salty
Active member
Also you don't have to cover all areas with cleaner if the wash mitt will reach it.
And do not inhale mist of cleaner.
And do not inhale mist of cleaner.
Engine Bay detailing
- Thread starter NVcobra
- Start date
I'm a newbie amateur but I have been detailing engine bays in our 4 vehicles for the past few years based on what I have learned from forums like this. The first time I took a hose to the engine bay I was really nervous and didn't breath easy until after I started the engine and figured out I didn't totally screw it up.
My process is simple but seems to work. Lightly spray down the underside of the hood, engine, and engine bay. Then I spray a liberal amount of diluted simple green to the underside of the hood (including the black felt liner). I just recently learned about Megs APC+ so I have ordered that and will start using that as my APC from now on. I let it sit for a few minutes. I then use a few brushes. Before my addiction started last month, I just used a few paint brushes to get in the nooks and crannies. My favorite brush was a $2 brush from a craft store ( like the kind you used in kindergarten to paint with) as it allows you to get down in areas you can't reach with a mitt or larger brush. Then, I use a soft bristled brush to wash all the other parts in there along with the paint part of the underside of the hood. Then rinse thouroughly with a light stream of water. While still wet, I spray on whatever tire foam is on sale, although I have heard the Armour All product works well. Also, I hear CD2 is a great dressing. I let this sit until the foam disappears and wipe off the excess if any puddling occurs on the plastic parts. Lastly, I usually take it for a drive for 5 or 10 minutes to dry any moisture.
Please keep in mind I am not qualified to speak as a professional detailer. I picked up all this info from reading what others do. This is a baseline engine detail and you can take this up several notches if you are looking to really get OCD with the engine bay. BTW, I have done this to a GMC, Infiniti, Ford and Kia with no incidents of engine problems.
My process is simple but seems to work. Lightly spray down the underside of the hood, engine, and engine bay. Then I spray a liberal amount of diluted simple green to the underside of the hood (including the black felt liner). I just recently learned about Megs APC+ so I have ordered that and will start using that as my APC from now on. I let it sit for a few minutes. I then use a few brushes. Before my addiction started last month, I just used a few paint brushes to get in the nooks and crannies. My favorite brush was a $2 brush from a craft store ( like the kind you used in kindergarten to paint with) as it allows you to get down in areas you can't reach with a mitt or larger brush. Then, I use a soft bristled brush to wash all the other parts in there along with the paint part of the underside of the hood. Then rinse thouroughly with a light stream of water. While still wet, I spray on whatever tire foam is on sale, although I have heard the Armour All product works well. Also, I hear CD2 is a great dressing. I let this sit until the foam disappears and wipe off the excess if any puddling occurs on the plastic parts. Lastly, I usually take it for a drive for 5 or 10 minutes to dry any moisture.
Please keep in mind I am not qualified to speak as a professional detailer. I picked up all this info from reading what others do. This is a baseline engine detail and you can take this up several notches if you are looking to really get OCD with the engine bay. BTW, I have done this to a GMC, Infiniti, Ford and Kia with no incidents of engine problems.
Bostonsfavson said:
Single-minded fixation, check. Liberal California, check. Financial stake in single-minded idea, check.
Wow man, maybe he's a politician.
:nervous:
Relaited,
Once again, you're in here spamming and you still have no good points. When your regulators ban rain, you just might have something to talk about. Until then, you still have no valid points.
I bet you believe that humans created global warming, too.
Let me try it this way.
The OP's Q requested feedback on products and procedures.
So, trig ... how to you collect the contaminants from the engine detail then.
If I am spaming, and adding no value, please enlighten us? How do you suggest a mobile detailer handle this.
Lastly, what gives you or anyone the right to eliminate what I think is an important and vital part of this dialogue, one that is sorely missing, and that is the consideration of the contaminants.
Any thoughts? Please be specific
-jim
The OP's Q requested feedback on products and procedures.
So, trig ... how to you collect the contaminants from the engine detail then.
If I am spaming, and adding no value, please enlighten us? How do you suggest a mobile detailer handle this.
Lastly, what gives you or anyone the right to eliminate what I think is an important and vital part of this dialogue, one that is sorely missing, and that is the consideration of the contaminants.
Any thoughts? Please be specific
-jim
Relaited said:
You're worried about the collecting contaminates from the engine, and the rest of the car for that matter, but have to system set up for when it rains. What do you have? Do you have a hover craft that floats above one of the wash mats you're trying to sell? Do you go around sprinkling absorment materials onto the roads and highways and then sweeping them up to dispose of them "properly?"
