Engine Detailing - Submit Your Tips & Tricks

My brother was mentioning to me something today called Engine Clean that comes in an areosol can. He said that it cleans, and also brightens somehow, espc. alluminum. Has anyone ever used on of those, or one of thjose specific engine cleaner products?



Also, where did yall guys dispose of the gunk? Would I be safe Putting down a plastic sheet to catch it all? And also, what about putting the car on ramps, to clean below?



Jon



jon
 
Oh, BTW, I didnt know zanino made sealants. WHat other sealents are available that I could use in the engine bay on the paint on the fenders and such



jon
 
Sci-Fi,



Thanks for the show tips, I really need as much info as I can get my hands on. I printed up the judging sheet and I'll review it when prepping my car.



godofthunder,



I'm not really familiar with any other sealants. Zaino isn't typically referred to as a sealant, most call it a wax. But it is a polymer blend and it is designed to withstand the high heat. I believe the Autopia store also sells a few sealant type waxes that would withstand the high heat.
 
You're welcome MBZ 500E. As a side note, any detailing products that you bring with you, keep them stored outside of your car. You don't want to store them in your truck where the judges can see them. A popular technique is to have everything in a briefcase, placed by your chair or under a table at your display. Most judges want to see a car with no more in it than what was equipped/supplied by the factory at the time of delivery and a neat appearance around your car is a plus. If that also means picking up trash around your car, then do it.
 
Here is a shot of my 2 week ould engine detail in my daily driven Super Charged Nissan Frontier.

Products used:

Griots engine cleaner

Griots undercarage spray (used down low)

Pig Spit
 
Where can I get Zanio from, for some reason I was thinking Zymol, that blue stuff.



Also, what about Megs Engine Kote? What is that?



I was looking in the engine bay today, and whiule I dont have many panited areas, there are some, down low. Does it really HAVE to be sealed, or is it ok if i just clean it up with some degreaser, spray off good, and go?



And what are some tips on bringing shine to the other metal things, like the strut tower braces and such. And what about plastic resivors, like wiper fluid and stuff?



jon
 
godofthunder said:
Where can I get Zanio from, for some reason I was thinking Zymol, that blue stuff.
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Either buy direct from www.zainobros.com or e-mail them and ask about the distributor nearest to you.



Also, what about Megs Engine Kote? What is that?
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I haven't used it myself, but this thread was very informative: http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13432 and has me interested in trying it on one of my test cars.



I was looking in the engine bay today, and whiule I dont have many panited areas, there are some, down low. Does it really HAVE to be sealed, or is it ok if i just clean it up with some degreaser, spray off good, and go?.
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None of my engine parts are sealed. Partly because they're not yet in that pristine condition where I want to "lock them in," so to speak.



And what are some tips on bringing shine to the other metal things, like the strut tower braces and such.
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Check out DavidB's Polishing Metal article, and perhaps try a search.



And what about plastic resivors, like wiper fluid and stuff?.
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What age is your car? And are these items pretty much new and shiny? And hard plastic or soft?
 
From a post on the e46fanatics.com forum. Good before and after photos too:

******************8

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7086&highlight=clean+engine



OK...I hope you're ready to hear this...

I recently attended a detailing seminar hosted buy a bunch of detailing pros. I couldn't believe some of the tips-n-tricks I learned that day.



I was particularly interested in how they go their engine bays so clean. I just couldn't imagine anyone cleaning every belt and hose with a tooth brush and some Amour-All.



Well, they had a demonstration using a Porsche 944 with an engine bay that had not been cleaned in years. Here's how it went...the ending shocked me.



1. Let the engine run for a minute or two to warm it up. Grease and other gunk is easier to remove when the engine is warm (NOT HOT).



2. Cover any exposed electrical components and anything else you do not want to get a bunch of water on with aluminum foil.



3. Get a can of engine degreaser from your local auto store...they used GUNK Engine Degreaser. Spray it liberally on everything! Don't be shy...they used the entire can. Let is sit for 10-15mins so it can breakdown and loosen all that grime.



4. Get the hose out and spray down everything to remove all the degreaser and dirt and grime. Do not use a nozzle...just the hose is enough pressure. You do not want to blast water into all the engine components...especially on newer cars.



