Engine bay cleanup

[killj0y]

What do you guys find is the best thing to detail an engine bay without making it a dust magnet?

 

[straycat]

I have steamed cleaned many an engine bay and motor for my hod rods and street cars and trucks and drag cars to make them look new again. You can get a gentle degreaser to use and clean it up. But, I found that steam works the best You can also go to a car wash that has the hand held wands and that will clean it up pretty good. I do know a lot of guys who have done this.

Are you looking to paint it up as well? There are a lot of great quality engine paints to use. I have used Dupli-Color a few times and really like it. One good thing to try is Detailer's Pro Series Engine Degreaser. It is an intense degreaser that works great on greasy engine bays. Painted surfaces are fine to use degreaser on, but it will remove wax. I used it last year on my wife's Toyota's engine bay and it came out really nice and clean. There are a lot of cleaners to pick from.

Now, if you want to buy a steamer I bought a new one last year for around $100 on Amazon. It is a McCulloch Heavy-Duty Steam cleaner MC-1275. I have seen them at Kmart, Sears, and Target before.

Have fun and keep the electrics dry and wraped up!!! lol

 

[daniel3507]

Oven cleaner. It works surprisingly well on all the grease. Be careful with it though. It took some paint off my old valve covers but other than that I have no complaints. Other than it stinks. After that and a basic wipe down you could hit the plastics with 303 Aerospace Protectent for a nice look and it doesn't attract dust. Its awesome on the dash and outside trim too. If your lazy, tire foam. It makes it shine real nice but leaves it a little greasy.

Sent from the think n' stink.

 

[kryptonitecb]

Oven cleaner.

X2 The dollar store has it too so you can get a bunch. Spray it on, let it sit for awhile, then wash it off. Other than the super caked on inch thick grime it'll clean it all.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[killj0y]

I meant after the cleaning. Most shiner uppers attract dust like a magnet. I was wondering if there was anything that made it shine but doesn't stay tacky to preserve the clean look.

 

[daniel3507]

303 hands down then.

 

[ZMan]

I meant after the cleaning. Most shiner uppers attract dust like a magnet. I was wondering if there was anything that made it shine but doesn't stay tacky to preserve the clean look.

Maybe try that "back to black" stuff made for exterior mouldings? Use it on the black plastic bits, i doubt its greasy like silicone/armorall, that would be a little more labor intensive though.

 

[straycat]

Nothing will work unless you keep it under a cover and never drive it, Bro. I had lots of cars that I showed and you drive them and dirt/dust will follow no matter how hard you try to keep it clean. Don't worry about it. I stopped doing that years ago. Just get a California Duster and use that once in awhile.

 

[killj0y]

Hmm 150 mph leaf blower? Lol nah I was just curious if there was some secret sauce people used on here. I suppose cleaning it once a year will do. Looks pretty good right now even though is was a quick degreaser and hose down. I hadn't cleaned it since I got it lol., and before that it was sitting so it was bad, it was only chance the wife bought some degreaser to clean something else and she had some left over. So I commandeered the rest and hosed down the engine with it lol. Worked pretty good and it smells like oranges now :thumbup: