[alfa] Re: Engine Bay Detailing (Long)

[Arnoil@xxxxxxx]

Joe:

I saw your car at the 2003 National Convention, and the engine bay is in pretty good shape.  Thus, what you need to do is a lot simpler than if the car had 20 years of accumulated schmutz (technical term) on it.  The key is to use the most gentle cleaners that will do the job, a minimum of water spray, and a lot of time and elbow grease.

Before you start, cover all the sensors, air intakes, and electrical gizmos with saran wrap or something similar.  Then, start with the macro dirt.  I have found that Griots Garage Engine Cleaner works well on moderate grease and is gentle.  You do have to agitate with a brush though.  Get a bunch of cheap paintbrushes of various sizes.  If you have heavy grease and dirt, then a Gunk type product works well.  I suggest rinsing with canned carburettor cleaner instead of water.  The carb cleaner removes the grease and the gunk and leaves things nice and clean.  Beyond this, just use a sponge with regular soap and water to clean everything, and rinse with a hose without a nozzle on it.  You want to rinse, not blast water and dirt into components.  Towel everything off and use compressed air to dry things fully.

Once everything is clean, I suggest a mild polish like Griots Fine Hand Polish on the painted surfaces, followed by a wax for protection.  Plastic and rubber can be dressed with a low gloss protectant.  Spray it on a rag and wipe, and don't just spray directly into the engine bay.  Whatever you do, stay away from those aerosol silicone "detailing sprays" that used car dealers use.  They yellow over time and just trap any dirt that was not cleaned off.  The dealer had to replace all the underhood plastic covers on our Land Rover when his high school dropout "detailers" sprayed that crap in the engine bay without cleaning it first.

Detailing is just a matter of spending time and having a sharp eye.

Regards,

Arno Leskinen
AROC-USA National Concours Chair
Gilbert, AZ
102 x 2
115
116
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