5. Let the water run off for a few mins and start the engine and let is run for 30 seconds to help dry some of the water.



6. Here's the final step that SHOCKED the hell out of me. They sprayed the entire engine bay down with WD-40. They used an entire can and sparyed it on EVERYTHING! After they were done; the engine looked BRAND NEW. I was told this is how many car dealers get the used cars to look brand new under the hood. Some substitute Pledge furniture spray instead of WD-40 (believing WD-40 attracts dust).



I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes. The Porsche engine looked flawless and every hose and belt looked brand new. I'm planning on doing this to my car this weekend.
 
eboller said:


6. Here's the final step that SHOCKED the hell out of me. They sprayed the entire engine bay down with WD-40. They used an entire can and sparyed it on EVERYTHING! After they were done; the engine looked BRAND NEW. I was told this is how many car dealers get the used cars to look brand new under the hood. Some substitute Pledge furniture spray instead of WD-40 (believing WD-40 attracts dust).



I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes. The Porsche engine looked flawless and every hose and belt looked brand new. I'm planning on doing this to my car this weekend.
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:eek: wd-40??? would have ever guessed it. thanks for the helpful hint.
 
LeGenDz said:
I get the engine very SLIGHTY warm, mist over with water, then generously spray over with SG, let it sit for about 3-4 minutes and then spray again, scrub, spray over one last time, let it sit about 2 minutes, and then rinse everything off, and dry.



I have everything covered pretty carefully just to be safe. For things like the alternator, I spray SG on to the brush, scrub, and then wipe off.
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from those pictures you posted, which were KLEEEN:xyxthumbs, what did you use for dressing up the engine??
 
eboller said:
I was particularly interested in how they go their engine bays so clean. I just couldn't imagine anyone cleaning every belt and hose with a tooth brush and some Amour-All.

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snip

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6. Here's the final step that SHOCKED the hell out of me. They sprayed the entire engine bay down with WD-40. They used an entire can and sparyed it on EVERYTHING! After they were done; the engine looked BRAND NEW.
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I'm no chemist. But I would not use Armorall ever on a car that I want to preserve long-term. While it may give short-term cosmetic benefit, the longterm damage is unacceptable to me.



Ditto for WD 40, except I'll confess I've used it a couple of times before Concours events. But now that I've discovered Autopia's gummipflege, I don't ever need to resort to WD40 again either. Thanks, DavidB! :bow
 
I personally don't have any WD-40 but I sure would be curious what it contains before spraying it all over my engine. I imagine it contains mostly solvents but I'm not sure what type of lubricant.



WD-40 doesn't really stay on a surface for a long period of time but it does stay on long enough to help collect and hold dust. Pledge on the other hand would absolutely have to be wiped off to prevent dusting. I'd imagine pledge is safer than WD-40 since it's wax based.



4DSC also has a good point, you definitely do not want to spray any form of lubricant onto belts.:nono



If someone is looking for a quick and labor free way of detailing an engine (Although I don't agree with it) you can use No-Touch Tire Cleaner after you have pre-cleaned the engine. This will leave a shiny suface on all of your rubber, plastics and will further clean the engine. I'm not sure if the product is safe for long term use but I imagine it's not as bad as using WD-40.



I prefer to learn the tips/tricks combined with safe products and some elbow grease to get long term results.:)
 
Lynn said:
I'm no chemist. But I would not use Armorall ever on a car that I want to preserve long-term. While it may give short-term cosmetic benefit, the longterm damage is unacceptable to me.



Ditto for WD 40, except I'll confess I've used it a couple of times before Concours events. But now that I've discovered Autopia's gummipflege, I don't ever need to resort to WD40 again either. Thanks, DavidB! :bow
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If you read carefully, Armor All was never suggested, unless I misread it.



As for the WD 40...I think later on in the thread most people said not to WD-40 your belts. Honestly, I don't know what effect it would have on everything else...I'd be curious to know from people who know for sure. I'd be kind of surprised if it hurt anything. The alternative to WD-40 that was suggested later in the thread was Pledge. It all sounds crazy and I don't know if I'd do any of it...mostly because I don't want to spend hours detailing an engine that will get dirty sooner or later. I merely wipe everything with a towel after each wash. So far it has stayed relatively clean to look at. Although I certainly wouldn't eat off it =)



Eric
 
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