engine compartment detailing...a pain in the rear

[chrishicks]

I'm trying to get my engine compartment in my mustang as clean as I can. it has this nasty caked on grime that just doesn't want to give. these are pics of what I started with:

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and these are of my progress so far:




I have some chrome stuff on order but I'm still trying to get it as clean as I can before any of it goes on. I have been using Simple Green like its going out of style and its doing an ok job but I need better results. I'm thinking I may try a steam cleaning next. I'm thinking I may try to repaint the engine compartment(I'll just buy an airbrush kit or something) but I'm thinking about all the taping I'll be doing and thats swaying me a bit towards not doing it. I need to repaint all my a/c lines because they aren't looking so good. basically for the moment though, I am not going to quit until I get every bit of that gunk you can see in the pics(the dark crap on the red) out of the engine bay.

anyone have any tips on how I can get this nasty stuff off for good?

 

[98stangv8]

not bad, but you still have a long way to go...

take off the pulley on the front right there...get rid of that rust and repaint.
repaint all the red on the inside...just get some spray duplicolor...won't be "perfect" but it will be a ton better than you have now..

get the rust off that chrome bar in front of the distributor...repaint

repaint the black bar to the right of that...

do something with the radiator...put some black paint on there..

you just have to start painting everything...top of the struts...everything....it will get there:

 

[wytstang]

Before you start cleaning it start the engine. Leave o for maybe a minute to help heat some of the gunk making easier to clean off. Also head to the parts store and pick up a Nylon parts cleaning brush, it help you get into small spaces. Cover all electriacal items i.e coil, dizzy, alt., fuse box, etc, etc, plastic bags usiong rubber bands to keep them in places works great. Spray down the motor with a good all purpose cleaner perferable one safe on paint. Let it sit for a few minutes then start from the bottom up. After you're done scrubing down hose it off, carefully remove the plascit bags (don't want h2o sliding right were you didn't want to). Start the car so the heat will help the dryng process move along quicker. If your going to use a protectant recover the electrial items once more. I would use a water based dressing and not silicone(sp?) based dressing for this. Water based will dry to the touch so it doesn't become a dirt magnet. A cheap water based dressing it Armor All Original. Good luck.

 

[shallowreef]

God i love that pic.

 

[glowstang93]

Keep up the good work, you'll get there. I have had mine from the get go, almost 13 yrs now, and its still a challenge to keep her clean.
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