Engine Detailing - Submit Your Tips & Tricks

M

MBZ 500E

New member
Warning.....Long Post



I've been "seriously" working on my engine for the last couple of weeks and I feel like I've hit a wall. After seeing a few pics of some pristine engines I thought I would put together a list ot things I've done and compare it to what others are doing to get the perfect combination.



Initial Cleaning - Used Griots Engine Cleaner and a Nylon Detailing Brush. This was a very mild cleaner that removed the heavier grime and oil however it failed to remove the final layer of oil on most of my aluminum engine block.



Treating Rubber Hoses - For this I used Meguiars Vinyl & Rubber in their consumer line. I applied it with a cloth and wiped off any excess. I finished the hoses with Meguiars Final Detail to leave a dark satin finish.



Plastic - For now the only product I'm using for plastic is the Megs Final Detail.



For hard to reach spots I've been using Pig Spit (aerosol sprayed on). This leaves a semi clean looking finish which needs to be slightly buffed to look good. I would say this product is very similar to Griots Undercarriage spray although it doesn't alter the color of the materials it touches.



Would love to hear some creative Autopian suggestions on the following:



1. For the rough sections of the aluminum engine block are there any products that will leave a nice natural looking finish? Keep in mind some spots are hard to reach.



2. Any suggestions on products that can clean in tight areas without scrubbing. My engine bay is extremely tight (enough so the engine needs to be pulled to do certain repairs:scared)
 
There have been several discussions on engine detailing in the past. I'm sure the threads are still around. Just in case this thread doesn't give you all the info you needed then maybe you could pull up the old ones.



Two products that I use for engine detailing are the CD-2 Engine Detailing Kit (You can do a search for that here. There are links.) and Advanage concentrate. I actually mix the Advanage with some degreaser concentrate from ValuGuard. That degreaser will clean up just about everything. I swear by that stuff now. The CD-2 is what I use to shine up the hoses and plastics under the hood. The majority of the work gets done by my brew though. I've got a couple great examples in my gallery if you want to go up there and check that out. I'm sure you've already seen em if you've been searching for engine detailing threads. I just have nothing but good things to say about those products.
 
And I thought I was the only one using Pig Spit;) Along with Griots Garage under carrage spray, you will have a NEW looking engine after it is cleaned.
 
What's your opinion of an all-purpose cleaner like Simple Green? I know Meg's has a product called Extra All Purpose cleaner, but my hunch is that it's probably corrosive one way or another.



I'm not a fan of doing much engine detailing. The true detailing of mechanical components is what goes inside of them, not how they look on the outside. Just IMO.
 
A true Autopian can't let any leaf go unturned. You won't ever see a car grace the pages of any magazine with the hood up and crud all over the place. The stuff under your hood is the second most expensive part of your car to replace besides the paint. It is something that isn't hard to keep clean if you keep up on it. I only have to detail the engine maybe once a month and that is just shining the hoses and cleaning the painted surfaces. Takes 5 minutes.
 
Jngrbrdman,



What dilution do you use the Advanage at? Does your method leave a natural and clean looking finish on the aluminum? My problem is that when I bought the car a year ago the oil cap and a few breather hoses were leaking and they managed to coat the whole top of the engine with sludge :( . The Griots removed the sludge but could not remove everything. It's almost like there is a slight film of oil remaining.





CleanMaxx Brian,



Have you noticed any adverse affects of using the Pigspit. I'm only using it on mostly flat black painted surfaces and a few very hard to reach spots. I've also used it on some hard to reach wires. Just want to make sure that what I'm doing now won't hurt the car down the road.



