So I don't hijack Ralph's thread I'll start another one. Today, after some research I cleaned and detailed my engine bay. I have not touched my engine since I bought it 2 1/2 years ago! I first covered the CAI filter and a couple of sensors. Then, with the engine cold, I sprayed it down with Simple Green, let it sit for about ten minutes and sprayed it off with a light mist. I then used a product I came across as one bad ass protectant...."303 Aerospace Protectant". Anyone used it before? Here's a link: http://www.autogeek.net/16oz.html. The stuff is the best I've used so far on any vehicle. I sprayed it liberally throughout the engine bay and drove it around for about 20 minutes. HOLY SHIT!!! When I popped the hood I could hardly believe how clean and shiny it was. Anyone have any other tips on keeping the engine bay "show car" looking?
Yeah, yeah....I know I'm a shit bag! I was at the car and thought, "I should get my camera and document this.....fuck it!". Question: I did the "Dookie" mod a while back. Which is removing the underhood liner. I noticed the engine bay gets dirty really quick doing this. Has anyone else noticed this? I just got back from Texas today. I'm off all week. Just say when...tomorrow, Thursday? You tell me and I'm there. Phil's?
303 is good stuff have some out in the garage, funny we were talking about this yesterday on streetjeeps here was my suggestion: Before cleaning cover your PCM with a plastic back and airfilter if you have an BWoody type intake, I even cover the map sensor. There are several degreasers that work well just be sure they are VOC free. I use Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity Cleaner used full strength, High Intensity Cleaner is a strong alkaline cleaner with a pH of 13. To put that into perspective, Simple Green has a pH of 9.5 and Fantastic has a pH of 12. Meguirs has a new product out that I may try next http://classic-motoring.stores.yahoo.net/mesude1ga.html Or this Super Clean (diluted) http://www.superclean.com/index.php JUST REMEMBER WET DOWN THE ENTIRE CAR BEFORE APPLYING ANY OF THESE AS WHILE SPRAYING THE ENGINE BAY TO REMOVE THE DEGREASER SOME OF THE DEGREASER MAY BE SPRAYED ONTO THE PAINT, THE WATER WILL KEEP IT FROM HARMING IT ONCE DONE WASHING THE ENGINE BAY AND BEFORE DRYING GO BACK OVER THE CAR AGAIN WITH WATER BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. I use a powerwasher to remove the degreaser a garden hose and sprayer just dont cut through or remove all of the dirt. TO DRY use compressed air if available I dont like it to air dry or you could run the engine. And this for the shiney look http://www.turtlewax.com/main.taf?p=2,2,2,1 I was using a product called Cover-All but is has been increasingly hard to find and the CD2 seems to be about the same. Bud check out www.properautocare.com for good stuff on there excellent customer service
UPDATED with Pics in post #1. They're in my garage in the dark with the flash!! Thanks Wade. That's good stuff and exactly what I'm looking for!
I knew Wade would Chime in, he is the tits when it comes to this stuff, he knows his shit. And that's a major +1 on the compressed air drying, I always blow the water out with my shop vac blower.......
rick i am going to sell my old underhood kit if you are interested, i will give you first shoot at it. it red and in perfect shape.
I bought a 350 CFM leaf blower so I dont have to ever really touch my USW's and scratch them Now I just use it to dry the entire car and shammy what is left. I dont use anything in my engine bay but water and a damp towel and some Zaino on the CAI
Ha thats because in that pic they were just cleaned not detailed, but I never really detail the valve covers, but they will be getting painted after the build ends like I had in my Jeep SRT8. Agreed bro.
Nice Rick! Since you screwed us on the how-to pics you got to give up details on everything you covered up and how. Can you spray simple green on everything under there? How much wiping/scrubing did you do? or was it just spray on, spray off. I kind of wipe off the dust with a damp towel on occassion but it's mainly the surfaces up top and I've never bothered with any cracks or crevices... (and Tony, your's dosn't count 'cause it's probably been cleaned under the hood over 100 times since you got it)
Dave, I covered the CAI filter and two of the connections at the base of the CAI near the throttle body with aluminum foil. I sprayed the entire engine bay liberally at various angles with the Simple Green. I let it sit for about 10 minutes and rinsed it with the "mist" setting on my hose handle. I then sprayed it liberally with the 303 Aerospace Protectant at few different angles, shut the hood and took her for a spin for 20 minutes. I came back and took a microfiber towel to a few spots...maybe 1 or 2 minutes worth of touching up. It was really that easy! As easy as it was, I'm not sure I'd sit there and do all the detailing the guys are discussing. I'm not quite that nit picky about the car. The cost vs. benefit of what I did seems to be a no brainer!!
Rule of thumb is to at the very minimum pop your hood after washing the car and dry the unerside of the hood and the back firewall area and the edges of the body lines that hold water and the plastic top over the radiator and headlights. The hardest part on our engines to clean and dry is around the injectors they will hold water so be sure to really dry that area well and is why an air compressor is good in this case Bud for maintenace now get you a spray bottle and a jug of distilled water (not tap) and once a week pop the hood and do a quick wipedown For stubborn place mix a 50/50 blend of isopropyl alchohol and distlled water to help cut through any grime or dirt (like you left here-LOL) For any carbon build up (which there might still be some here) use some brake cleaner on a rag.
Thanks a ton Wade!! That's a great writeup with captions! LOL Funny thing about using brake cleaner. Ralph was showing me today how valuable brake cleaner after removing my Mopar sticker on the CAI by cleaning up the residual goo! Thanks for all the tips guys!!!
great stuff rick!!! i do almost the exact same thing as you mentioned..... i spray with simple green, cover the delicate stuff with plastic bags and i use my pressure washer to blow it all clean!! i especially focus on the hard to reach areas between the motor and the strut towers and around the radiator area. i then go back and dry with a waffle towel, vacuum out any "puddles" and the use the air compressor to blow off the rest. a little jax wax on the painted and shiny stuff and i am done!! this routine has netted a couple of best engine awards at past shows!!!
