Feb 20, 2015, 12:59 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
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Browse all: Cleaning and Detailing
How do you all detail your engine?
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 4
ya.... sitting in a garage for 20 years can do that to an engine. its not quite that bad now though, i have cleaned it up abit. or atleast i did till it had a fire and all i had available was a fire exstinguisher. god do those things make a mess...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
Likes: 114
From: St. Louis Mo
Originally Posted by Jerry Curl
How do you all detail your engine?
Go to your local parts store and buy several cans of that engine spray cleaner, Advance auto had a sale a few weeks ago for $1.00 a can. You may need to spray it several times, but each time it will come cleaner and you will be suprised..............LT
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: oh
I have a detailing business that I do on a part time basis. Over the winter time I usually take on a project vehicle. The following pics are from a '69 Ford Torino GT 'Vert original owner. The paint and body were in pretty good shape just needed a little polishing. The engine bay was all original (80K miles) and just needed detailed. I first remove everything that I can from the engine compartment. Next I clean and degrease everything. Sand firewall and inner fender wells and anything else that is visible such as the frame and radiator support etc. Prime and paint. Then clean or replace the individual components during reassembly. Total time approx 2 weeks. The owner is pleased because now he can open his hood at the local cruise-ins.
Engine compartment before
Engine compartment after
Firewall/fenderwell cleaning before primer and paint
Primer and paint
Engine compartment before
Engine compartment after
Firewall/fenderwell cleaning before primer and paint
Primer and paint
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Verdad Gallardo
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 87,927
Likes: 156
From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
I did my engine bay when I swapped engines in 2004. I never really like the spray-on hose-off method. It leaves water droplets & puddles in areas you don't really need. Some of the de-greasers will actually remove the paint from you valve covers etc and you might end up with something that looks worse than when you started. 
Actually my engine bay wasn't in that bad of shape once I removed everything.
It's tough keeping a DD clean and I gave up on those engines. My Vette is the only one that gets this treatment.
A couple years ago, my wife bought this "Steam Shark." Now what I do, is spray the degreaser in a controlled area, let sit and then use the steamer which spray hot steam onto the surface. It's much easier to control than a hose and the steamer has some pressure to it. My wife put a hole in some drywall when she first got it.
No splashing, no puddles left. Plus it's got those extensions and a couple different nozzles to reach down in there.
Happy Cleaning.
Little tip....once you get it all clean, keep it that way. A little cleaning everytime you take her out goes a long way in maintaining a clean compartment.
Actually my engine bay wasn't in that bad of shape once I removed everything.
It's tough keeping a DD clean and I gave up on those engines. My Vette is the only one that gets this treatment.A couple years ago, my wife bought this "Steam Shark." Now what I do, is spray the degreaser in a controlled area, let sit and then use the steamer which spray hot steam onto the surface. It's much easier to control than a hose and the steamer has some pressure to it. My wife put a hole in some drywall when she first got it.
No splashing, no puddles left. Plus it's got those extensions and a couple different nozzles to reach down in there.
Happy Cleaning.Little tip....once you get it all clean, keep it that way. A little cleaning everytime you take her out goes a long way in maintaining a clean compartment.