Acura RL,



I agree detailing inside is important (I use Amsoil for that), but I'd have to argue that the outside is just as important. One major advantage to keeping the exterior of your engine clean is the ability to spot an oil leak. Case in point, when I bought my car the inspecting dealer said the valve covers were leaking, they were wrong. The oil cap and breather hoses made it look like the valve covers were leaking. I saved some serious $$$ because the engine was cleaned and leaks were sourced. Other reason to clean the engine.........I love the look on peoples faces when I pop the hood!:D
 
Acura_RL said:
What's your opinion of an all-purpose cleaner like Simple Green?
Click to expand...



I use Simple Green all the time, in the engine bay. Once the engine bay is clean, I use Meg's QD. Simple Green works great on rough cast aluminum. Spray, let soak, and rinse.



I cut Simple Green 50/50 with water. It's very concentrated.



It's also great on tires and rubber floor mats.



For Rubber hoses, I use Grape Tire Dressing......(satin finish)...



Plastics.......Meg's Trim Detailer (consumer line)...



After the engine bay is super clean, I give the painted surfaces a nice coat of Z1/Z2! Makes it easier to clean next time!



Also on the bottom side of the hood.....Z1/Z2.



I have a couple of long-brissel detailing brushes that I use under the hood also........areas around strut towers, hinges, hood seams, around headlights, etc.
 
Tip I learned after a long weekend with my head and hands in the engine bay: Do be sure that all six of the spark plug wires are reconnected to the distributor cap. :wall
 
MBZ 500E: I bought a big bottle of it and it came with a spray bottle that had the dilution ratios on it. The degreaser was a 1:1 ratio if I'm not mistaken. I know it says its safe to use it at full strength if the situation calls for it.



It cuts through valve cover grime pretty well I'd say. I just use my degreaser and lots of towels and brushes. Works like a charm.



532before.jpg




532after.jpg
 
Jngrbrdman



Holy :eek: :scared :eek: , when I saw that first picture of the engine I thought the valve covers were painted black........then I saw your second picture and nearly fell out of my chair!!:bow :bow



I'm going to give the Simple Green a try since I happen to have some, but if that doesn't cut it I'll order a bottle of the Advanage.



Luster,



Great idea to use the Zaino on the painted surfaces, I'm glad I kept my bottles rather than giving them away, seems I find new uses for it every day.



Keep the tips coming....learned alot so far.:xyxthumbs
 
Jngr, that's one of the most awesome transformations I've seen! :bow



You mention lots of towels. I've finally converted to shop rags for the dirty stages of engine cleaning. Got tired of washing the grimy cotton towels.
 
Yeah, blue shop towels are my friend. I buy them at Costco by the dozen. They are awesome. :up My wife tried to kill me the last time I washed my towels. Apparantly it left some kind of greasy black ring around the edge of the washing machine. lolol Guess I should wash them more than once a year, eh? :p
 
MBZ 500E:

I have not been using Pig Spit that long but have been impressed so far. I like the idea of a spray when you can't reach something. The best part is it seams to not attract dust:)
 
I wash my greasy shop towels all the time. The trick is to run a rag with some degreaser or detergent around the tub when you're done. There usually is a bit of residue from when the tub is draining. Since I do a lot of laundry, I've had to learn to do that, so that I don't have to kill myself! ;)
 
I understand that engine detailing can be beneficial--aesthetically. But at the same time, I make it one of my last priorities--if I have time to handle it--when I detail my car.



My concern is the electrical, the belts, and so forth. Do you realize how many sensors are planted inside the engine bay? That's why I'll clean just the surface.



I watched the Meguiar's video on detailing and the stuff Barry said about engine detailing is preposterous. Shining up the radiator hoses is not going to make much difference in how long they last. Don't forget that on the inside there's a highly corrosive ingredient travels through when you run your engine.



BTW, on my car there's a plastic cover over the engine. So there's not much I could do beside shine up the hoses and the painted panels.
 
Just for clarification: If memory serves, MBZ500E agreed to start this thread because both of us are getting ready for Concours events. There, you don't have an option about engine-detailing; every bit of it must be spit-polish clean, OEM finishes, etc.
 
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