Cleaners or methods for engine cleaning?

[Tommyfmu]

I've noticed that my engine compartments and engines in particular get really dirty with the usual black greasy type dirt that flies around. I was thinking, possibly wrongly, that perhaps taking a power washer to the engine compartment, sans electronics and alternator etc. might be a good way to get the compartment clean. Perhaps a little drastic; do any of you have any good suggestions for getting the engines and compartment clean whereby all the stuff falls to the bilge and then can be shop vacc'd up, or some other method? There are just too many angles and contortions to do a really thorough job by hand with rags and 409 imho.

[Lyndon670]

Castrol Super Clean. Best degreaser out there - period. Buy the biggest container you can, spray everything down with copious quantities and let it run down into the bilge - shop vac it up. Far better/quicker product than 409.

[Tommyfmu]

Castrol Super Clean. Best degreaser out there - period. Buy the biggest container you can, spray everything down with copious quantities and let it run down into the bilge - shop vac it up. Far better/quicker product than 409.

Thanks, will try it out. Tom.