Help On Cleaning Out Under The Hood

12-20-2004, 01:40 AM

hey i finally got my new alero from my dad yesterday (

) and i was looking under the hood and it's pretty damn dirty. if anyone could give me a few pointers about how to make it nice and shiny that'd be excellent. Also... once clean any suggestions on making it even prettier :P
thanks

jackal2000 · 12-20-2004, 02:15 AM

i have only cleaned mine once and i used the stuff at the car wash. it was tire/engine cleaner and it did a pretty good job for the amount of time i spent on it.

Vtolds · 12-20-2004, 08:53 AM

I've only cleaned my engine once also and I used the stuff at a car wash. I just hit the ENGINE DEGREASER BUTTON popped the hood and carefully sprayed around my intake, and it is still shiny about 2 months later.

doubleN0alero · 12-20-2004, 09:00 AM

If you wanna do it at home, its quite simple. The high pressure stuff is good at the carwash, but you really gotta be careful not to spray the rest of your car. Here's what i do...Get a bottle of multi purpose cleaner, I usually buy turtle wax variety. lightly get your engine wet. spray the hell outta the engine with the multi cleaner....now depending on how dirty it is, but i do it anyhow, take a paintbrush and brush around the real dirty parts and behind those hard to reach areas... turn your car on and spray the hell outta your engine. Leave the car run until its all dry then shut it off...let it sit a minute or two and get some tire shine and spray under the hood at all the parts that can be shiny. Let it sit a few minutes and wipe it down with an old towel...and bam you have a nice clean engine

Pimpalero03 · 12-20-2004, 11:03 AM

my engine bay was so clean i could eat off it. lol i used orange clean the first time and after that i used to just wipe it down every time i washed my car

Spilner521 · 12-20-2004, 01:05 PM

hey pimp...what type of engine paint did you use and what's the name of the color? I've been lookin for that shade of blue everywhere.

Pimpalero03 · 12-20-2004, 01:12 PM

i took 1500 degree spray paint. they didnt have that shade of blue. so i took a blue and a black. then sprayed a bit of both into a dixie cup untill i liked the shade. the took a paint brush and painted about 7 coats onto the manifold

Spilner521 · 12-21-2004, 02:35 AM

that would explain it

thanks

-Alero- · 12-21-2004, 10:58 PM

ok, i just cleaned my engine yesterday and it looks brand spanking new, heres what i did, and heres what you can do.

i personally sprayed the engine down with water, then took a thin rag, thats not too big, and go in all the little sapces i could and wiped them up a bit, then i took a bunch of those armorall wipes (the protectant ones, the yellow containers) and i wiped down all the plastic pieces, rubber pieces, and all the hose's with the armorall wipes, and it gives everything a beautiful shine, and glossy look, and everything looks new and well protected.Looks f*cking beautifull IMO.

or you could just pressure wash it, and shoot it with tire foam like the others, but if you pressure wash it, dont aim at the firewall because it will tear up

(happened to me)

12-22-2004, 10:29 PM

FYI - armorall isn't that good for plastic and paint. Try using somithine like Meguire's or Wizard's. I wash my car then wipe down everyting inside and out with wizard's mist-n-shine. It works on paint, glass, and plastic. It keeps the black looking black and the glass will not streak, and adds gloss to the paint.

I also use it on harley davidson's it really keeps chrome clean. I think they sell around 7 to 8 bucks a bottle, but I buy a gallon and use my own bottle.

AGT · 12-22-2004, 11:57 PM

There is also a combo pack cleaner and brightener out there called CD-2 good stuff...seen it at O'reilly's and 1 Austonzone. :thumbsup:

Oldsman · 12-23-2004, 01:01 AM

use gunk and CD-2 engine Detailer. it is the best there is Period.

Pimpalero03 · 12-23-2004, 01:02 AM

i think u and i could have competed for cleanest engine award. lol

Oldsman · 12-23-2004, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pimpalero03@Dec 23 2004, 12:02 AM
i think u and i could have competed for cleanest engine award. lol

lol....................just wait :thumbsup:

3.4 Euro Alero · 12-23-2004, 07:53 AM

Definitely would not recommend using Armor All since I used to do that on my Cavi, untill it started cracking all my rubber (just replaced by intake boot because of it). You can get a good rubber cleaner/conditioner like Meguiar's. Just started using it this fall, supposed to be really good for door seals, especially us that have bad winters.