Cleaning The Engine Bay
04-04-2003, 09:12 AM
#21
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NC
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I Have a leave blower to. It also works really good for when you wash the exterior of your car.
After your done lathering your baby up, and rinsing her down, take the blower to all the body seams and folds . bumper lines etc. Any place that you might think is holding some water.
Blow that water out and there you have it. No more dryed up water streaks all over your car,when you go for that first drive after your wash.
cheers
Shawn
After your done lathering your baby up, and rinsing her down, take the blower to all the body seams and folds . bumper lines etc. Any place that you might think is holding some water.
Blow that water out and there you have it. No more dryed up water streaks all over your car,when you go for that first drive after your wash.
cheers
Shawn
Damn, I need to clean my engine bay too.
I hate how body shops leave your damn hood up when your car is sitting in there. Even when there are not even working on it. Dust gets all over the place!
I hate how body shops leave your damn hood up when your car is sitting in there. Even when there are not even working on it. Dust gets all over the place!
04-04-2003, 10:21 AM
#22
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 2,871
Originally Posted by rx7machine' date='Apr 4 2003, 12:33 AM
[quote name='TYSON' date='Apr 4 2003, 12:27 AM'] I'm doing it the cheater way. Guy in my car club had his car in our display at a show. He drives it everyday year round, never cleaned under the hood. Took it to a detailing shop, they charge $30 for an engine shampoo. It looks so clean I asked him where he bought his nice silicon rad hoses (thought they were new). They missed one tiny spot you can't see unless you are really looking. It was black with crud like the rest of the engine had been the day before. This engine bay looked like a new car.
I would spend $15 on the chemicals and a whole afternoon trying to get mine that clean, so mine is going there as soon as it is rolling. $50 to shampoo and detail the engine bay and shampoo the underside of the car on a hoist. In and out in an hour while I'm at my gym next door. Goodbye turbo oil! Not only that, but you better believe they'll be paying for any repairs caused by water in the electronics. I'd be screwed if I fucked something up doing it myself.
I would spend $15 on the chemicals and a whole afternoon trying to get mine that clean, so mine is going there as soon as it is rolling. $50 to shampoo and detail the engine bay and shampoo the underside of the car on a hoist. In and out in an hour while I'm at my gym next door. Goodbye turbo oil! Not only that, but you better believe they'll be paying for any repairs caused by water in the electronics. I'd be screwed if I fucked something up doing it myself.
Kepping it clean is a lot easier than getting it clean the first time. If you have a major mess on your hands, get it done professionally, then buy the engine degreaser from the store and use it occasionally to keep things clean. If you have polished bits, get the polish compound stuff. I have nearly every Mothers product there is.
As for the pressure washer. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Your under hood electrical components are sealed only against low pressure or splash exposure to water. A 3000 psi jet of water can penetrate past rubber seals and damage electrical components. If you do it yourself you will be fooked. I fried my alternator at the car wash and I didn't even use the high pressure, only the lower pressure that comes out when you don't push the lever. It drained my battery right there in the bay.
The leaf blower is an excellent way to dry your car and prevent streaks. Throw in the fact it takes only a couple minutes compared to 15 with the chamois and you're laughing.
04-04-2003, 10:51 AM
#23
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Location: Due to global Warming, the new hot spot.........Canada
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Just be care full when using the leaf blower. Make sure your drive way is clean from sand, dirt etc. The blower will stir that **** up all into the air, and we dont want to be scratching the car now, do we!
Just give the driveway a quick sweep, or blow with the machine first. Then pull your car up after for the wash.
Also once done, a good idea is to just lightly run some water all on the driveway around the area of the car. This will keep dust down.
cheers
Shawn
Just give the driveway a quick sweep, or blow with the machine first. Then pull your car up after for the wash.
Also once done, a good idea is to just lightly run some water all on the driveway around the area of the car. This will keep dust down.
cheers
Shawn
04-04-2003, 04:03 PM
#24
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NC
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I don't guess my engine bay's not a mess or anything.. 
but it certainly doesn't look good at all.. Yea, I wasn't planning on using a pressure water no matter what anyone said.. I have a gravel drive way.. so I don't know if I'm going to want to risk my brand new paint job (scratches from leaf blower) to simply get rid of some streaks..
04-04-2003, 04:23 PM
#25
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Originally Posted by rx7machine' date='Apr 4 2003, 02:03 PM
I don't guess my engine bay's not a mess or anything.. but it certainly doesn't look good at all.. Yea, I wasn't planning on using a pressure water no matter what anyone said.. I have a gravel drive way.. so I don't know if I'm going to want to risk my brand new paint job (scratches from leaf blower) to simply get rid of some streaks..
hurry up and get that thing paved....
04-04-2003, 05:03 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by Mazdabation' date='Apr 4 2003, 05:23 PM
Ouch!!! stone drive way. No I would'nt be using that leaf blower then. Not that it will acctualy blow rocks, but there is all kinds of other crap down there.
hurry up and get that thing paved....
hurry up and get that thing paved....
04-04-2003, 06:09 PM
#29
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Location: IL
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simple green is sweet.
regarding the blower, I have a blower nozzle attachment for my air compressor, works great and is alot more controllable than a leaf blower, if you have an air compressor it might work better for you.
regarding the blower, I have a blower nozzle attachment for my air compressor, works great and is alot more controllable than a leaf blower, if you have an air compressor it might work better for you.