Just detailed engine bay, metal problems

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viasevenvai

New member
OK, so I just detailed my entire engine bay on my 96' Maxima. Looks amazing. I used Castrol Super Clean degreaser that i found at O'reilly. It worked really well on all the dirt.



I used a pressure washer at one of those car wash places. Since I live at an apt. I can't wash my car here. I just made sure not to squeeze the trigger on the pressure washer and my car started up the first time perfectly, didn't wrap anything with a towel or foil.



My problem is that on the metal i.e. throttle body, exhaust/intake manifold (whatever that big 6cylinder piping is ontop of the engine) and on the sides of the engine block I have a bleached look now. It's like the cleaner dried on the metal and discolored it. If I get it wet it looks fine, but once it dries out it looks pale again.



I know I should use a citrus based cleaner for everything, but wasn't sure if this cleaner I used was citric base. I figured that that was a precaution for the rubber components so I made sure to Armor All all of the rubber hoses/parts.



Should I use metal polish on it? Am I screwed?



BTW for people who want to clean the engine: do the inside of the hood BEFORE you do the engine parts.



Thanks
 
OK, so I just detailed my entire engine bay on my 96' Maxima. Looks amazing. I used Castrol Super Clean degreaser that i found at O'reilly. It worked really well on all the dirt.



I used a pressure washer at one of those car wash places. Since I live at an apt. I can't wash my car here. I just made sure not to squeeze the trigger on the pressure washer and my car started up the first time perfectly, didn't wrap anything with a towel or foil.



My problem is that on the metal i.e. throttle body, exhaust/intake manifold (whatever that big 6cylinder piping is ontop of the engine) and on the sides of the engine block I have a bleached look now. It's like the cleaner dried on the metal and discolored it. If I get it wet it looks fine, but once it dries out it looks pale again.



I know I should use a citrus based cleaner for everything, but wasn't sure if this cleaner I used was citric base. I figured that that was a precaution for the rubber components so I made sure to Armor All all of the rubber hoses/parts.



Should I use metal polish on it? Am I screwed?



BTW for people who want to clean the engine: do the inside of the hood BEFORE you do the engine parts.



Thanks
 
Have you sprayed any kind of protectant or anything on it yet? My engines come out the same way, and when I spray them with ArmorAll, it all goes away.
 
Have you sprayed any kind of protectant or anything on it yet? My engines come out the same way, and when I spray them with ArmorAll, it all goes away.
 
well i sprayed Armor All on all the rubber and plastic, but not the metal. Should Armor All go on the metal?



I'm glad someone else had the same problem.



Would metal polish be better or a good idea anyway?



thanks
 
well i sprayed Armor All on all the rubber and plastic, but not the metal. Should Armor All go on the metal?



I'm glad someone else had the same problem.



Would metal polish be better or a good idea anyway?



thanks
 
I actually use Tire Foam and spray the whole engine with it, and I use a good bit too.



What kind of metal are we talking about here? Is it smooth polished metal or rough cast? If it's cast, I don't think there's really anything you can do other than spray it with something. If it's smooth, polished metal, then you can certainly use any kind of metal polish to bring it back.
 
I actually use Tire Foam and spray the whole engine with it, and I use a good bit too.



What kind of metal are we talking about here? Is it smooth polished metal or rough cast? If it's cast, I don't think there's really anything you can do other than spray it with something. If it's smooth, polished metal, then you can certainly use any kind of metal polish to bring it back.
 
I'm picturing the engine on my former '93 Maxima, recalling the "rough aluminum" of many parts. I used to polish these parts with a Dremel ( substitute a drill with cotton felt wheel) and various felt tipped attachments using Flitz and/or Mother's metal polish ( red can). If you want to spend the time, a procedure like this might help.



If I were in the same situation now, I probably try a combination of felt tipped attachments on the Dremel or drill ( see Eastwoodco for the nice selection of sizes and shapes) and my new English Custom Polishes.



This sounds like a good test to see how well these polishes can do.
 