I suggest a mobile detailer handles this with common sense. Here's the part where you metnion something about your "regulators," though.
SuperBee364
New member
Bostonsfavson said:
It is obvious he is only here to push his political agenda. He also has the dubious distinction of being the only person to ever make it on my "ignore" list.
Grats, man!
DETAILKING
New member
Let's keep this civil guys.
As for the engine....I have been using simple green, rinse real good, and then spray the heck out of the entire bay once it's try with Stoner's Trim Shine. Looks real good!
As for the engine....I have been using simple green, rinse real good, and then spray the heck out of the entire bay once it's try with Stoner's Trim Shine. Looks real good!
Jim,
I appreciate your concerns, but im solely worrired about the "products and procedures" that have to do with cleaning my engine bay only here in this thread, not my driveway, or where the contaminates go etc. That has already been adressed in other threads. So, any suggestions that are on topic to the OP? Thx
I appreciate your concerns, but im solely worrired about the "products and procedures" that have to do with cleaning my engine bay only here in this thread, not my driveway, or where the contaminates go etc. That has already been adressed in other threads. So, any suggestions that are on topic to the OP? Thx
Trig, for the record, you did not answer my question, nor has anyone here ...
How do you handle contaminants from an engine detail? If you are a fixed based operator with a separator or clarifier, that works great, no issues there. but what about a mobile offering, how do you think that should be handled.
Here's how I would do an Engine Detail ... in the rain!
First off, most of the customer's I am targeting have newer cars. When you pop the hood on those, you see that most of the stuff is now covered.
I can detail in the customer's garage. I have a mat, much like the larger mats to collect waste water from the wash process, but it fits under the engine, between the tires.
I spray an APC, maybe a Degreaser if necessary. brush and wipe as necessary. Use comp air to blow & dry. Come back with a dressing (No silicone, I always assume that every car fire on the highway just had an engine detail), use air to finish.
Pull out mat, take micro fiber towel to wipe up contaminants, put away mat.
Save your comments, this high line owner with a fleet of vehicles just came out to inspect. So while most every other detailer in the area is at home because of rain, I am collecting payment from another satisfied customer.
Winner winner chicken dinner?
-jim
PS If I had an agenda, or were trying to sell anyone something ... do you think I would be in the face of the knuckleheads so much? Wouldn't I take a posture of a sales pitch? I am a believer, and have facts to support the proof of concept.
PPS For those who have figured out who I am and my association, doesn’t it make sense that I cannot be to particular and specific with many of my responses. For those who have contacted me privately, you know that I am willing to share.
How do you handle contaminants from an engine detail? If you are a fixed based operator with a separator or clarifier, that works great, no issues there. but what about a mobile offering, how do you think that should be handled.
Here's how I would do an Engine Detail ... in the rain!
First off, most of the customer's I am targeting have newer cars. When you pop the hood on those, you see that most of the stuff is now covered.
I can detail in the customer's garage. I have a mat, much like the larger mats to collect waste water from the wash process, but it fits under the engine, between the tires.
I spray an APC, maybe a Degreaser if necessary. brush and wipe as necessary. Use comp air to blow & dry. Come back with a dressing (No silicone, I always assume that every car fire on the highway just had an engine detail), use air to finish.
Pull out mat, take micro fiber towel to wipe up contaminants, put away mat.
Save your comments, this high line owner with a fleet of vehicles just came out to inspect. So while most every other detailer in the area is at home because of rain, I am collecting payment from another satisfied customer.
Winner winner chicken dinner?
-jim
PS If I had an agenda, or were trying to sell anyone something ... do you think I would be in the face of the knuckleheads so much? Wouldn't I take a posture of a sales pitch? I am a believer, and have facts to support the proof of concept.
PPS For those who have figured out who I am and my association, doesn’t it make sense that I cannot be to particular and specific with many of my responses. For those who have contacted me privately, you know that I am willing to share.
imported_Ivan Rajic
New member
I feel like I'm in a religion forum for Fs sake... preach however much you want but 1 person will never make a difference... and no, it won't work if you tell everyone that one+one+one...=millions because it doesn't work like that... if it did we'd all be rich now singing kumbaya and enjoying a world not full of nuclear weapons that can blow my a$$ away any second of any day...
