Under-hood cleaning tip

[Cordoba1]

Hey guys -- I wanted to let you know that I came up with another use for aerosol - foaming tire shine! It really does a great job under the hood. I used it recently to spiff up a car I recently sold on ebay. I just sprayed a little bit directly on various engine bits and hoses, and used an old bath towel to wipe things up. If you wipe the stuff up, it leaves just enough silicon behind to shine things up real nice -- and it makes black plastics look blacker! After seeing what it did to plastic parts, I also used it on the interior. I just sprayed * a little bit! * on a towel, and wiped things down. (Careful! The stuff is slippery if you use too much!)

Seriously -- If you're looking for a quick way to spiff up under the hood -- give it a try!

[DOOM]

I use armor all EXTREME SHINE on all the hoses and everything plastic under the hood. Still looks brand new.:D

[MarauderVOL]

I use Black Magic tire wet foam under the hood and everything still looks new.

[offroadkarter]

tip taken :)

[TCBO1]

Can you just spray these things over EVERYTHING inder the hood or are you limited to just plastic parts and hoses? I'd like to try this on my pickup as it rarely sees water and the engine compartment is pretty dusty... I assume everything but the alternator would be okay?

Natalie

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

LOL I would assume you would not want your serp. belt looking "shiny like new" by using armorall/tire shine on it.

[Cordoba1]

Yeah -- You can use it anything -- But you'd be wise to avoid the belt as stated above. I works well on metal, as well. Wherever you use it, I advise wiping the stuff down after sparying it, otherwise it just leave a streaky mess.

[BigCars4Ever]

Yeah -- You can use it anything -- But you'd be wise to avoid the belt as stated above. I works well on metal, as well. Wherever you use it, I advise wiping the stuff down after sparying it, otherwise it just leave a streaky mess.
Keeps the aluminum from looking powdery

[KillJoy]

Another tip is to coat EVERYTHING in the engine bay w/ Simple Green.

Let it set for about 5 minutes, and completely rinse the bay down w/ a garden hose. Then, dry up the puddles.

This does not make anything shine, but it does make meverything clean and "new" looking.

:up:

KillJoy

[ImpalaSlayer]

steve ive herd simple green isnt good for alum. any truth to this? i dont really believe it my self.

[ctrlraven]

SimpleGreen makes an automotive formula that I have been using since it came out and it does not bother the aluminum any as far as I can tell within the last year of using it.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/7158/phot0054mediumqk0.jpg

[Blackened300a]

steve ive herd simple green isnt good for alum. any truth to this? i dont really believe it my self.


SimpleGreen makes an automotive formula that I have been using since it came out and it does not bother the aluminum any as far as I can tell within the last year of using it.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/7158/phot0054mediumqk0.jpg

Simple green does work wonders on the engine bay, I have used it several times, DO NOT use it on polished aluminum. I sprayed it on my polished throttle body and it left white stains that had to be buffed out. I wouldnt dare use it since I now have a polished upper intake, and coil covers.

Aerosal tire spray can be used on the entire engine but the only bad thing I noticed is that the alternator clutch when sprayed will sometimes slip and either not turn off the field or leave the field off longer then usual. This clears up after driving for a while.

[offroadkarter]

LOL I would assume you would not want your serp. belt looking "shiny like new" by using armorall/tire shine on it.


I do all the time, and some WD-40 so it spinns easier. Boy does it look good :)






At this point if you cant tell im joking, God help you =O

[ctrlraven]

Yeah with the tire shine stuff I never spray it directly on the parts, I will spray it on my hand while wearing latex free gloves and then massage it all over. I do the same thing with my tires to avoid over spray on anything.

[BigCars4Ever]

steve ive herd simple green isnt good for alum. any truth to this? i dont really believe it my self.
Simple green is ok on aluminum. It's the citrus cleaners you nead to watch out for. They will turn the aluminum black.

[TCBO1]

Yeah with the tire shine stuff I never spray it directly on the parts, I will spray it on my hand while wearing latex free gloves and then massage it all over. I do the same thing with my tires to avoid over spray on anything. :eek: wow! I'm bord cause that sounds waaaay wrong right now!

[ctrlraven]

Yeah you must be bored to think that. Guess you haven't seen the SNL skit with the Mercury Mistress lol. PM me if you want the link for the video lol.

[JeffGrice]

I use wd40 for the engine bay, wheel wells, anything plastic.

Jeff

[02CVSport]

Instead of wiping off the excess after spraying the aerosol on the engine bay, start the car, close the hood, and let it "bake" on. Looks like the glossy look that dealerships and other detailers get. Been doing this for years with no problems. And it's fast and easy.

[jgc61sr2002]

Instead of wiping off the excess after spraying the aerosol on the engine bay, start the car, close the hood, and let it "bake" on. Looks like the glossy look that dealerships and other detailers get. Been doing this for years with no problems. And it's fast and easy.

Welcome to the MM site.:D:welcome1:

[RoNiN77]

I have the dealer clean my engine bay once yearly, costs me $50 a pop. Well worth it.

[Ross]

Another tip is to coat EVERYTHING in the engine bay w/ Simple Green.

Let it set for about 5 minutes, and completely rinse the bay down w/ a garden hose. Then, dry up the puddles.

This does not make anything shine, but it does make meverything clean and "new" looking.

:up:

KillJoy

Be careful, be very careful. I used to do this, too. Emphasis on USED to. Then I found out that our coil covers aren't all created equal, and that in spite of the gasket under the covers, sometimes water will leak under the covers and get down into the spark plug wells. Replaced a rusty plug (very carefully so as not to get rust particles down into the cylinder), and I don't use a water hose any more.

[eric jones]

I would not use anything that isn't made specifically for engine dressing. As an auto detailer myself, I prefer to use Maguires professional engine dressing. This stuff dries and will not pick up additional dust. As far as using tire dress, I would not do it! Does anyone know what if any long term effects this may have on underhood parts?

[Cordoba1]

After reading the ingredients listed in both under-hood dressings, good ol' Armour All, and tire-shine, I found the are mostly made of the same thing: Silicone. Silicone is inert so it won't hurt plastics, paint, steel, aluminum, or anything else. It might collect some dust so it is wise to wipe up any excess.

[larryo340]

After reading the ingredients listed in both under-hood dressings, good ol' Armour All, and tire-shine, I found the are mostly made of the same thing: Silicone. Silicone is inert so it won't hurt plastics, paint, steel, aluminum, or anything else. It might collect some dust so it is wise to wipe up any excess.

Keyword is "mostly" I will never use Armour All :down: as I know many people have have used it then stopped only to have those areas dry out and turn white.

Just my :twocents: