How To: Detail Your Engine Like a Professional
#1
05-21-2012, 09:49 AM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Stuart Florida
Posts: 531
Rep Power: 0 
How To: Detail Your Engine Like a Professional
How To: Detail Your Engine Like a Professional
One of the most overlooked aspects of car care and detailing is our engine bay. Why? Because when you polish paint, there is no fear of damaging a $283 sensor or having water go into your intake, causing potential engine failure. Take a second and think back to the first time you started researching paint correction and the proper steps necessary to ensure success. At first, the thought of touching your precious paint with a power tool made you cringe, until you learned that, like anything else, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. Fast forward to present time and try to imagine going without your Flex XC3401 or Porter Cable 7424xp and picture all the swirls, water spots and scratches that you previously ignored until you discovered a machine polisher. Now if that doesn't make you cringe, nothing will.
Step outside for a minute, pop the hood on your engine bay and take a look at what you see. Unless you're one of the few that details their engine bay on a regular basis, what you're going to see is dirt, grease, and more dirt. At this point you're probably asking yourself; "How have I neglected to clean my engine all this time?!" And the answer is simple; you didn't know how. With this guide and a little help from one my favorite product lines - Detailer's Pro Series - you'll be on the fast track to an engine bay that's as clean as your BBS wheels that you meticulously detail after every wash.
Overview
This is what your typical engine looks like on a daily driver. There is literally years upon years of built up dirt and grease.
*Warning: These pictures are not for the faint of heart.*
Looks pretty nasty, right? Let's dig a little deeper and zoom in.
What to be aware of
Modern engines are complicated machines that are monitored by various computers all ran through a complex electrical system. While most of these components can safely get wet, you want to err on the side of caution and cover them up when detailing an engine.
Components to cover up on a modern car:
Now if you look at the above list and go "HUH?!" Don't worry! You don't have to be an ASE certified mechanic to safely detail an engine. You can pretty much narrow that list down to three key things:
To make it simple, an alternator is the heart of your vehicle's electrical system. On most vehicles this is a very expensive component to replace. The alternator is generally easy to locate and regardless of the vehicle, they all look the same.
*Photo courtesy of HowStuffWorks "Auto"*
The air intake, as the name implies, is how the engine breathes. Air goes through a filter and is fed into the engine. Most new vehicles have an air intake system that's not exposed. If your vehicle has an aftermarket air intake system, it will be exposed. If your air intake is exposed, simply cover it up with a grocery bag. You do not want water going into your air intake when you detail your engine.
And the last thing to look out for are electrical plugs. A modern engine is filled with dozens of electrical plugs that run various sensors. Below are two very dirty examples of what an electrical plug looks like.
Covering up the important stuff
An effective means of covering electrical plugs is with saran wrap and masking tape where needed. This will ensure no unwanted components will get wet when you detail an engine.
It's better to spend a couple extra minutes doing it the right way. It doesn't have to look pretty for photographic reasons.
To cover major electrical components when detailing an engine, aluminum foil works best. Aluminum foil is easy to work with and although it doesn't create a watertight seal, it still protects components from getting wet. When you're cleaning an engine, you'll be using a gentle stream of water, not a full blast. The components aren't getting dunked in pool so they don't have to have a watertight seal.
Alternator covered with aluminum foil. Remember, when detailing an engine, you don't want the alternator to get wet.
To play it safe, you should also wrap the dipstick with masking tape or saran wrap when detailing an engine.
Getting started
First and foremost: Never detail a hot engine. Once the necessary components are covered up, it's time to get started! Start by spraying a low-pressure stream of water all over the engine. You do not want to spray a high-pressure stream of water when detailing an engine. The goal with the initial rinse is to remove loose dirt and grease.
The Good Stuff - Doing it right the first time
If you've read any of my previous how-to articles, then you already know I'm an advocate of working smart, and not hard. When it comes time to cleaning anything with dirt, grease or grime, I like to use a product that's strong enough to clean effectively, but I also don't want to use a product that has a harsh chemical smell. The obvious cleaner of choice for this how-to article was Detailer's Engine Degreaser.
