Engine Bay Cleaning & Detailing: What do you use?

DavidRam · Jul 4, 2014

As I am working on dressing up my engine bay with engine covers, billet caps/covers etc, I realized that I do not do a good job keeping it clean and shiney...

What do you guys use to wash, wipe down, protect and polish your engine bay???

Specifically:

Engine block?

Rubber hoses and plastic parts??

BT catch can and other shiney parts???

Does anyone make an all in one kit? Can I use things like tire dressing on rubber hoses and plastic parts?
Thanks for the responses!!! :buffer:

audio1der · Jul 4, 2014

Anything black in the engione bay gets my homebrew; 303, Mothers 'Back to black' and water. After a few applications its surprising how easily it allows dust & grime to slide off and reverts to a nice clean matte finish again. It's cheap like borscht and can be found (or substituted in a pinch) at ANY auto parts store.

DavidRam · Jul 4, 2014

audio1der said:
Anything black in the engione bay gets my homebrew; 303, Mothers 'Back to black' and water. After a few applications its surprising how easily it allows dust & grime to slide off and reverts to a nice clean matte finish again. It's cheap like borscht and can be found (or substituted in a pinch) at ANY auto parts store.

Cool thanks! I just picked up some Mothers 'Back to Black' the other day. I'll give it a try.

Lhemi · Jul 4, 2014

Adam's cleaner on everything under the hood.

HLram · Jul 4, 2014

Simple Green, babeeeeeee....... Spray on, let sit, spray off, drive truck. DONE. EASY!!!!!!lol

LovMyRam · Jul 4, 2014

HLram said:
Simple Green, babeeeeeee....... Spray on, let sit, spray off, drive truck. DONE. EASY!!!!!!lol

Be VERY careful with simple green on aluminum, cleared and other metals. It can leave spots that are damn near impossible get off and even pit/eat other metals. Just have to be careful.

Me, I use a dedicated engine bay cleaner (adams) or just plain soap and water that you wash your vehicle with. Unless your dealing with a grimy/oily engine bay, those are my favorite

DavidRam · Jul 4, 2014

Thanks guys!
What do you guys use to clean and polish your BT catch can or other aluminum parts?

HLram · Jul 4, 2014

You really want me to say it again, don't you?.........Ok, here it goes. JK. I actually don't polish anything under my hood. I work in the oilfield and it stays terribly dusty under my hood. I just spray it off etc.But I know if the catch can isn't clear coated you could use Mothers polish. It is really good on aluminum stuff.

DavidRam · Jul 4, 2014

HLram said:
You really want me to say it again, don't you?......

Lol! There isn't a polish or something high tech that I can use to shine my catch can for 3 hours?!?! :roflsquared:

Edit: Mother's polish! That's a great idea! It isn't clear coated.

HLram · Jul 4, 2014

Nope Mothers will do the job in about ten minutes.........Not three hrs, sorry. Mine is still kinda shiny after over a year and a half so I bet it is cleared?

DavidRam · Jul 4, 2014

HLram said:
Nope Mothers will do the job in about ten minutes.........Not three hrs, sorry. Mine is still kinda shiny after over a year and a half so I bet it is cleared?

Mine is kinda shiny too, but I didn't pay the upcharge for the clear coat, so it has got to be raw.

HLram · Jul 4, 2014

Yeah I bought mine from Moe's and never even knew there was a clear coat option. lol.

DavidRam · Jul 4, 2014

Also from Moes... I almost wish I got red.
I am putting together an order for a bunch of red billet tech caps, fuse box cover, hood prop covers, and that's why I am trying to learn how to keep them and my engine bay clean and shiny!

Lhemi · Jul 4, 2014

Got mine from Billet Tec, and it's not shinny at all... You can clean them up pretty quick with mothers, but a catch can isn't the size of half engine covers.
Mother will remove all the black crap, you still need to wax after it clean ....

DavidRam · Jul 5, 2014

Lhemi said:
Got mine from Billet Tec, and it's not shinny at all... You can clean them up pretty quick with mothers, but a catch can isn't the size of half engine covers.
Mother will remove all the black crap, you still need to wax after it clean ....

That's the regular Mother's detailing spray right?

HLram · Jul 5, 2014

Mothers polish. It is a liquidy paste that comes in a little round plastic can

DavidRam · Jul 5, 2014

HLram said:
Mothers polish. It is a liquidy paste that comes in a little round plastic can

Oh cool, thanks. I found it

DavidRam · Jul 6, 2014

On a side note:

I think Mothers Wax and Fukken Wax should merge. The new company would be called Mother Fukken Wax. :banana-mario:

Engine Bay Cleaning & Detailing: What do you use?

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