have some xtra time, wanna sparkle the engine bay

[kurtis adum]

ok, so i have about a week or so b4 i can afford my new clutch, so i figured i would detail the **** outta the engine bay, i dont have much anything else better to do.

my friend has a sandblaster so i was goin to put the sub-frame and tranny through that. thinking like a glossy black and clearcoat for the sub-frame and just a clearcoat for the tranny. is this ok? and does it sound rite? any other parts i can sand blast while im at it?

i have an engine support by no cherry picker at this time. i really wanna make that bay shine, can i do this with the engine in there? what should i watch out for( i dont wanna hurt any thing) and what kinda products should i use?

much appreciated any tips or ideas thrown at me. thank ya much
kurt

 

[Rob94]

The tranny is aluminum. I'm not so sure it is a good idea to sandblast aluminum. I'd just use degreaser and water and elbow grease.

 

[Ishodu]

Sand might be a bit harsh for the aluminum tranny. Use soda not sand for aluminum.

 

[Off Road SHO]

Wow. You're going to spray sand at your engine compartment?! Yikes! That will get everywhere. It will bind up every electrical connector so bad that you wont be able to disconnect them. It'll get in the spring of the throttle body, the springs of the butterflies etc., etc. Even if you remove the engine and tranny, you'll get sand in the fresh air intake for the cabin, sand in the vent of the brake fluid tank, sand at every leaking seal.

Don't do it.

Tom

 

[kurtis adum]

no im sorry not meaning to say i was goin to sand blast the bay. Just the subframe and maybe sway bar at this point. my friend said the tranny should be ok if he turned down the pressure. but if yall say not to , i dont mind gettin a lil dirty to make that trans shine. lotsa time on my hands.

ahh but for the engine bay i was asking what would be a good cleaner to use. what would be the best way to clean it with the motor still there? prolly just good old rag and hard work ing guessing to huh?
thanks for the replies
kurt

 

[windsormw]

well .

from experince , do u yanks have LPS fluids in the states ? PRESOLVE ..........an LPS product , its great( HP degreaser ) , but not cheap

and as far as sandblasting goes . Sand blasting is for removing rust or paint . or crappy weldments that need touching up

Polish it , it will take 10 times as long but the end product will be well worth it

 

[kurtis adum]

sounds good thanks, ill look around and prolly go with the best degreaser i can find. Its ok to sand blast the subframe thou rite?
kurt

 

[Ishodu]

100% fine to sand blast the subframe. I did one and it came out just like new.

 

[marbs]

I've been thinking about doing this too. BUt I was thinking of Steam Cleaning? Would that work?

 

[shojuan]

Just get some Pennzoil Steam Premium and spray that in there. Apply, rinse, repeat. What doesn't come off with the hose the first time around massage with a brush after the second spray. Easy, smells nice. Years ago I had some pictures of my (then) nice clean engine bay posted here. Well that's how I did it. You will love the smell. Seriously. You will want to do your clutch job just so you can smell the clean engine bay.

 

[Bizzy]

my friend said the tranny should be ok if he turned down the pressure. but if yall say not to , i dont mind gettin a lil dirty to make that trans shine.

Kurt, I don't know if sand will hurt the outside of the case. Honestly I've never sandblasted anything before so I really don't know. But like Tom said, the sand gets everywhere. Remember if you do that to the trans that you run the risk of getting sand inside the trans. The axle seals, the vent and the backup lamp switch (if not present) would be places that it could get in through. I really wouldn't suggest sand or even a water pressure wash since water tends to get places you don't want it to also.

A can or two of Berryman's Chemtool along with a few vaious sized wire brushes and a round Scotchbrite pad on a hand drill and a few rags will do great.

 

[marbs]

JApply, rinse, repeat. What doesn't come off with the hose the first time around massage with a brush after the second spray.

I'm iffy about spraying down my engine with water. I've heard ALOT of horor stories abouth SOH's never starting again after people spray down thier engines.

 

[Entropy]

I'm iffy about spraying down my engine with water. I've heard ALOT of horor stories abouth SOH's never starting again after people spray down thier engines.

Yea, those SOH's are a pain when they are wet but your SHO should be alright

No, in all seriousness, I do it all the time - just use common sense. I.E. - Cool motor, low pressure, cover the alternator, ect.... You will not be able to get everything with water, but it cuts elbow grease time 10 fold.

 

[kurtis adum]

sounds good, i will just use elbow grease witht he trans, and do my best to the bay, i have bout a week b4 i do the clutch so i got sum time, i did order the rms and carrier gasket already thou
thanks for the inpputs
kurt

 

[marbs]

Yea, those SOH's are a pain when they are wet but your SHO should be alright

That's hitting below the belt. I'm going to go play in traffic now. :cry:

 

[Entropy]

That's hitting below the belt. I'm going to go play in traffic now. :cry:

 

[SHO green like$]

When I was working at an airport, we would power wash airplane engines and engine compartments with mineral spirits piped through an air gun. When I fist saw this I was amazed how well it worked, and nothing gets wet. Since then I have never used water under the hood of any car.
I've been meaning to pass this info on to you guys because every time I read a post about problems after someone power washes their engine compartment it makes me twitch like half dead road ****..

The air gun and 5 gallon cans of mineral spirits should be available at auto paint distributors like PPG etc..

 

[SHOZ123]

Can also be used as a nice flame thrower......