Advice on engine detail

[toby tyke]

Ive got my first engine detail coming up on a 1995 BMW 740i. The car while not being used has been stored in a farmers barn resulting in the engine bay being covered in thick dust. I am going to use my normal de greaser/cleaner at about 3-1 dilution. The only problem I have is using a water hose on the entire bay. Obviously its at low pressure, I just dont want to risk the water getting into critical areas. I was going to do it the long way and just use cloths and brushes to remove the dirt from hard to access areas. Any tips would be gratefull.

[BRODEY1]

use the search feature and look at "CD-2", I used it last week and it worked VERY well.
I also don't like the idea of using H20 on the engine, especially someone elses.

I used ONR for a pre-soak and just wiped down as best I could, then sprayed it down with the CD-2 Engine Detailer, I turned on the engine and let it idle and warm up.

Then wipe down any excess, looks great.

[merci]

Please post pics and your process. I have a similar car (smaller engine though) and I'd love to learn how to properly clean the engine bay of a 7er.

[jesselyons2002]

Here one I did for a friend (free)

Remove battery and and intake hose and cover up the distributor with foil including the open harness connector

Rinse down hood and engine bay with water from the hose

Filled bucket with ONR and GC

Spray Purple power all over the engine bay and hood

Dip the Ez detail and Mother wheel brush into the wash mix and agitate the the pp with the brush. Meaning scrub ever dirty area lol

Rinse down with water

Dry areas with blower from the vacuum and any rest of the water was pick up with a terry cloth

Spray the bay with Megs endurance tire gel

then use a foam pad to evenly distribute the gel

Intake plenum and Valve cover were scrub with Mother mag and aluminum polish and #0000 steel wool

wax hood with Collinite 845 insulator wax

Before:





After:





Here and engine bay I did with CD2 after cleaning it with the same method as above beside spraying the tire gel

[KaiYenS]

I found this link for a case of 6 for $54. You get 15% off for orders over $50 (code: 1VSTOFF10X50)...see top of the web page banner:

CD-2 ENGINE DETAILER, 12.5 OZ., CASE OF 6 (4516-C)

[MobileJay]

I have found a little trick that works well for me. I use a pesticide sprayer to spray the engine down with. I fill it with 2 cap fulls of ONR and the rest with water. With this you don't get a ton of water every where, you can point it where you want. I do this and then use a bunch of towels to clean with. Then, since I am very lucky to have an autozone by my house that sells CD-2 I spray everything down with that.

[salty]

Personally i use a garden hose. Having used both pressure washer and garden hose I have had less problems with garden hose. The pressure washer can drive water into tighter seals as can compressed air to dry. Not to familiar with a '95 740 though.

When in doubt, tin foil off delicate areas and hand wash after.

My process is to wet the area with water and then spray a concentrated APC. Mine is diluted 4 water : 1 cleaner.

Let dwell and while waiting spray water under the hood then spray some cleaner and wash with a wash mitt. Keep APC cleaner wet. Rinse off and then start rinsing the engine, staying away from direct contact from electric components.

Respray the engine with APC and wash with mitt. This step is to clean and make sure the cleaner doesn't dry before rinsing. Respray areas that are oily if needed.

Drip dry for a minute and spray water based dressing if you desire. Personally I usually don't.

[KaiYenS]

How do you know which cars' engines can be watered down with hose? Can every car (i.e. especially 2000+ BMW's, Porsche's...any late models) resist the water?

Thank you.

[jesselyons2002]

I know maybe cars from 1985 to present can be sprayed down with water

[salty]

Oh, the above after pic is without any dressing and the cleaning took about 12 minutes.

Most cars today have very tight tolerances and should be able to take an engine cleaning. Though with the new technology there might be problems down the road.

The only real problem vehicle I have encountered is a late 80's or early 90's Ford 1/2 ton. Some module on the fender is prone to water damage and needs to be replaced before it will start.

[KaiYenS]

Thank you, Jessely & Salty! Your examples look great! I wish I could clean engine as well as you guys do!

Jessly, I see you only covered two parts.. are these the only 2 parts to cover for other cars as well? Thank you.

[toby tyke]

Many thanks lads for the advice, sorry for the late response. The pics you posted are fantastic, the BMW came out ok, I was not totally happy with the result, but the customer was over the moon, he had been searching the net for this car for 2 years, I just did not have the guts to wash the engine bay with a garden hose, with my luck lateley I know it would not have started!
Thanks from the boys across the water