Intake, etc removed, what do you reccomend to clean the engine bay?
07-31-05, 10:48 PM
#1
Intake, etc removed, what do you reccomend to clean the engine bay?
Well, I took all the stuff off to get to the injectors and I'm wondering what is the best way to clean all the various stuff under the hood. Wire brushes, steel wool, what is the best way to do it?
07-31-05, 10:55 PM
#2
With the motor still in the car? Good luck with that. 
A buddy of mine used a plastic bristle brush and simple green to clean off the heavy stuff on his engine. He taped most everything off and painted over it with the aluminum colored spray paint. He didn't drive his car much but up to now it has lasted for a year without it coming off.
-Destin
A buddy of mine used a plastic bristle brush and simple green to clean off the heavy stuff on his engine. He taped most everything off and painted over it with the aluminum colored spray paint. He didn't drive his car much but up to now it has lasted for a year without it coming off.-Destin
08-01-05, 08:05 AM
#4
Lives on the Forum
Why bother?
They are cast aluminum.
Try and clean cast aluminum, and it oxidizes overnight.
If you're talking about all the crud and dirt that accumulates in all the nooks and crannies, just use a small brush (toothbrush, brass brush, stainless steel brush), scrub away, if you got an air compressor - shoot all that crap off the engine.
You can get away with some compressed air in a can too.
-Ted
They are cast aluminum.
Try and clean cast aluminum, and it oxidizes overnight.
If you're talking about all the crud and dirt that accumulates in all the nooks and crannies, just use a small brush (toothbrush, brass brush, stainless steel brush), scrub away, if you got an air compressor - shoot all that crap off the engine.
You can get away with some compressed air in a can too.
-Ted
08-01-05, 10:39 PM
#7
man go to the dollar store and get some oven cleaner that costs a dollar (easy off SUCKS! compared to this stuff) spray ir all over and then let it sit for a few minutes after that get a hose and spray the **** out of it then blow it off with the compressor and your done.
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08-02-05, 05:36 AM
#8
Lives on the Forum
If you do use any type of cleaner (i.e. Simple Green, 409, etc.) be sure you wash ALL of it away with water.
Any residue will cause the aluminum to oxidize (faster), and your intake manifold will be covered with white powder.
-Ted
Any residue will cause the aluminum to oxidize (faster), and your intake manifold will be covered with white powder.
-Ted
08-02-05, 09:25 AM
#9
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get it powerdercoated is my suggestion. easy to maintain and will hold up well.
if you really want to waste time though you can go ahead and polish the aluminum. it takes MAJOR time.
here is how my dynamic chamber turned out:
if you really want to waste time though you can go ahead and polish the aluminum. it takes MAJOR time.
here is how my dynamic chamber turned out:
08-02-05, 09:50 AM
#10
Mechanical Engineering
^^^^ tell me thats powder-coated because if you polished that; that IS ALOT of work.
and i used purple power a hose and a scotch brite pad and about 3 hours
and i used purple power a hose and a scotch brite pad and about 3 hours
08-02-05, 10:05 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by capn
^^^^ tell me thats powder-coated because if you polished that; that IS ALOT of work.
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i learned my lesson though and ended up powdercoating the rest of the manifold, lol
- Aaron
08-04-05, 01:46 PM
#13
knowledge junkie
I gotta learn how to re-surface / re-coat plastic. Seems no matter what you do, the plastic always comes out looking like crud. Silicon based polishes dry out and leave a residue and the "scraped up flat black" or "shined up greezy" look sucks.
Mabey some fusion paint that works with plastic or use a paint gun with a flat or low-glass black paint & a flex-agent (flex primer) when re-painting the black trim, license plate surround, etc..
Mabey some fusion paint that works with plastic or use a paint gun with a flat or low-glass black paint & a flex-agent (flex primer) when re-painting the black trim, license plate surround, etc..
08-04-05, 01:56 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by vaughnc
I gotta learn how to re-surface / re-coat plastic. Seems no matter what you do, the plastic always comes out looking like crud. Silicon based polishes dry out and leave a residue and the "scraped up flat black" or "shined up greezy" look sucks.
Mabey some fusion paint that works with plastic or use a paint gun with a flat or low-glass black paint & a flex-agent (flex primer) when re-painting the black trim, license plate surround, etc..
