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General => Detailing => Topic started by: Jimp on 01 March 2010, 20:58

Title: Engine bay cleanup questions
Post by: Jimp on 01 March 2010, 20:58

On Sunday I started cleaning the 14 years of muck out of my Vento's engine bay but I have a few questions:
1. Any de-greaser recommendations? A lot of surface dirt came off with water and some elbow grease but there is a layer leftover on most things that won't budge, plus some greasy spots in general.
2. What can I use to restore black plastics? The black plastics like the belt cover and airbox are very faded and scratched. After I got the mud and dirt off them they look more grey then black. I wanted to ask before using any normal back-to-black techniques like boiled linseed oil in case there would be problems with them and the heat of the engine bay.
3. How can you restore the black on rubber tubing? I wiped the dirt off some coolant hoses but like the plastics they are more grey than black now. Any way to get them darker other than replacing everything?
4. Any other tips?  :smiley:
I didn't make much progress with water+scrubbing other than the strut towers changing from brown-grey to a glorious metallic red  :cool:

Title: Re: Engine bay cleanup questions
Post by: Guy on 01 March 2010, 21:27

you need a product called Autosmart Finish in your life... a quick spray over the engine once it is clean and it restores all the plastics to black

as for degreaser... megs APC is readily available but then again if you can get hold of Autosmart Finish then get Autosmart G101 at the same time... highly dilutable and highly effective

http://www.smartvaleting.co.uk/index.php?cmd=cat&catid=28 (http://www.smartvaleting.co.uk/index.php?cmd=cat&catid=28)

lastly... cover your electrics  :wink:

Title: Re: Engine bay cleanup questions
Post by: damien010685 on 03 March 2010, 15:57

Yeh my engine bay is dirty like whats the easiest way to clean it as i take it just using a pressure washer on it isnt a good idea?

Title: Re: Engine bay cleanup questions
Post by: kdiz on 03 March 2010, 18:34

Quote from: damien010685 on 03 March 2010, 15:57

Yeh my engine bay is dirty like whats the easiest way to clean it as i take it just using a pressure washer on it isnt a good idea?

i wouldnt personally as that can be really harsh, some do a steam clean which can be risky as well. I generally would use an engine degreaser and grab a variety of brushes and just take ur time on it.

And like Guy says, cover the electrics