Engine Detailing for Dummies...

[3Fitty]

First off, lets get one thing straight... I'M THE DUMMY MENTIONED IN THE SUBJECT LINE!.

I know there are some threads about engine detailing, but I think pretty much all of them ASSUME that everyone knows how to identify automotive parts under the hood.

I've read things like "just cover the alternator and you'll be fine". Well, that would be wonderful if I knew where the heck to find the alternator!!! LOL

So I want to know if someone could create a "dumbed down" version of what needs to be protected on your engine prior to cleaning. I also understand that every car is different and the location of certain parts (ie: fuse box) would be different with every car, but I assume certain parts will look relatively similar.

Could someone maybe include some photo's for dummies (like me) and say... "you see that round thing over there... you need to cover it". I've really been wanting to do a good engine detail, but I'm afraid I'm going to damage things. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks guys.

[Don]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

The two biggest dangers of engine cleaning are overly harsh chemicals and high water pressure. Some chemicals can damage the rubber and plastic components of the engine & even corrode parts of the electrical system and high pressure water, if not used carefully, can force the chemicals (and the water) into areas they really shouldn't be in, like electrical connections, damage gaskets etc.

Most modern engines are very well sealed, so if you stay with mild cleaners and low-pressure water, you shouldn't run into many problems.

[3Fitty]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Don,

A very good start. Can you define "high pressure". Would an ordinary garden hose with typical spray attachment be too much pressure?

Also, I see a lot of folks here use the APC for the engine. How is it diluted? Anyone have a sample of the type of brushes they use for engine cleaning.

[yalerd]

You can always use Wikipedia and Google to search for pictures of things you read you need to cover.

A pressure that your garden hose + nozzle creates it's not considered Pressure Washer, mainly pressure washers refers to the machine that creates high PSI.
APC could be used 10:1 or 4:1, it really depends on the engine itself. If it's light dust and things like this 10:1 could work

[Don]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Don,

A very good start. Can you define "high pressure". Would an ordinary garden hose with typical spray attachment be too much pressure?

Also, I see a lot of folks here use the APC for the engine. How is it diluted? Anyone have a sample of the type of brushes they use for engine cleaning.

Typically, 'high-pressure' water is defined as coming from a pressure washer (like at the self-serve washes). Normally, as long as you don't set your garden hose nozzle to a "stream" setting and aim it point blank at electronics, you can be reasonably sure of being safe.

Paint brushes, toothbrushes and the like are the most commonly used brushes for engine cleaning.

[Derrick]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Ok well i have never covered anything and have never had any problems but at the same time i don't attack an engine bay with a pressure washer or any kind of high pressure water. I use a simple attachment on the end of my hose that lets me adjust the over all amount of water it puts out as well as the type of spray with a pressure sensitive trigger to manually adjust the water pressure even more. With this attachment i can make the water flow very very light as needed when working around wiring connections. I don't have any pics of engine components to cover up but i will post some pics of the products and tools i use along with a pic of the hose attachment. Ok well alot of people use a product like APC for there engine bay but i prefer using super degrease, you can use it around 4 parts water 1 part super degreaser. When using this product you will want to make sure to spray down the side panels of the car to and do it a couple of times during the process of the detailing. This is to make sure no degreaser sits on the side of the car staining the paint. First thing i do is rinse off the engine bay getting rid of any large particles but don't set your attachment to pressure stream and aim it at a wiring connection. Avoid doing that and you should be safe. Just try and keep the flow light just to be sure. After rinsing i mist areas that need to be scrubbed with the super degreaser working one area at a time so the super degreaser is not sitting on one area to long because it can also stain plastic as well but you can let it sit for at least a minute or so with no affects when diluted to this rate. After misting down one section scrub the area with a light brush to not damage anything like the blue brush shown in the picture below and then use the paint brush to get into those hard to get areas as well as on the paint since the other brush is a little more harsh and can scratch the paint. After you go over the area give it a light rinse down and then proceed to the next area but don't forget to periodically rinse the side panels of the car and anywhere else you might get the degreaser. Once the engine bay is finally complete give the engine bay one last rinse down and then i recommend hitting it with a leaf blower or air compressor to help dry off the bay and remove any sitting water in those cracks and crevices. Now you should be ready for a product like Hyper dressing which works great on Engine bays and can also be diluted to your desired shine. Which i like using a little foam brush for the application of the hyper dressing. Don't forget about all that metal so make sure to polish off any polishable metals with something like NTX all metal polish or Hot Rims mag and aluminum polish. OK well here is a pic of all the things i recommend under the hood. As i have stated in other post the only thing missing that i use under the hood is Turtle wax Ice polish just because it is easy and you can really get to all the painted surfaces in the engine bay without worrying about getting the wax everywhere because the ice can go on just about anything and be fine.


ignore everything in the background just the products i moved up front

[3Fitty]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Alright!!! So, other than obvious electrical connections, what should I be protecting and/or covering?

How should I cover them? Foil, plastic bags... rags???

[RaskyR1]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Are we talking only about your IS350 or all car/truck engines. I think Lexus does an excelent job of covering most of the engine with nice plastic covers so there is little to worry about IMO.

[3Fitty]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Rasky,

Yeah, I wasn't so much thinking of my IS, rather my wife's CR-V. Both cars are new but her engine seems to be pretty dirty. The IS350 (like you said) is almost entirely covered by plastic parts so you can't really tell what is going on below.

Derrick,

Thanks for the AMAZING info. It was dumbed down perfectly (even I fully understood it). LOL

I'm going to have to go out and get some new brushes and some APC and Hyper Dressing.

[Derrick]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Why thank you, i have it all in my head but putting it down on paper is a different story Im glad you can understand it, i know im not the best writer but at least i try . Also if you can try and get some super degreaser, i know its a little more agressive than apc but it does work great on the engine bay and tires/wheel wells ect.. But its understandable if you want to stick with the APC

[3Fitty]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Also if you can try and get some super degreaser, i know its a little more agressive than apc but it does work great on the engine bay and tires/wheel wells ect.. But its understandable if you want to stick with the APC

Maybe I'll just use wifey's "easy off"! Spray it on and come back in a half hour. I might not have an engine left, but the grease will be gone!

[Don]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

Alright!!! So, other than obvious electrical connections, what should I be protecting and/or covering?

How should I cover them? Foil, plastic bags... rags???

Like Derrick, I don't really cover anything, except for the times where I take my intake tubing off and the opening to the throttle-body is wide open. Then I either stuff a rag into the opening or cover it with a plastic bag (sandwich baggie) with a rubberband to hold it in place. Otherwise, just take the car for a drive when you're done, the combination of engine heat & flowing air will dry everything out.

[superbogel]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

many thx for the information, i have a 5 years suzuki aerio and the engine compartment, DANGG its so dirty.. i am a newbie too.. hope i can learn something,

can i post my engine compartment engine here? or i start a new thread?

sory if i am spamming or anything, many2thx once again

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

can i post my engine compartment engine here? or i start a new thread?

Please start your own thread... it keeps your post from getting buried in an older thread that's on page 2 and going to page 3

[superbogel]

Re: Engine Detailing for Dummies...

oki mike, sory for the trouble