt that have collected for years. Cleaning your Accord engine can be done in just a few hours. Aside from looking great, it will be worth the extra effort.
Allow the vehicle to cool completely before you clean the engine. Working on a hot engine can cause the block to crack from a sudden temperature shift, and that can ruin your engine. Working on a cool engine is always safer.
Open the hood and locate the distributor and fuse box. Cover these items with the plastic bags and seal them using masking tape. It's not critical that the seals be 100% watertight, as they are designed to take some water, but a high-pressure water blast could damage the electrical components.
Spray the engine with degreaser to help clean the engine and break down any grease that has collected.
Spray the engine with a high-pressure power washer. Hold the washer nozzle about 4 feet from the engine at first, then slowly move to within 2 feet. Make sure the nozzle is at a setting of 2 inches or wider. This disperses the pressure of the spray so it won't be intense enough to cut any hoses or lines.
Remove the plastic bags and start the engine. Allow the heat from the engine to cool the parts, or you could leave the engine off and dry it with a microfiber towel.
