Engine Detailing

[SmurfGT]

Does anyone have any good engine detailing tips?
As soon as the snow goes and things warm up, I will need to clean the engine. Road salt and sand doesn't go well under the hood. I was thinking of using the same stuff I use to clean my Harley, S100..

[Sci-Fi]

That's what I use, S100 Total Cycle Cleaner and after rinsing and drying use S100 Total Cycle Corrosion Protectant for the final detail/protectant spray (works great as a multi-surface protectant and can be used on your hoses and oil pan too)and then a give it a quick wipe. Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner Plus (follow the dilution rates), Simple Green and other citrus cleaners are also popular for cleaning engines.

As usual, cover the alternator and computer and don't use too much water around the spark plug areas in the cover (water may seep in there and eventually cause corrosion and/or frozen-in spark plugs). Sometimes removing the nozzle is better than forcing dirt, road salt, and water into places you don't want it to get into. Can buy a long handled, small head nylon brush from the household or hair brush aisle or a sponge stick (see pic below) from your local artist or pottery shop to help loosen and remove accumulated dirt/grease from hard to reach spots. Some use a leaf blower or hair dryer to help dry portions the engine compartment and keep water spotting to a minimum (haven't tried it myself).



Hope this helps

[Cal Cruzer]

Another option to the leafblower is a shop vac. I have one that I use every time I wash to blow water out of all the little cracks and crevaces that always leave that leak mark down the side of your car. Just hook the hose up to the exhaust side. It helps a lot when doing the engine bay because there are so many unreachable areas.

[bobs turbo pt]

cool brush!!

[turbomangt]

Engine Detailing (from home page in case you missed it)
Everyone knows how oily and filthy an engine compartment can get. On dated cars with carburetors and distributors, many people just covered those components with a plastic bag and pressure wash the engine.

With computer chips and more electronic equipment under the hood, one small mistake can result in a costly repair. Here is a tip for basic engine cleaning.

Start with the underside of the hood. Take a nylon brush and go over the inside hood liner, it catches all the soot and dirt from the engine. If you have an air compressor, blow air on the liner first.

Next, use an all purpose cleaner like Simple Green. Spray some on the inside of the metal part of the hood. Use a bucket of water and an old rag to wipe off and clean. Then use a cleaner wax to finish off the hood.

Working on the engine by hand may take a little longer but it will save you headaches in the long run. Simple green, shop rags, and a bucket of water will get most of the parts clean. Use common sense. Clean hoses, metal and plastic parts. STAY AWAY FROM WIRES AND ELECTRICAL CONTACTS.

Engine Gunk is fine for heavy grease build up, but instead of spraying it off, use a damp rag by hand. You are better off changing buckets of water more often and using more rags. (shop rags are cheap and are great for messy work, NEVER USE A SHOP RAG ON YOUR FINISH, NOT EVEN A CLEAN ONE!)

Once you have cleaned the engine you can use the cleaner wax on the metal frame portion like you did on the inside hood.

The final step is you should spray a water based dressing on all plastic/rubber components under the hood. (NEVER USE A SOLVENT BASED DRESSING, AS IT CAN IGNITE FROM THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE)

Use the water base dressing liberally and allow to air dry, don't wipe it off. It will dry to a high gloss and protect your engine and enhance the look of your beautiful PT Cruiser engine.

I added a high quality professional water based dressing to my line of products. "Ultimate Dressing" 24oz spray bottle for 10 bucks. Look for it on my web site soon. It is perfect for engines, tires, rubber trim and molding. It also has UV protection so you can apply it to your dash.

[Cal Cruzer]

quote:Originally posted by turbomangt
[Engine Gunk is fine for heavy grease build up, but instead of spraying it off, use a damp rag by hand. You are better off changing buckets of water more often and using more rags.

That stuff is really bad. I sprayed a degreaser on my engine once. As I was hosing it off I realized that it was petroleum based and it was all running down the storm drain. At that point there wasn't much I could do but the storm drain eventually empties out into the bay by my house. I felt like a gross polluter watching it all go down the drain. My engine really wasn't that dirty since I clean it regularly with Simple Green. I thought this stuff was something similar to that. I would avoid Gunk and others like it if possible. Stick with the Simple Green or Orange Citrus cleaners. They do a great job.

[bobs turbo pt]

simple green works awesome !!