Any suggestions for product to use when detailing the engine. I used Armorall in the past but it leaves a residue and does not seem to last. The wet resiude seems to attract dust under the hood like a magnet. Any recomendations? Is there anything that dries to a hard non-sticky shine that lasts?

 

Paint? :jester

If looking for correct colors & stuff, I hear quantaproducts.com is one of the best.

If you're only looking for cleaners, I sprayed my engine down with Gunk degreaser...(that works pretty good)...and hosed it down with water....good enough for me for now until the motor comes out for some serious detail work...and other stuff

 

Try foam wheel cleaner and simple green.

 

For general cleanup I use a 50:50 diluted solution of Simple Green. It is a biodegradable/non-petroleum product and does not harm paint or the driveway. For any chrome pieces I like Mother's Chrome Polish. It goes on and is removed easily. For black areas such as inner fenders/flaps I prefer Meguiar's Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner. For any touch-ups in black I use Krylon interior/exterior semi-flat spray. The block area needs some attention from time-to-time with Plasti-Kote Engine Enamel in Chevy Orange.

 

I'd stay away from that simple green stuff........it WILL cause corrosion !!
You'll end up getting rust in places you'd never think of, between conections and, well everywhere, you'll never rinse it all away !
Banned in the aviation community. :nono:

 

Do you have a reference for that comment?

 

Do you have a reference for that comment? I'm interested in such matters.

 

I dunno.............. from their website
http://www.simplegreen.com/faq.html


Aircraft Cleaning with Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green
Many private and commercial aircraft owners and operators have cleaned their craft with All-Purpose Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green for many years. However, these products do not have Mil-Prf (military testing) authority. The testing involves very long (168 hours in one test) soaking of various metals in the solution and then a corrosion inspection. If an aircraft owner only wants to use mil-prf approved products; he will not want to use Simple Green. Please see the additional information under "Aluminum".


Aluminum - Is it safe to use Simple Green on aluminum?
Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All-Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation


here is another good one (FAQ)

Rust Problems
Whether an aqueous-based product, chlorinated solvent, caustic or citrus/d'limonene type cleaner is used, the cleaned metal will begin to oxidize or rust. Many factors, including time, temperature, humidity and type of metal influence the rate of oxidation. Simple Green is an aqueous-based cleaner. When bare metal is cleaned and degreased, all barrier coatings (i.e. oil, grease, lubricants, cutting oils, etc.) are removed. If a rust inhibitor or protectant spray is required, please call 800-228-0709 for more information. A word of caution: when adding foreign materials into Simple Green, be aware that toxicity, biodegradability and sewerability issues need to be addressed by the additive manufacturer.




[Modified by MNJack, 9:44 PM 4/26/2004]

 

For rubber, tires and plastic parts, I use "Pledge".

For Natural Beauty, without wax buildup. :D

Works great.

Terry

 

That is very interesting. And certainly food for thought. I have always used Simple Green in a diluted form and exposure time is rarely more than five minutes. As well the only aluminum parts subject to exposure are the intake manifold and the valve covers. The former is painted with chemical-resistant paint and the latter is powder-coated. Nonetheless I may revert to dish detergent. I appreciate those references.