Did
you know a detailed engine increases the resale
value of your car? It's a well known fact that
people who take the time and effort to detail their
engines also take better care of their cars.
Mechanics, too, realize that a clean engine belongs
to someone who cares for their car, and they will
take the time to do the repair or service work
correctly.
Engine detailing is nothing more than cleaning the
exterior of the engine and the engine compartment,
and applying dressing to protect and beautify the
engine. It's very easy to do, and requires no
more than 45 minutes to and hour every couple of
months.
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A beautifully
detailed engine, like this one, is
crisp, sharp and neat. This
engine compartment is as tidy as the
rest of the car. The attention
to detail is excellent and it shows.
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GETTING
STARTED
The first step in
cleaning your engine is to remove the excess debris
that gets trapped in your hood, grill, and vent
openings. This is particularly true if you
live in an area with four seasons. If you have
compressed air available, this is the best way to
remove old leaves, dead cats, and such. If you
don't, a simple hand brush will suffice.
The next very important step is to prepare your
engine for getting wet. You must cover all
sensors, the distributor, spark plug openings and
any electrical devices that have the potential for
water accumulation (which could cause a short).
Use plastic baggies to cover these items. Be
sure to use tape or rubber bands to hold the plastic
bags in place. You're only trying to prevent
the majority of the water from getting in; it does
not need to be watertight. The engine
environment should already be waterproof. The
baggies are just a precaution.
To loosen the grease accumulated on your engine and
the engine compartment, start your engine and allow
it to warm for a few minutes. The best
temperature for cleaning your engine is warm to the
touch, but not hot. If you're able to hold
your hand to the engine without saying
"ouch", then the temperature is just about
right.
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Aluminum foil is an
excellent tool to use to protect engine
components. This works for spray cleaning,
painting and washing. The aluminum foil is
easily molded around parts to keep them
masked. Since the foil fits tightly it
doesn't hamper your view or make it hard to
get into tight spots. It's faster and
cheaper to use than tape and fits around odd
shapes better than rags or paper. Tip
and photo by Brad Bloomquist.
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APPLYING
DEGREASER
After warming the engine and protecting sensitive
areas, you're ready to apply your engine degreaser.
Although quick and easy, I warn people against the
frequent use of petroleum based cleaners in the
engine compartment. They quickly cut though
grease and grime, but they can deteriorate your
rubber and vinyl components. As an
alternative, use a citrus-based cleaners and
detergents. My favorite cleaners under
the hood are 303
Aerospace Cleaner and Autoglym
Engine Cleaner.
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Holly is using a degreaser
on the top side of her engine. After
allowing it to soak for a few minutes, she
will use a brush to agitate and loosen heavy
grease and stubborn dirt.
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When applying
your engine degreaser, it's best to start from the
lower areas and work your way up. This
prevents the degreaser from dripping on you as you
clean the underside areas. One important thing
to remember: the engine degreaser will remove the
wax from the painted surfaces of your car. If
you get degreaser over-spray on your fenders, plan
on re-waxing these areas.
When you have applied your engine degreaser, be sure
to wash any excess cleaner from the exterior painted
surfaces of the fenders, hood and grill. I
like to spray these areas with water first.
Depending on
the amount of accumulated grease, allow the
degreaser to soak on the engine for three to five
minutes. Do not allow the degreaser to dry on
your engine. For light to mild levels of
grease, you will not need to use a brush on the
engine and other surfaces. For heavy soil, you
can use a long handled brush (parts brush) and car
wash solution to provide additional cleaning action
prior to hosing off the degreaser.
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Holly uses a small parts
brush to get into cracks and around
parts. If your engine compartment has
a heavy accumulation of dirt, you may need
to spray cleaner, brush and rinse several
times.
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HOSING
OFF
When you are ready to remove the degreaser, hose
down the entire engine compartment and surrounding
surfaces with plenty of water. If you're using
a high-pressure nozzle, be careful that you don't
get the nozzle too close to the covered electrical
connectors. Allow your engine to air-dry for
several minutes before proceeding to use a towel to
wipe down all accessible parts. Remove the
plastic bags. The heat from the engine will
assist in the drying process; however, do not allow
the engine to air dry, as this will result in water
spots. When dry, start your engine and allow
it to run for a few minutes.
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Rinse with a stiff stream
of water to remove as much or the grease and
grime as possible. Be sure to avoid
electrical connections and other sensitive
areas. After rinsing, start the engine
immediately. Allow it to run for about
five minutes to help dry things out.
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PROTECT
& BEAUTIFY
When everything is dry and your engine has cooled,
you should apply a coating of rubber
and vinyl protectant to your hoses, wires, and
plastic shields. To add a quick shine and
protection to the painted surfaces in the engine
compartment, use a high quality detailing spray.
I like Sonus
Acrylic Spritz. Just spray it on all
surfaces, and wipe off the excess with a clean terry
cloth towel.
SUMMARY
Many car enthusiasts find that detailing their
engine is the just the beginning of a long road of
engine beautification. Other embellishments
include polishing aluminum parts, painting key parts
with bright colors, and adding chrome.
Whatever you choose, make it your style and have
fun.
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