I'm picturing the engine on my former '93 Maxima, recalling the "rough aluminum" of many parts. I used to polish these parts with a Dremel ( substitute a drill with cotton felt wheel) and various felt tipped attachments using Flitz and/or Mother's metal polish ( red can). If you want to spend the time, a procedure like this might help.



If I were in the same situation now, I probably try a combination of felt tipped attachments on the Dremel or drill ( see Eastwoodco for the nice selection of sizes and shapes) and my new English Custom Polishes.



This sounds like a good test to see how well these polishes can do.
 
haha, i didn't dilute it at all, and i used the whole bottle...........yes i'm a little compulsive.



I think I'm gonna try rinsing it with a little more water, although I think I got all of it off, and then after a rinse with a water bottle I'll then try some type of metal polish. I don't think I'll use a machine for it since I don't have one. :sosad



I went out to look at it just now too see it after it's fully dried out. The 'bleaching' doesn't look too bad, looks sortof like a powder or something on the metal (rough metal btw).



Everything else though surpassed my expectations and I wish i could grace the forums with a before and after photo, but i don't have a camera.



Thanks for the replies.
 
haha, i didn't dilute it at all, and i used the whole bottle...........yes i'm a little compulsive.



I think I'm gonna try rinsing it with a little more water, although I think I got all of it off, and then after a rinse with a water bottle I'll then try some type of metal polish. I don't think I'll use a machine for it since I don't have one. :sosad



I went out to look at it just now too see it after it's fully dried out. The 'bleaching' doesn't look too bad, looks sortof like a powder or something on the metal (rough metal btw).



Everything else though surpassed my expectations and I wish i could grace the forums with a before and after photo, but i don't have a camera.



Thanks for the replies.
 
1. The intake manifold on 4th gen Maximas is a rough textured aluminum. I scrubbed mine with a toothbrush and some APC/water, and it came out great.



2. You CAN clean engines while living at an apartment. I clean engines by hand all the time. No hose needed.



3. That "bleached" look came from the degreaser. The only time I ever used a hose and degreaser on my Maxima's engine (when I was just getting into detailing), I had the same experience. I had polished all of the metal to a nice chrome-like state, but then decided to degrease it again at work. Well that was a mistake because the degreaser stained all the metal, including my nice chrome Injen CAI. Use a metal polish and some terry cloths to polish the smooth metal. The valve cover and timing chain housing are both very shiny under all those years of stains and oxidation. I highly recommend taking the time to polish those. It will look a ton better.



BTW, you probably only needed an ounce or so of the degreaser, diluted to 4-5 ounces I'd guess. I'm not sure of the ratios that Castrol recommends.



Just to show you that doing an engine bay by hand is very possible, here's a shot of my Protege's engine bay. I spent a good 8 hours on it, but it turned out very nice...



DirtyEngine.JPG


Engine11.jpg




...and the Maxima's engine bay...



EngineBayResized-EC.jpg
 
1. The intake manifold on 4th gen Maximas is a rough textured aluminum. I scrubbed mine with a toothbrush and some APC/water, and it came out great.



2. You CAN clean engines while living at an apartment. I clean engines by hand all the time. No hose needed.



3. That "bleached" look came from the degreaser. The only time I ever used a hose and degreaser on my Maxima's engine (when I was just getting into detailing), I had the same experience. I had polished all of the metal to a nice chrome-like state, but then decided to degrease it again at work. Well that was a mistake because the degreaser stained all the metal, including my nice chrome Injen CAI. Use a metal polish and some terry cloths to polish the smooth metal. The valve cover and timing chain housing are both very shiny under all those years of stains and oxidation. I highly recommend taking the time to polish those. It will look a ton better.



BTW, you probably only needed an ounce or so of the degreaser, diluted to 4-5 ounces I'd guess. I'm not sure of the ratios that Castrol recommends.



Just to show you that doing an engine bay by hand is very possible, here's a shot of my Protege's engine bay. I spent a good 8 hours on it, but it turned out very nice...



DirtyEngine.JPG


Engine11.jpg




...and the Maxima's engine bay...



EngineBayResized-EC.jpg
 
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