Detailer's Engine Degreaser doesn't overwhelm your senses with a harsh chemical smell, but at the same time it has the power to cut through grease and grime without a struggle. Its formula is VOC compliant and biodegradable. What sets Detailer's Engine Degreaser apart from other degreasers is the fact that its formula doesn't contain any butyl ethers or acidic detergents, which means its safe on rubber, plastic, clear coated and painted surfaces.
Simply spray Detailer's Engine Degreaser on every dirty surface in the engine bay, let it dwell for a couple minutes, and then start cleaning!
The brush of choice for the majority of the cleaning was the Mothers Wheel Brush. Don't let the name of this brush fool you because it can clean anything. It features bristles that are tightly packed together and a soft, ergonomic rubber handle. For around $7, you simply can't beat it.
To clean the nooks and crannies, I once again relied on Mothers. The Mothers Detail Brush features feathered nylon bristles attached to a soft, ergonomic rubber handle. As an added bonus, the brush features a rubber tip which works great for removing dried on wax out of seams. This brush is a must-have for engine detailing.
One of the most overlooked aspects of car care and detailing is our engine bay. Why? Because when you polish paint, there is no fear of damaging a $283 sensor or having water go into your intake, causing potential engine failure. Take a second and think back to the first time you started researching paint correction and the proper steps necessary to ensure success. At first, the thought of touching your precious paint with a power tool made you cringe, until you learned that, like anything else, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. Fast forward to present time and try to imagine going without your Flex XC3401 or Porter Cable 7424xp and picture all the swirls, water spots and scratches that you previously ignored until you discovered a machine polisher. Now if that doesn't make you cringe, nothing will.
Step outside for a minute, pop the hood on your engine bay and take a look at what you see. Unless you're one of the few that details their engine bay on a regular basis, what you're going to see is dirt, grease, and more dirt. At this point you're probably asking yourself; "How have I neglected to clean my engine all this time?!" And the answer is simple; you didn't know how. With this guide and a little help from one my favorite product lines - Detailer's Pro Series - you'll be on the fast track to an engine bay that's as clean as your BBS wheels that you meticulously detail after every wash.
Overview
This is what your typical engine looks like on a daily driver. There is literally years upon years of built up dirt and grease.
*Warning: These pictures are not for the faint of heart.*
Looks pretty nasty, right? Let's dig a little deeper and zoom in.
What to be aware of
Modern engines are complicated machines that are monitored by various computers all ran through a complex electrical system. While most of these components can safely get wet, you want to err on the side of caution and cover them up when detailing an engine.
Components to cover up on a modern car:
- Alternator
- Intercooler
- Coil Packs
- Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
- On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) Port
- Air Intake Systems (Exposed)
- HID Ballasts (Headlights)
- Alarm Housing
- Electircal Plugs
Now if you look at the above list and go "HUH?!" Don't worry! You don't have to be an ASE certified mechanic to safely detail an engine. You can pretty much narrow that list down to three key things:
- Alternator
- Air Intake Systems (Exposed)
- Electrical Plugs
To make it simple, an alternator is the heart of your vehicle's electrical system. On most vehicles this is a very expensive component to replace. The alternator is generally easy to locate and regardless of the vehicle, they all look the same.
*Photo courtesy of HowStuffWorks "Auto"*
The air intake, as the name implies, is how the engine breathes. Air goes through a filter and is fed into the engine. Most new vehicles have an air intake system that's not exposed. If your vehicle has an aftermarket air intake system, it will be exposed. If your air intake is exposed, simply cover it up with a grocery bag. You do not want water going into your air intake when you detail your engine.
And the last thing to look out for are electrical plugs. A modern engine is filled with dozens of electrical plugs that run various sensors. Below are two very dirty examples of what an electrical plug looks like.
Covering up the important stuff
An effective means of covering electrical plugs is with saran wrap and masking tape where needed. This will ensure no unwanted components will get wet when you detail an engine.
It's better to spend a couple extra minutes doing it the right way. It doesn't have to look pretty for photographic reasons.
To cover major electrical components when detailing an engine, aluminum foil works best. Aluminum foil is easy to work with and although it doesn't create a watertight seal, it still protects components from getting wet. When you're cleaning an engine, you'll be using a gentle stream of water, not a full blast. The components aren't getting dunked in pool so they don't have to have a watertight seal.
Alternator covered with aluminum foil. Remember, when detailing an engine, you don't want the alternator to get wet.
To play it safe, you should also wrap the dipstick with masking tape or saran wrap when detailing an engine.
Getting started
First and foremost: Never detail a hot engine. Once the necessary components are covered up, it's time to get started! Start by spraying a low-pressure stream of water all over the engine. You do not want to spray a high-pressure stream of water when detailing an engine. The goal with the initial rinse is to remove loose dirt and grease.
The Good Stuff - Doing it right the first time
If you've read any of my previous how-to articles, then you already know I'm an advocate of working smart, and not hard. When it comes time to cleaning anything with dirt, grease or grime, I like to use a product that's strong enough to clean effectively, but I also don't want to use a product that has a harsh chemical smell. The obvious cleaner of choice for this how-to article was Detailer's Engine Degreaser.
Detailer's Engine Degreaser doesn't overwhelm your senses with a harsh chemical smell, but at the same time it has the power to cut through grease and grime without a struggle. Its formula is VOC compliant and biodegradable. What sets Detailer's Engine Degreaser apart from other degreasers is the fact that its formula doesn't contain any butyl ethers or acidic detergents, which means its safe on rubber, plastic, clear coated and painted surfaces.
Simply spray Detailer's Engine Degreaser on every dirty surface in the engine bay, let it dwell for a couple minutes, and then start cleaning!
The brush of choice for the majority of the cleaning was the Mothers Wheel Brush. Don't let the name of this brush fool you because it can clean anything. It features bristles that are tightly packed together and a soft, ergonomic rubber handle. For around $7, you simply can't beat it.
To clean the nooks and crannies, I once again relied on Mothers. The Mothers Detail Brush features feathered nylon bristles attached to a soft, ergonomic rubber handle. As an added bonus, the brush features a rubber tip which works great for removing dried on wax out of seams. This brush is a must-have for engine detailing.
#2
05-21-2012, 09:49 AM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Stuart Florida
Posts: 531
Rep Power: 0
How To: Detail Your Engine Like a Professional
Some areas of your engine bay will require a miracle brush, and like every other aspect of car care and detailing, Autogeek has you covered. The miracle brush for engine detailing is the Daytona Speed Master Jr. With its soft, 2 inch bristles and flexible stem, the Daytona Speed Master Jr. has the ability to clean parts of an engine that no other brush could.
Part of engine detailing, or any aspect of automotive detailing in general, is the details. No small detail should be overlooked in a detail. To ensure every square inch of this engine was squeaky clean, I used Lake Country's Detail Sticks. If you find yourself looking at your engine bay, scratching your head while wondering how the heck you're going to get it spotless, pick up a set of Lake Country Detailing Sticks and wonder no more.
Once you're finished with the cleaning process, spray a low-pressure stream of water in the engine compartment. Another aspect of Detailer's Engine Degreaser that makes it so good is the fact that it rinses freely. When detailing an engine, you don't want any cleaner or residue left behind.
Drying
After a thorough rinse, you can either dry the engine with a towel, which is time consuming, or you can use what I refer to as "my little friend." That little friend is the Metro Blaster Sidekick and don't let its size fool you, this little thing packs quite a punch. The Blaster Sidekick, like other vacuums and blowers manufactured by Metro, features a quality, all-steel construction. The motor inside the Blaster Sidekick has a peak HP of 1.3 which is enough to blast out an air volume of 160mph/85CFM. Best part about the Blaster Sidekick? It's made in USA!
Dressing the engine bay
Once the engine is clean and dry, it's time to beautify and protect all the plastic, rubber and vinyl surfaces. My product of choice for dressing up an engine bay is Detailer's Trim Detailer. This is one of the newest products in the Detailer's line of car care products and it's fantastic. This aerosol-based polymer spray evenly coats all plastic, rubber and vinyl surfaces leaving a low-gloss, like-new finish. If a little over spray occurs on bare metal or painted components, it won't cause any harm. Detailer's Trim Detailer dries to the touch and it will not attract dirt or dust like oil-based dressings.
To ensure even application on components that have ribs, simply spray Detailer's Trim Detailer on a clean, dry microfiber towel and work it in to the desired surface. Remember that no small detail should be overlooked when detailing an engine.
The finished product
Check out the before and after!
And again.