Mabey some fusion paint that works with plastic or use a paint gun with a flat or low-glass black paint & a flex-agent (flex primer) when re-painting the black trim, license plate surround, etc..
there was another thread about the window seals where someone mentioned a plastic dip that they sell at home depot ...
pretty cheap stuff apparently ... works great , or so the person said .. thats what i plan to do to mine .. just redip them in plastic
08-04-05, 02:05 PM
#15
Be careful with oven cleaner on painted surfaces - some of that stuff is quite agressive and will dammage paint. I find that degreaser like Gunk works very well in combo with a little elbow grease. Like anything else - the results you get will be very dependant in time spent.
Make sure you use enough water to rinse off the cleaner, and be careful with things that can be water damaged like the alternator.
This is the only pic I have right now......
Make sure you use enough water to rinse off the cleaner, and be careful with things that can be water damaged like the alternator.
This is the only pic I have right now......
08-04-05, 02:16 PM
#16
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do the painted underhood surfaces have a clear coat too? you could wax that after you clean it and it would look nice. how do you polish the aluminum so well? do you use sandpaper first to make the surface smooth, then aluminum polish. i tried polishing my compressor side of the turbo using mother's mag & aluminum polish with 100% terry cloth towels and i couldn't get it to look that good.
08-04-05, 02:30 PM
#17
Passing life by
Here is when I was cleaning the motor last week. I used castrol purple stuff. Be carefull it is very kerosive do not leave it on to long. The UIM I am polishing the TB is painted the Elbo is polished the coils are polished and I repolished the IC pipes. The engin bay will be redone when car is repainted and engin bay is repainted and motor is rebuilt.
Last edited by iceblue; 08-04-05 at 02:39 PM.
08-04-05, 03:21 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by therotaryrocket
how do you polish the aluminum so well? do you use sandpaper first to make the surface smooth, then aluminum polish. i tried polishing my compressor side of the turbo using mother's mag & aluminum polish with 100% terry cloth towels and i couldn't get it to look that good.
here is my thread on polishing my dynamic chamber:
https://www.rx7club.com/canadian-forum-42/polishing-my-s5-na-manifold-pics-388189/
- Aaron
08-04-05, 04:15 PM
#19
Passing life by
Polishing you ask. Well here is my IC elbo I have 19hrs of labor into it. It is hand sanded and cut and reshaped with a dremel. I buffed polished it with a compounded. Steps were as followd
80, 120, 320, 680, 800, 800wet, 1000 cream polish sanded. Buffed with compund then whiped down and speed buffed wool pad using polishing cleaner.
80, 120, 320, 680, 800, 800wet, 1000 cream polish sanded. Buffed with compund then whiped down and speed buffed wool pad using polishing cleaner.
08-04-05, 09:11 PM
#22
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I work detailing, and when we have to do an engine bay its pretty simple. we soak everything with a heavy duty degreaser, let if sit for a few minutes, and then rinse it off with a verrry light spray froma hose (you dont want to knock anything loose). re do that part if its really bad. then we jsut spray everything with this armor all style engine dressing call protectol, let it sit, then wipe off the excess. only takes 10 minutes if that and it come out beautifully
08-04-05, 11:34 PM
#23
Mechanical Engineering
Originally Posted by iceblue
i am really amazed at how good that looks but for 19 hours of work it better stay like that forever, which brings me to a question, has it stayed like that?
08-05-05, 02:26 AM
#24
Passing life by
^ yes 19hrs took a tole on me. The outcome and satisfaction you get was worth it. I have yet to even see it in the car. I am waiting on paint to be shiped to paint the TB and finish polishing the UIM and water pump housing. I started this and several other fix it issues with the car 2 weeks ago. When it is all done you all will know. I am going to put together a blog thread with evrything from start to now of the car when I am done this go around.
08-05-05, 02:45 AM
#25
I R SAD PANDA W/O BAW
Originally Posted by vaughnc
I gotta learn how to re-surface / re-coat plastic. Seems no matter what you do, the plastic always comes out looking like crud. Silicon based polishes dry out and leave a residue and the "scraped up flat black" or "shined up greezy" look sucks.
Mabey some fusion paint that works with plastic or use a paint gun with a flat or low-glass black paint & a flex-agent (flex primer) when re-painting the black trim, license plate surround, etc..
Mabey some fusion paint that works with plastic or use a paint gun with a flat or low-glass black paint & a flex-agent (flex primer) when re-painting the black trim, license plate surround, etc..
Before
After
