Spring Detail (1st Phase): Engine Detail

I am breaking my spring detail into several phases, all to be accomplished (hopefully) over the course of the next month. Today I tackled phase #1: the engine detail.

I have never detailed an engine, and I confess I was more than a bit nervous. Yes, everyone says it's all very safe, as long as one takes the proper precautions; but what if I get it wrong? Anyway, today I decided to roll the hard six and do it.

Here were my steps:

1) Warm up the engine for 1 minute.

2) Cover the alternator with a plastic bag and stuff a towel into the air intake.

3) Spray down the front end with water from the hose. I understand this is desirable, just in case some of the degreasing solution should get onto the painted panels.

4) Lightly spray the engine with water.

5) Liberally spray the engine with Megs' APC+ (diluted approximately 8/1). In retrospect I think I might have sprayed a bit more than I did.

6) Brush the areas I could reach. I used two different brushes: a soft tire brush I had picked up from AutoZone and a Swissvax detailing brush. I think I rushed this step. Next time I will slow down and try to do a more thorough job. I was concerned that the APC would dry out before I could get to it.

7) Rinse the engine. I rinsed it fairly thoroughly. All the articles say to avoid the electronics, but heck if I could figure out where the electronics are. This was the nerve-wracking moment. Will the engine start?

8) Remove plastic bag and towel. Start-up the engine and let it run for 5+ minutes. This is supposed to assist the drying. More importantly, I just wanted to know that the engine would run.

9) Dry the areas of the engine I could reach with a towel.

10) Spray the engine liberally with CD2 Engine Detailer. I picked up the CD2 at AutoZone.

11) Per instructions, let the engine sit for 20 minutes with hood up.

12) Per instructions, run the engine for 20 minutes with hood down. This is supposed to help the CD2 to set up and spread properly.

During this time I gave the front end of my car an ONR wash.

13) Open the hood and dry off with a towel any excess liquid.

I then proceeded to finish the washing of the car, with special attention to door and trunk jambs. I later waxed these areas with Cleaner Wax.

Finally I went looking for my camera. I did not take any "before" shots, as my engine looked fairly clean before I began. "Before" shots are so much more compelling and dramatic when the "before" is dirt and neglect disaster. Here are the "afters":













I was pleased with this first attempt. I was especially pleased that my Luthien survived and lives to drive yet another day.

I welcome your suggestions for improvement.

Cheers,
Al

 

The engine looks great! If i could give you a bit of advice...dont warm up the engine before you start...in fact always let it cool down before spraying water/cleaner on it...better safe than sorry, looks like you are looking for any reason to be safer. Always best to work with a cool engine from the get go.

 

Wow engine bay looks great, I would have to agree. I usually wait for the engine bay to cool down a bit. Other then that I would say you nailed the engine bay :thumb:

 

Karl, get in here!!!

Looks great akimel...now I gotta find me some CD2! :thumb:

 

Looks great! However, I prefer Hyper Dressing instead of CD2 since it's cheaper, can achieve the same look and is water-based!

 

came out beautiful! I have a can of CD2, and had it for while, but I always tend to rich for another product when detailing an engine, something like 303 protectant.

 

Looks good AL. The hoses etc look brand new.

 

Karl here, reporting for duty :cig:

Ak, looks great. Since you asked for suggestions, here's my process, which I stole from JL.

Before I list the process JL and I use, some product input: I don't personally care for CD2. I find that it leaves the engine bay a bit greasy. It doesn't seem to attract dirt. The problem I've got with it is that, come time to work on the car, a lot of the parts under the hood will be pretty slippery. I used CD2 on my beater CRX, and when I had to change the distributor, I really found that I hated the stuff.

OK, on with "The JL Method for a winning engine detail."

1. Start with a stone cold engine.

2. Rinse with light pressure water. Something like the "shower" setting on an adjustable nozzle works well. I don't bother to cover anything up, but Glad "Press and Seal" kitchen wrap would probably work a treat for this.

3. Spray down liberally with your APC of choice. JL and I both use Majestic Solutions' Super Green Stuff, 3 parts water to 1 part SGS.

4. Agitate the bad areas with brushes, as you described.

5. Dry the engine bay with a leaf blower. In my opinion, this is much more effective, and much less tedious, than using towels.

6. Spray the engine bay liberally with Meguiar's Hyper Dressing, 3 parts water to 1 part HD. HD is water based, so it doesn't seem to leave everything super slippery. HD can be diluted to your preference - stronger is shinier.

7. Close the hood, start the car, and run it at idle for 20 minutes to help the dressing set up. While you're doing this you can work on another part of the car, like the wheels, the jambs, or whatever you like.

8. Stop the engine and raise the hood again. At this point, I get the blower back out and blow dry all the excess. With my S2000, for example, there are little gaps all around the factory airbox where dressing can pool up. The blower makes quick work of this.

9. Wipe down any excess, of which there shouldn't be much.

10. If you're seriously obsessed, like we all are, I've got a thread in this section describing how I polished the bare aluminum bits of my S2000's engine bay. Specifically, the hard lines for the A/C system, and the raised "HONDA DOHC VTEC" lettering on the AP2 spark plug cover (which is aluminum). There are lines to the side of the heat shield that covers up the exhaust manifold, which run down towards the headlight, under the horn. There are also lines along the firewall, which are impossible to get to on the passenger side, and lines under the engine coolant resevior. Here is the thread. Page two describes the spark plug cover work I did.

 

I'm still scared to do mine.

But running the car for 20mins... thats wasting a lot of gas....

 

I am beginning to think that I was wrong to warm up the car even a little. On Autopia I read that it made any grease easier to remove and that it was perfectly safe. Next time I will begin with the engine stone cold.

 

Looks great. I love the step by step. Way to go. I use the CD/2 and like it very much. I have a Jeep Wrangler and it works great on the inner wheel wells too...:thumb:

 

AWESOME AL!!!!!!

Looks like you are becoming quite a detailer!

 

Wow that engine turned out great, one of the best I've seen. Awesome job.

 

aww wtf no befores ??? BOOO

JK

came out awesome man

the ignition coil pack cover always that bronze color ?

 

I have no idea what an ignition coil pack is, though I hear that there is one. So where is it in the S2K engine bay?

 

Yep. It's painted that color, save for the raised lettering, which is left bare aluminum.

LOL! It's the gold colored piece of metal that covers up the spark plugs, into which the coil packs connect. The piece that says "Honda DOHC VTEC."

 

haha too funny

 

Sure doesn't look like water is going to get into that! I sprayed the whole casing liberally with APC and then washed it down with the hose. Next time should I avoid doing this?

 

Great job man, that engine bay looks amazing!!!

 

IMO, As a customer, I wouldnt want my car idled for 20 mins.
I wouldnt want to work around an idling car for 20 mins either, my health is worth more then a few dollars...

Ill use at least 2 different chemical types when cleaning an engine bay, as there are many different types of dirt here. Sometimes Ill use a solvent based spray for hard to reach grimy areas. For other types Ill use a strong detergent and still other spots like grease buildup, Ill use a degreaser.
Ive never seen any proof that heated up an engine to dry the protectant does any good...?

Nice car and good work on the engine!