Help the guy out with the best cleaners to use to get his engine sparkle and leave out the other bs... since you're so great at arguing and making a point, make it a point to understand that this argument only includes you preaching your bs... no one here said "and make sure you get all that engine gunk and crap and oil and tranny fluid and etc. cleaned up and then hose it down the storm drain"... people simply don't care... you keep doing it, and keep making that cash, let everyone else suffer... it's life, even if you're right, you'll be wrong to too many people for it to even matter... except sex, sex is never wrong :rofl
OP... I also like TAW usually cut with water 1:1, or Meg's APC+ 8-12:1.. I usually end up using Meg's dressings or 303 and I never hose down the engine because, well, I'm scared
Help the guy out with the best cleaners to use to get his engine sparkle and leave out the other bs... since you're so great at arguing and making a point, make it a point to understand that this argument only includes you preaching your bs... no one here said "and make sure you get all that engine gunk and crap and oil and tranny fluid and etc. cleaned up and then hose it down the storm drain"... people simply don't care... you keep doing it, and keep making that cash, let everyone else suffer... it's life, even if you're right, you'll be wrong to too many people for it to even matter... except sex, sex is never wrong :rofl
OP... I also like TAW usually cut with water 1:1, or Meg's APC+ 8-12:1.. I usually end up using Meg's dressings or 303 and I never hose down the engine because, well, I'm scared
Thats Fresh
New member
P21S for degresing/prewash
303 Aerospace protectant for dressing/protection
P21S and 303 can both be found on detailedimage.com. but if you have a local boat store like Boat World or Marine World, you can find the 303 bottles there.
*303 Aerospace Protectant from Detailed Image *on sale!!!
303 Aerospace protectant for dressing/protection
P21S and 303 can both be found on detailedimage.com. but if you have a local boat store like Boat World or Marine World, you can find the 303 bottles there.
*303 Aerospace Protectant from Detailed Image *on sale!!!
imported_Ivan Rajic
New member
snowskate said:
I've heard many and experienced one (friend damaged his ECU) so I stay away from that... usually a nice cleaning by hand is all that's needed
Thats Fresh
New member
snowskate said:
ive found animals in engine bays when i drove to my customers house.
on another incident, from all the dusting and wiping down, i accidently unplugged the top o2 sensor on car and it prevented the car from starting when i was trying to turn it on to dry some excess water. i knew something came loose
SuperBee364
New member
snowskate said:
Yeah... about four years ago, I was detailing my GoMango Daytona Charger's engine. I learned that you really *do* need to be careful with where the water goes when detailing engines; the remote starter decided that it was a good time to start the car. Luckily, all important body parts and other equipment were away from moving parts. Shortly after the car started, the panic alarm went off. Talk about startled... the engine just up and starting made me bump my head into the underside of the hood. Immediately after recovering from that, the horn (panic alarm) goes off, causing me to repeat my head banging performance of a moment earlier. This time, hard enough to dislodge the hood's kick stand ( I will never own another car that doesn't have hydraulic hood lifters). Of course the car doesn't respond to the remote's commands, so I ended up having to get in the trunk and disconnect the battery. It seemed like that took five minutes. If someone would have been there video taping the whole thing, I'm sure I woulda won on America's Funniest Home Videos. At least, I think so, given my wife's reaction of myrth when I told her about it.
Since then, I've always tried to use the least amount of water possible. ONR soaked rags do a remarkable job on dusty and lighly soiled engine parts.
Wow, didn’t expect that response ... maybe I should have introduced dilutions ratios. Seems to be a sore spot.
Again makes my point that this is an industry of technicians for technicians, not business decisions
I just got off the phone with a conference call with Regulators, if you are in So California, this is not preaching, it is predicting ... you will not be able to detail an engine without run off considerations.
Fact
jim
Again makes my point that this is an industry of technicians for technicians, not business decisions
I just got off the phone with a conference call with Regulators, if you are in So California, this is not preaching, it is predicting ... you will not be able to detail an engine without run off considerations.
Fact
jim
I am a big supporter of steam in a Water $mart Eco Detailing model.
I have mixed feelings about steam in the engine. On one hand, most stuff is covered, on the other, there has been concerns over extreme heat on some of the connectors and plastic elements.
Any thought on stream on the engine?
-jim
I have mixed feelings about steam in the engine. On one hand, most stuff is covered, on the other, there has been concerns over extreme heat on some of the connectors and plastic elements.
Any thought on stream on the engine?
-jim
SuperBee364
New member
trig said:
The temperature at which water boils varies according to pressure. Most steamers have pressure chambers, causing the steam to come out quite a bit hotter. I think my little Steam Fast is rated at 285 F or so. Some of the commercial ones go quite a ways over 300.