How to do cosmetic engine detailing

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Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.

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How to do cosmetic engine detailing




At our Competition Ready Detailing Classes we teach two types of engine detailing.

Traditional engine detailing - That's where you use an engine degreaser and actually wash out the engine bay using running water.

Cosmetic engine detailing - This is where you simply blow-out the engine compartment with air and then wipe the engine compartment down using a plastic trim dressing.
​

It's that simple.

Step 1: Blow out the engine compartment to remove any leaves, sticks, pine needles, dead bugs, dust etc.

Step 2: Wipe the plastic and even painted engine components down with a plastic trim dressing.

Optional: For extremely dirty engines wipe the engine compartment down with a all purpose cleaner first. For light dirt use a waterless wash.


I let my class use the new BLACKFIRE All-In-One Trim & Tire Protectant to do cosmetic engine detailing to this 2012 Chevy Traverse.

This product offers cleaning, conditioning and protecting in one step making it a real time saver.


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It works GREAT for doing cosmetic engine detailing and the above took less than 15 minutes!

If you're simply working on your own cars you can include this as a part of your Saturday wash and wax and get it done fast.

If you're detailing for money, then adding cosmetic engine detailing as an upsell is a money maker.



On Autogeek.com

BLACKFIRE All-In-One Trim & Tire Protectant

Microfiber Applicator Pads

Microfiber All Purpose & Wheel Detailing Towel



:xyxthumbs:
 
I have noticed on your other How-To guides, that you use plastic and tin foil to wrap and protect certain componants under the hood. With all of the new engine coverings offered from so many manufacturers, how can I identify what needs to be covered and wrapped?
 
Dapper Don said:
I have noticed on your other How-To guides, that you use plastic and tin foil to wrap and protect certain components under the hood.

With all of the new engine coverings offered from so many manufacturers, how can I identify what needs to be covered and wrapped?
Click to expand...

That's for when you're doing a Traditional Engine Detail where you're using either and engine degreaser or an all-purpose-cleaner followed by flushing the engine and engine compartment with water.

When doing a Cosmetic Engine Detail you don't need to tape-off and cover up anything as long as you're using common sense.

If you're going to do a Traditional Engine Detail and you'll be flushing the engine and engine compartment with water then I wrote an article on the topic of learning and knowing what to protect.

The article explains the issue succinctly.


How to use a Discussion Forum to Detail an Engine



Good question Dapper Don.


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Thanks for the info Mike. You guys are going to make a professional detailer out of me yet.
 
I will vouch for the Blackfire AIO Trim & Tire Protectant. I did my first engine detail on our personal cars and it worked great. On my 10 year old camry I first used some diluted APC and sprayed on the very dirty sections which I scrubbed lightly with a brush afterwards. Then sprayed some clean water from a small spray bottle and wiped clean. I then went over it all with the Blackfire AIO and it turned out terrific.

On my wife's 3 yr old Pathfinder (only moderately dirty) I just went straight for the Blackfire AIO (no APC) with a microfiber pad and it came out good as new.

Neither took more than 15 minutes and the engines looked like they just rolled off the lot.
 
boomdone said:
I will vouch for the Blackfire AIO Trim & Tire Protectant. I did my first engine detail on our personal cars and it worked great. On my 10 year old camry I first used some diluted APC and sprayed on the very dirty sections which I scrubbed lightly with a brush afterwards. Then sprayed some clean water from a small spray bottle and wiped clean. I then went over it all with the Blackfire AIO and it turned out terrific.

On my wife's 3 yr old Pathfinder (only moderately dirty) I just went straight for the Blackfire AIO (no APC) with a microfiber pad and it came out good as new.

Neither took more than 15 minutes and the engines looked like they just rolled off the lot.
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I second this. While I'm very new to detailing, this same technique worked great on my 11 year old Mazda 6 that had never had the engine cleaned before. I would like to get in there with the steamer and get into some tight areas yet, but overall it looks much better.

As far as BF AIO Trim/Tire goes, it works really well on quick tire cleanups and engine compartments. I haven't had a lot of luck on exterior trim though.
 
Thanks for the knowledge Mike, and thank you for bringing this topic up and bringing it to the attention of those of us just getting started in this hobby(hobby for me).

Rookie question for you or anyone else. I assume I could substitute the Blackfire Trim & Tire Protectant with Meguiars D-160? I am sure the Blackfire is a fine product, but I have a gallon of the D-160! I ask because the D-160 is a "dressing", and the product used in the write up is listed as a "protectant", and didn't know if that would be an issue with say bonding with the plastic and such?

Dave.
 
Hammer77 said:
Thanks for the knowledge Mike, and thank you for bringing this topic up and bringing it to the attention of those of us just getting started in this hobby(hobby for me).
Click to expand...

No problemo....


Hammer77 said:
Rookie question for you or anyone else. I assume I could substitute the Blackfire All-In-One Trim & Tire Protectant with Meguiars D-160?

I am sure the Blackfire is a fine product, but I have a gallon of the D-160!

I ask because the D-160 is a "dressing", and the product used in the write up is listed as a "protectant", and didn't know if that would be an issue with say bonding with the plastic and such?

Dave.
Click to expand...


I would say the primary difference would be the BLACKFIRE Trim and Tire Dressing All-in-One is that it offers CLEANING while I don't believe the D160 All Season Dressing has this feature.

That's what is meant when you see the therm or acronym,

AIO

Or

All-in-One

A product that does more than one thing, in the case of the BLACKFIRE product it would be,

  1. Clean
  2. Condition
  3. Protect
That's why it makes a great product for a dirty engine compartment. A dedicated tire dressing like the D160 if for use on tires that are already clean, as in the tires were cleaned when the wheels were cleaned when the car was washed.

You could pre-clean a dirty engine with something and then use the D160 but do some testing first to see if it works and if the finish it leaves is to your taste.

This is why the BLACKFIRE All-In-One Trim & Tire Protectant works great for a stand alone engine detailer is that it offers cleaning plus protection for a clean and nice looking engine compartment.

BLACKFIRE All-in-One Trim & Tire Protectant

Blackfire_Engine_Detailer.jpg


:)
 
You will not believe this but spray it down with Lemon Pledge then wipe it off. Will look like new!
 
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