Now that you have the knowledge to detail your engine like a professional, all you need is the products and a sunny Sunday afternoon. From here on out, there should no longer be any dirty engine bays on AutogeekOnline.net. :dblthumb2:
Featured products
Some areas of your engine bay will require a miracle brush, and like every other aspect of car care and detailing, Autogeek has you covered. The miracle brush for engine detailing is the Daytona Speed Master Jr. With its soft, 2 inch bristles and flexible stem, the Daytona Speed Master Jr. has the ability to clean parts of an engine that no other brush could.
Part of engine detailing, or any aspect of automotive detailing in general, is the details. No small detail should be overlooked in a detail. To ensure every square inch of this engine was squeaky clean, I used Lake Country's Detail Sticks. If you find yourself looking at your engine bay, scratching your head while wondering how the heck you're going to get it spotless, pick up a set of Lake Country Detailing Sticks and wonder no more.
Once you're finished with the cleaning process, spray a low-pressure stream of water in the engine compartment. Another aspect of Detailer's Engine Degreaser that makes it so good is the fact that it rinses freely. When detailing an engine, you don't want any cleaner or residue left behind.
Drying
After a thorough rinse, you can either dry the engine with a towel, which is time consuming, or you can use what I refer to as "my little friend." That little friend is the Metro Blaster Sidekick and don't let its size fool you, this little thing packs quite a punch. The Blaster Sidekick, like other vacuums and blowers manufactured by Metro, features a quality, all-steel construction. The motor inside the Blaster Sidekick has a peak HP of 1.3 which is enough to blast out an air volume of 160mph/85CFM. Best part about the Blaster Sidekick? It's made in USA!
Dressing the engine bay
Once the engine is clean and dry, it's time to beautify and protect all the plastic, rubber and vinyl surfaces. My product of choice for dressing up an engine bay is Detailer's Trim Detailer. This is one of the newest products in the Detailer's line of car care products and it's fantastic. This aerosol-based polymer spray evenly coats all plastic, rubber and vinyl surfaces leaving a low-gloss, like-new finish. If a little over spray occurs on bare metal or painted components, it won't cause any harm. Detailer's Trim Detailer dries to the touch and it will not attract dirt or dust like oil-based dressings.
To ensure even application on components that have ribs, simply spray Detailer's Trim Detailer on a clean, dry microfiber towel and work it in to the desired surface. Remember that no small detail should be overlooked when detailing an engine.
The finished product
Check out the before and after!
And again.
Now that you have the knowledge to detail your engine like a professional, all you need is the products and a sunny Sunday afternoon. From here on out, there should no longer be any dirty engine bays on AutogeekOnline.net. :dblthumb2:
Featured products
#3
05-22-2012, 04:38 AM
Nick,
But aren't the alternator and electrical plugs still dirty?
I detailed my much, much smaller 997 engine compartment last weekend. I didn't cover anything and applied my cleaner to the dry engine compartment. To rinse I also used a very low stream of water (since it wasn't that dirty to start with) and avoided spraying into the air intake. I then hand dried everything before applying the dressing. So, in other words, I only sprayed the engine compartment once and lightly at that.
I had no problems with any of the electrical items afterwards. I would think that covering the alternator and electrical plugs is a more important step if you're going to use a blow drier in order to avoid forcing water into areas where it probably wouldn't normally be able to reach.
Thanks for the write-up and great pictures. Seeing these products and techniques motivates me to clean things I normally would ignore.
But aren't the alternator and electrical plugs still dirty?
I detailed my much, much smaller 997 engine compartment last weekend. I didn't cover anything and applied my cleaner to the dry engine compartment. To rinse I also used a very low stream of water (since it wasn't that dirty to start with) and avoided spraying into the air intake. I then hand dried everything before applying the dressing. So, in other words, I only sprayed the engine compartment once and lightly at that.
I had no problems with any of the electrical items afterwards. I would think that covering the alternator and electrical plugs is a more important step if you're going to use a blow drier in order to avoid forcing water into areas where it probably wouldn't normally be able to reach.
Thanks for the write-up and great pictures. Seeing these products and techniques motivates me to clean things I normally would ignore.
#5
06-02-2012, 10:41 AM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Stuart Florida
Posts: 531
Rep Power: 0
Taxi,
I gave the alternator a little TLC after uncovering it.
