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I got an autoglym car care kit (though I use collinite wax but will be using the engine cleaner and interior cleaner from the kit).

Anyway a car washing guide came with it and it shows the guy hosing the engine.

This confused me somewhat as I though water ruined the engine? There's a battery and wires and all that stuff so how can they recommend hosing it? Are the wires / connectors and battery waterproof?

The engine cleaner says it all must be washed away with water but I'm afraid to do this incase I ruin my engine or battery and stuff.

Anyone got advice?

Water isn't good for an engine, you're right. But you can lightly hose down an engine if you're careful not to point it directly at the electrics. A lot of people power-wash engine bays and that's just asking for trouble regarding the electrical system.

Hmm. Sounds quite scary. I'm surprised the book shows it. . .just shows a man fully hosing his engine downwards :O

How do other users clean their engine and keep it clean. . I have the product to do it. . .but I don't know how to rinse it away without hosing.

I just spray an all purpose cleaner (apc) everywhere and agitate with a brush. Then I wash off using my pressure washer on a 'light' setting which is just like a mist, then I dry it with a microfibre. I also have the engine running for 5 mins after I sprayed it down. Then I dress the bay with aerospace.

I cover the battery with cling film lol

I find just a rag does a good job, and you can use wd40 as a degreaser for nasty bits. Even oil works quite well on the black stuff

OK , Thanks guys.

I might just use a window cleaner spray bottle (filled with water) to rinse the product off along with microfibre.

Someone else told me that it's fine to power hose even the battery. . water only damages the engine if the engine sucks up water while it's on (as it has a suction pipe coming out the bottom and thats why you can't go in rivers as it sucks it up into the insides. . with the engine off you can hose anywhere.)

Needless to say I'll go by what you guys have said!

not true, you will inevitably get water where it shouldn't and it will play HELL with your electrical sensors and system.