I have a 2002 Hyundai Sonata GLS and was having a severe oil leak due to the valve cover gaskets being old and ripped. I just recently started taking off the valve covers &&cleaning them &&have brand new gaskets , but it dosen't fix the fact that i have thick oil build up all throughout my engine bay . I have been scrubbing all the nooks &&crannies with a small brush , but everytime I finish one area , I look over to the next &&its just so overwhelming . I literally want to drown my entire car in a pool of degreaser ! Please help a girl out &&give some tips , advice , or recommendations so I don't have to break my back ! Thank you in advance !

 

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing !
Suggest you clean a little bit at a time. A small area at a time. Too much of the wrong thing in the wrong place can cause you to wish you never started this. Sooo, go slowly and do a small area at a time . A will take a little longer , but if you notice any problem,you know exactly where you worked last and that is a lot better than doing the whole thing and if a problem comes up you have no idea where to start.

 

Go to a local do it yourself car wash and pressure wash the engine while letting it idol. First use soap then rinse with water....

 

If you did that , you were extremely lucky if you did not have any problems. Sorry to say, and this can and does happen, you have the engine idling and you spray hi pressure water into the wrong place and the motor shuts down, now what do you do? You have the choice of calling for a wrecker to tow the vehicle either to a shop or home.
This is where the $$$ in your wallet develops wings.
I have been involved in both, washing engines and getting the ones that were washed and like I said , you have been extremely lucky. It will catch up to you sooner or later.