Post some pictures of your detailed engine if you have some. We'd love to see. Thanks for the kind words.
As mentioned in the article, I would recommend a low-pressure stream of water when detailing an engine.
Since I had plenty of Detailer's Engine Degreaser and Detailer's Trim Detailer left over, Jason went ahead and detailed the engine in his Toyota Tundra last Saturday.
Before
During
Rinsing
Dressing
After
I gave the alternator a little TLC after uncovering it.
Post some pictures of your detailed engine if you have some. We'd love to see. Thanks for the kind words.
As mentioned in the article, I would recommend a low-pressure stream of water when detailing an engine.
Since I had plenty of Detailer's Engine Degreaser and Detailer's Trim Detailer left over, Jason went ahead and detailed the engine in his Toyota Tundra last Saturday.
Before
During
Rinsing
Dressing
After
#6
06-02-2012, 04:51 PM
Nick,
As requested. I think the engine compartment looks like new even though the the car is 7 years old car and has 37,000 miles. Since I've only driven it for about 5,000 of those miles, I have to give a lot of credit to the two previous owners. I wonder if the engine being in the rear helps keep it cleaner than a front engine car.
Also, I've admired the ability of the professional detailers on this forum, like yourself, to accurately portray the condition of a car in photographs, so I tried to follow your lead and show the cleanliness of some of the nooks and crannies.
As requested. I think the engine compartment looks like new even though the the car is 7 years old car and has 37,000 miles. Since I've only driven it for about 5,000 of those miles, I have to give a lot of credit to the two previous owners. I wonder if the engine being in the rear helps keep it cleaner than a front engine car.
Also, I've admired the ability of the professional detailers on this forum, like yourself, to accurately portray the condition of a car in photographs, so I tried to follow your lead and show the cleanliness of some of the nooks and crannies.
Last edited by Taxi!; 06-02-2012 at 04:55 PM.
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#8
06-03-2012, 09:25 AM
Thanks, Jose. It's funny how when I was younger I got my hands dirty and greasy working on engines on many occasions. Now I own a car with an extremely clean engine but the actual compartment is so small, and the engine so advanced, that there are very little repairs I can do myself. I guess I'll make some technician happy when I take it in for service.
#10
06-04-2012, 06:03 PM
Nick,
I've never used an aerosol product like Trim Detailer, although I can see the advantage of using an aerosol where you have a lot of irregular surfaces, like in an engine compartment. However, in the photo where Jason is spraying it near the top of the firewall, it looks like he might end up with overspray on the bottom of the windshield. And I read on your website that it can be used on tires but how do you spray it without getting it on the rims? TIA
Jeff
I've never used an aerosol product like Trim Detailer, although I can see the advantage of using an aerosol where you have a lot of irregular surfaces, like in an engine compartment. However, in the photo where Jason is spraying it near the top of the firewall, it looks like he might end up with overspray on the bottom of the windshield. And I read on your website that it can be used on tires but how do you spray it without getting it on the rims? TIA
Jeff
#11
06-05-2012, 06:17 AM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Stuart Florida
Posts: 531
Rep Power: 0 Nick,
I've never used an aerosol product like Trim Detailer, although I can see the advantage of using an aerosol where you have a lot of irregular surfaces, like in an engine compartment. However, in the photo where Jason is spraying it near the top of the firewall, it looks like he might end up with overspray on the bottom of the windshield. And I read on your website that it can be used on tires but how do you spray it without getting it on the rims? TIA
Jeff
I've never used an aerosol product like Trim Detailer, although I can see the advantage of using an aerosol where you have a lot of irregular surfaces, like in an engine compartment. However, in the photo where Jason is spraying it near the top of the firewall, it looks like he might end up with overspray on the bottom of the windshield. And I read on your website that it can be used on tires but how do you spray it without getting it on the rims? TIA
Jeff
That's the great thing about Detailer's Trim Detailer, if any excess gets onto unwanted surfaces, it simply wipes off. It won't leave any sticky or greasy residue behind.
#12
08-20-2012, 10:29 AM
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Stuart Florida
Posts: 531
Rep Power: 0
One of the featured products, Detailer's Trim Detailer, is actually on BOGO through August 31st.
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