Topic: I need a tip.

[Soaring]

The engine on my 03 Mach 1 is getting dusty.  Being anal as I am, I want to get it off.  When I bought my used 03 F-150 Lariat pick-em-up truck, I washed the engine.  WRONG!  One of the coils got water on it of course and burned it out.  That was a $200 mistake.  There isn't any oil on the engine, just dust.  How do I clean it? 

[66GTKFB]

I wasn't going to be the one to tell you that your 03 engine was a bit dirty, but as long as you brought it up: dry rags first to get as much of the "dust" off; use a dry bottle brush in tight spaces; use a liguid spray cleaner, 409, Fantastic, etc, with a damp rag as cleanup; for really tough spots, try Krud-Kutter available from Home Depot (be careful, it's a paint remover so wipe it off in less than 5 minutes); paint thinner or in extreme cases, Goof-Off. Some people like Simple Green, I don't, the smell make me sick. The only other ingredient is time, oh, and some "Long Necks".
Jim

[Tim175]

Compressed air? Damp cloth? All i can think of that would not be too aggressive.

[Soaring]

Yeah, I have a compressor and an air blower thingy.  I guess I will start with that, then a damp cloth.  I don't have any crud, so a brush won't be necessary I don't think.  I want to stay away from any dust attracting products, so any chemical or oil based products will be out.  After the damp cloth I may try to use a car polish to slick it up a bit and give me back that sheen it used to have.  Ain't life fun?  If this is all the worries I have, I don't have any worries.   
The best long necks here in central Texas is Budweiser.  Yeah I know we have our not so famous Lonestar, but it tastes like shit.

[FASTBACK65GT]

I take mine to the car wash!  First I put a small rag over the distributor, then I set the sprayer to SPOT-FREE cycle.  The spot-free sprayers here are about 1/4 the pressure as WASH or RINSE.  I've done this many, many times and never an issue with start up or burn-outs.  Works for me.

[66GTKFB]

You don't have a COP (Coil On Plug) ignition system. That's the new fangled computerized stuff that don't like moisture. I take engines and transmissions to the car wash but don't like to get agressive with the pressure sprayer on an engine compartment.
The bottle brush gets into tight and curved places. You can also wrap a wet or dry rag around it too.
Jim

[Soaring]

Yeah, I wash my old 289 with the pressure washer wand, but the 03 has 8  different coils, and if they get wet they will short out, costing over 200 bux to replace each.

[Blacksnake]

Damp cloth here

[Soaring]

I guess the damp cloth method is the best way to go.