Engine Detailing Question

[SRHTX]

I would like to know which vehicles, and years of the vehicles, one should avoid trying to detail. Feed back please

I know many of the English vehicles are/have been a problem. Including some of the German vehicles. All which have the lovely electronics issues.

Stephen

 

[Harleyguy]

There isn't anything in writing when it comes to detailing an engine be it foreign or american .Always be carefull of all electronics never use high water pressure on them which can cause water to bypass the sealed connectors .Also avoid using and high water pressure were the spark plugs are set in a deep, most overhead motors are this type of design.Were the spark plug is located it can be as low as six inches which if that area fills up with water you will have a real problem.If your not sure what type of motor it is just clean it by hand and use the water for the areas around the motor.Hope that helps some

 

[Superdutytd]

I would be interested in this too. I've heard like some 90's English cars are really sensitive to watre?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Great questions and because your questions come up often, here's how I normally answer this question....

How to use a Discussion Forum to Detail an Engine


Also, the "Hot Topics & Frequently Asked Questions" forum is for content we either create or move there, it's not really intended to post question to, so I moved your thread to our Detailing 101 forum which is a catch-all for just about any kind of question if there's not a dedicated forum group established for it.


:xyxthumbs:

 

[ryandamartini]

Generally many luxury vehicles have exposed electronics and such. Nowadays, it looks like wires are everywhere in an engine compartment. I dont think there are any vehicles to just avoid per say. If you have a difficult engine where everything needs to be masked, covered, and protected, just charge for it. Many detailers do not offer the service and if you do a good job, charge for it.

Also as stated above, watch out for recessed ignition components, cover them up well as well as any exposed terminals. Your ARO and a firehose nozel will work well for detailing an engine to flood out the dirt ARO latches onto without blasting any components but gently flooding off the grime.

 

[SRHTX]

Well, I was bored today since we have high chance for rain all week. This is my grandparents 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. Since I did not wish to drive my grandmother around in MY CAR today, I decided to drive theirs so I could detail the engine. It look less than 15 minutes to do. What I used was:

Prestige Auto Detailing: 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis

Engine:
Amazing Roll-Off
Stoner More Shine

BEFORE:

This engine was not hard to do what so every.

AFTER:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Wow that looks amazing for a simple as you kept the process. Did you do any brushing at all or simply spray, let penetrate and then hose off?

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:


Also just to note, the recommendation to do some research on a discussion forum to find out if there's any components to be careful around is for anytime you're working on someone else's car and you don't feel comfortable accepting any risk associated with spraying chemicals on an engine or flooding the engine with water.

In some cases, if the engine in question has polished aluminum or other brightwork then you need to make sure the chemicals you're using won't stain these types of metal. It doesn't take too many things to go wrong before you end up paying more to have something fixed or replaced and you lose any profit from the job.

 

[GMC83]

Pretty big imporvement in just 15 minutes on that Sable, nice work!

 

[SRHTX]

Wow that looks amazing for a simple as you kept the process. Did you do any brushing at all or simply spray, let penetrate and then hose off?

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

I used one mitt, with some Mequiers car wash soap, to wash off dirt underneath the hood that was dirty. I was used my high pressure washer, not a hose to spray the water over everything, at low pressure of course.

Pretty big imporvement in just 15 minutes on that Sable, nice work!

SABLE? noppers. That would be a big ol Grand Marquis which has a V8 engine. rops:

 

[TheDodgeGuy]

Hmmm..I kinda' liked the vintage brown look, especially the leaves by the vent, that was a nice touch. JK, nice work.

 

[SRHTX]

Here is the detail I did to my Mazdas engine about a month ago. Its still nice and clean:

I just need to polish my cars cold air intake. :dblthumb2:

Stephen

 

[GMC83]

I used one mitt, with some Mequiers car wash soap, to wash off dirt underneath the hood that was dirty. I was used my high pressure washer, not a hose to spray the water over everything, at low pressure of course.



SABLE? noppers. That would be a big ol Grand Marquis which has a V8 engine. rops:

Yeah , for some reason I was thinking of a Sable when I typed that lol.

 

[evilwrx]

Wow!! What a difference 15 minutes can make. You probably would have added a decent amount of value to that car by just doing that. Great job!!

 

[SRHTX]

Wow!! What a difference 15 minutes can make. You probably would have added a decent amount of value to that car by just doing that. Great job!!

Thanks bud

 

[belcherm58]

Nice work on that engine cleaning. It is an amazing look when the the engine compartment has been cleaned. It is better for the engine as it runs cooler and leaks are more noticeable when the engine is clean, therefore you will repair things faster when you see them leaking.
I always cover the alternator and sensitive electric connections with
plastic bags and tape them with duct tape to hold them in place if needed. I would never suggest using high pressure water or steam
in the engine compartment. I have seen people ask on the forum about pressure washing and even a steam genie. Never use that kind of cleaning equipment on the engine. I have heard people say they have seen it done or several people they know do it all the time. You
might get lucky and get away with it for a while, but when you get caught, it can be very expensive to fix.
I even buff the paint under the hood with a buffing ball and spot pads. I also use sealants on the paint under the hood. Time consuming sometimes, but when I open the hood and someone ask, do you ever drive this truck? It makes you feel good.

 

[SRHTX]

I would never suggest using high pressure water or steam in the engine compartment. I have seen people ask on the forum about pressure washing and even a steam genie. Never use that kind of cleaning equipment on the engine. I have heard people say they have seen it done or several people they know do it all the time. You might get lucky and get away with it for a while, but when you get caught, it can be very expensive to fix.

My high pressure washer DOES HAVE differnt spray settings. All the way from high pressure to just a light rinse spray. Trust me, it's safe. I bought it at Home Depot for $150. I've had it for several months. Never have a problem with it AND never a problem with it on vehicles.

Stephen

 

[BlackSunshine01]

did you use the stoner more shine when you detailed your engine? i did mine once and after 3 days i lifted the hood and it looked just as bad as before so i havent done one sence. all the shine that i used picked up the dirt.

 

[SRHTX]

did you use the stoner more shine when you detailed your engine? i did mine once and after 3 days i lifted the hood and it looked just as bad as before so i havent done one sence. all the shine that i used picked up the dirt.

Yes. That is what I used. That is also why I added pictures of my Mazda's engine. That engine was done about a month ago.

What stuff did you use to detail the engine? That could be the problem.

Just my $.02.

Stephen

oh, btw - I see you live in San Antonio. Where in the San Antonio area do you live? I might run up to my families ranch there in the hills of Boerne.

 

[belcherm58]

did you use the stoner more shine when you detailed your engine? i did mine once and after 3 days i lifted the hood and it looked just as bad as before so i havent done one sence. all the shine that i used picked up the dirt.

I use a water based dressing most of the time. I have used
several types and end up at the water based dressings. The
others attract a lot of dust. Poorboys Bold and Bright work very well. I even use Armor All if I am low on Bold and Bright. The
AA can be had cheap! Don't use it much on anything else though.

 

[BlackSunshine01]

srhtx- i belive i used some armor all tire shine that i had laying around, wich probably was a good part of the problem. i live on the north central side of sa, pretty close to 1604/281