Engine Detailing Revised

I

imported_Denzil

New member
Hey guys, I've done my search of threads for engine detailing and what not but I still feel like I haven't got a somewhat clear answer yet.



So... with that being said, what cleaning solution do you all use to degrease your engine bays, depending on how dirty they are?



I'd have to say mine is pretty dirty and I haven't cleaned it since I bought it in 2001. I was actually thinking of using a diluted Woolite solution yet I'm not quite sure what dilution ratio I should use or if I should even use a Woolite diluted solution for that matter.



Anyway, please give me insight on what product(s) you use to clean your engine bay. It'd be much appreciated. I'm going to be detailing my engine bay hopefully tomorrow.
 
Try your favorite APC on a slightly warm engine. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, and scrub some of the tougher spots with a soft brush. Rinse off, and dry (I use my air compressor). Be sure to dress/condition your hoses and plastic parts once dry. I use tire foam, but Im sure there are better options available. Also, be sure to cover your electrical componenets with aluminum foil before a drop of water or cleaner touches your engine. HTH!
 
I do all engine detailing by hand, because I don't like to spray a bunch of water into the engine bay. I use some degreaser mixed 50/50 with water, and spray that on a cheap MF or terry towel. I wipe off EVERYWHERE I can possibly reach in the engine bay. Then I wipe off everything with another MF or terry towel that has straight water on it (the rinse step). The final wipedown is the drying step, with another MF or terry towel.

After the cleaning process, I dress all plastic and rubber parts with NXT Tech Protectant, 1Z Tiefenpfleger, WG Tire Gel, 303....It's up to you. Any metal gets polished with Mothers Mag/Alum Polish, and chrome gets 1Z Chrompflege.
 
Thanks for the help Maxie! That was the kind of response I was looking for.



So do you think a Woolite solution would be ok to use as a degreaser? If so, what diluation ratio should I use. If not, I'll just go buy some Simple Green. Hmm, I think I remember purchasing some 303 APC... I'll have to check.



I just checked and realized that I have ordered some 303 Aerospace Cleaner. So what dilution ratio seems to be standard for engine degreasing?
 
If you haven't detailed in years I'm not sure your degreaser even needs to be diluted. Spray it on let it set up and strat scrubbing.
 
I spray foaming degreaser (Gunk, etc solvent based) onto really dirty metal parts, then follow up with straight APC all over plastic and the rest of the engine. I agitate with a Black Magic rim brush that I've downgraded from rim duty to engine duty, and then hose out with no nozzle, putting my thumb over the hose for the really dirty parts, and just using the hoses' flow for fragile parts (plugs,alternator, etc). I used to tinfoil stuff off, but I havent lately and I've been ok.
 
I haven't tried the 303 Cleaner yet for engine degreasing, but I would probably go 5:1 or something, and see how that works. It says a bunch of dilution ratios on the back of the bottle doesn't it?
 
I think it's fairly safe to say that many newer vehicles are okay with water, as long as you don't spray too long in one area or use really high pressures. It just gets to be that older models when the computer/electrical systems were first starting to be introduced in automobiles that things weren't secured/covered and that putting water in an engine is unsafe. Perhaps it would be best if there was a list we could make (or one that already exists) about vehicles that can handle water in the engine compartment?



Needless to say, care should always be taken in these areas. I use Autoglym Engine Cleaner, spraying liberally in all areas, brush with a wheel brush (or similar), then rinse with medium pressure hose, moving quickly, start up engine, let run, blow any water out of cracks and crevices (especially sensitive areas) with an air compressor, then dress with 303 Protectant (or similar).
 
Man I just sprayed my engine down with 303 AC with a dilution ratio of 3:1 and there are just some things that won't come off. I had to vigorously rub off all the gunk from the spark plug wires...



I'm going to go at it again in a couple days... frustration and the amount of time I had spent had just come over me and I wasn't in the mood to do it anymore. I really don't like how I can see something dirty yet I can't seem to reach and clean it. In my arsenal of brushes, I use the EZ detail brush and a wheel brush. Some places are still too difficult to get at. :mad:



I'm considering trying Simple Green and/or possibly Gunk and Autoglym. I guess I'll just have to try each product out to see which one tickles my fancy.
 
Even SG might not do it, I was amazed how much better the process worked when I switched from only using Castrol SC to adding in a solvent-based degreaser. Gunk really does work wonders, and its taken out stuff that nothing else would. It also does wonders on hockey friction tape stains (actually a major problem, up here in the Land of the Frozen North) that a magic eraser won't touch.
 
I just detailed a 69 camaro engine compartment. I was very satisfied with the result but I also found out where I was lacking.

This engine had the typical 1/16" thick grease on the block and intake manifold. I sprayed engine degreaser on it and let it dwell. I used a hose to spray it off but it didn't take all of it off. I scraped what I could off and wiped the rest. I wish I had an air compressor. I could of sprayed more degreaser on the area of the intake manifold that is hard to get at and then held a rag over this area and sprayed into it. So much for just starting in this business....

I used apc to reclean any areas that I needed to go over again ( hoses, wiper area, etc). I applied Megs hyper dressing (4:1) on the rubber parts, firewall, radiator, under hood. The areas around the electric parts I used a painter's sponge and wiped it on. The wiring on this car was pretty shoddy so I didn't want to spray anything close so these sponge brushes worked real well.

After I cleaned the engine with degreaser and sprayed the block with water I started the engine to dry everything off. I once had a bad smell after using the degreaser by itself. I hope this helps.
 
You know what else I found to work really well on particularly nasty engines (by hand of course)??



Dupli-Color Wax and Grease Remover. It's actually some awesome stuff. Worked like a charm under the hood of my truck.
 
I use sidewak and driveway degreaser from work. We use it to get all the oil that has soaked into the concrete out. Amazingly it works great on engine compartments, except the downside is it will dewax your paint if you arent careful. After that I detail with the gunk stuff shown above and then walk away.
 
jjwalker said:
...except the downside is it will dewax your paint if you arent careful...
Click to expand...



Unless I'm wrong, I think most engine degreaser remove the wax (to some point). Its always a good think to rewax again after an engine clean.
 
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