Engine Bay Covered In Oil [my stupid fault]

[MikLSP]

So yesterday I decided to check the oil before taking the car on a journey last night and I topped the level up a little bit, something which was hardly necessary which makes this all the more annoying.

Anyway, I eventually pulled up and noticed smoke in my headlights. Opening the bonnet I was treated to the sight of oil all over the place as I'd forgot to replace the filler cap  
Not only did this waste more oil than I had originally topped up, but now my engine bay is a mess and the bonnet liner is saturated.


Having never cleaned an engine bay before I'm a little apprehensive about getting water in places it shouldn't be so what do you think is the best cleaning procedure?

[xjay1337]

haha oh dear.

take the liner off and all the clips put it in the washing machiine with as much detergent as you can.
for the bay just soak it in degreasers/apc and agitate it to hell and jet it off.
avid aiming the water directly at the open alternator and if your battery and fusebox is exposed you'd probably want to cover those.

Some people believe in cleaning the engine bay with the engine turned on in this instance I personally wouldn't.

[MikLSP]

Thanks, I was going to get some degreaser but wasn't sure about going in with a pressure washer. So it's safe enough to spray in there, ntaturally I wouldn't be blasting it directly and anything electrical

[xjay1337]

Yes you'll have no worries.

[Human Joist]

If your not confident with pressure washer get a hope pipe with attachment and just reduce the flow right down

[SRC]

Watch where the run-off goes - don't let it get anywhere a cyclists / motorcyclist might fall off. 

Good luck.

[JMP]

take the liner off and all the clips put it in the washing machiine with as much detergent as you can.

Maybe if hes single :) id love to see wifes face when trying to insert oil soaking liner into a washing machine..

[Human Joist]

take the liner off and all the clips put it in the washing machiine with as much detergent as you can.

Maybe if hes single :) id love to see wifes face when trying to insert oil soaking liner into a washing machine..

  I had the same thought bud. I would be sleeping in my R32 in the garage. Mmmmmm nice warm leather

[MikLSP]

If your not confident with pressure washer get a hope pipe with attachment and just reduce the flow right down

It's ok, I went ahead with some GUNK engine degreaser and scrubbed the worst areas with a small brush before rinsing with the washer. All seems to be ok, touch wood.

Watch where the run-off goes - don't let it get anywhere a cyclists / motorcyclist might fall off.

I was doing it on the drive and moved the car to a position that the water would run out of the way so no immediate danger to road users.  

Maybe if hes single :) id love to see wifes face when trying to insert oil soaking liner into a washing machine..

Haha, yeah I chose not to go with the washing machine and instead applied a good quantity of sodium laureth sulphate and scrubbed it by hand.
Incidentally, I think the bonnet liner has been oil soaked before, possibly through the same error, as the area near the filler cap is in very poor condition on the underside and has never fit properly along the back. That plus the slight brown staining it had already caused to the engine cover, something I'd known of since we got the car but never investigated.

Anyway, here is the after shot (the spots are rain); just need to dry the bonnet liner and refit but otherwise it seems to have gone well.
Thanks for all the replies.