Engine cleaning 101-B

tint bandit · June 16, 2004

Of coarse we sprayed our waterbased rubber and vinyl dressing and let settle on engine while we detailed it...final step is wipe off access so it has a uniformed sheen and not a oily dust collecting mess :thumb Hackers use solvent based tire dressing thats oily and combustable ...just down right stupid

tint bandit · June 16, 2004

To make the top shine like we did you need to wipe good with a quick detailer and micro ragg...if your vehicle has a black heat shield then you may want to fog it withblack SEM dye if it isnt clean enough for you :thumb We also fog a little engine clear over the intake where we used acid to give a new gleam :thumb

tint bandit · June 16, 2004

Also the fumes from cleaning can be harmful so be sure to use a mask over your nose and mouth as we do :thumb

tint bandit · June 16, 2004

TIP Have you ever wondered why your car shines when wet with water and dull when it drys..Your paint under a 30m microscope will look like a bunch of hills and valleys ..so the light bounces off these unevenly...so when you get the car wet the water fills in these defects and the relection bounces back in a strait line not^~_-^`~`~ understand..when you buff or polish..clay bar... your evening out the paint so the light has a strait path to bouce back and shineeee :thumb Shine 101 :thumb

carwasher · June 16, 2004

looks good tint bandit. We use a similar techniques, but we use a hot water pressure washer.

Heres a tip. When we dress the motor, we probably use more dressing than we really need and coat everything real well. Then we use an airline to blow out any excess that settles in puddles. The motor is finished at this point, no need to spruce up later(except to clean up compounding dust in the jambs)

tint bandit · June 17, 2004

Good tip CW..I stress that to my boys but they always forget so before delivery I end up doing it..What do you use as dressing and what kind of Steam cleaner do you use...I have a 2000.psi cold hot steam from Northern tool..I had a HOTSY when I started and... one great machine for reliability but got stolen after 2 years ...The one I have now is 2 years old and the same machine before it lasted 3 years...we used it constantly..the one I have now is for bad, bad items only...the electric 1600s on each side of the wash pit get all the general purpose use :rollin

carwasher · June 17, 2004

We have a landa 1600 PSI pressure washer. I run water out about 180 degrees. Kind of expensive to run, but I save money on labor. If we do a good job degreasing everything then there is no need to hand clean the motor, door jambs, tires, and wheel wells. About half of the wheels get clean without having to touch them. Good for cleaning mats too

Used to have a Karcher pressure washer. Super high tech thing and would turn on automatically when you squeezed the trigger. Took too long to get parts for so I sold it. New one has run steady for 3 years with annual inspections by a technician.

I use a water based silicone dressing that is made by a local company. It is a white interior dressing that I thin down with water so it isnt greasy on the motor.

tint bandit · June 17, 2004

Landa :lol I hear you money :spit I water down mine too so there isnt so much gloss....I had the Karchers 310.00 a piece and they would last a year and the preasure bypass would wear out....they were the 3 series...now for general use we have a pair of Husky 1600s and they are both going on a year for 169.00 and just bought 2 more for 129.00 clearance for the future...New model is 1700psi and cost 179.00 starting to get close to those Karchers :lol

June 17, 2004

That under the hood before and after shot is like a night and day difference. That water based product you are using wouldn't be z*p best dressed would it?

carwasher · June 17, 2004

Landa I hear you money I water down mine too so there isnt so much gloss....I had the Karchers 310.00 a piece and they would last a year and the preasure bypass would wear out....they were the 3 series...now for general use we have a pair of Husky 1600s and they are both going on a year for 169.00 and just bought 2 more for 129.00 clearance for the future...New model is 1700psi and cost 179.00 starting to get close to those Karchers
My pressure washer was $3500. I got it made with as much stainless steel as possible because they are known to rust. It also came with an undercarriage cleaner. Has 3 nozzles pointing straight up and is on wheels. just roll it back and forth. It has a built in chemical injector so I can shoot degreaser onto undercarriage.

Another custom feature I had made was the wand. It is about 16" long with a slight curve on the end. It also has a swivel built in. That way I can move the water around without trying to move the hose too. awesome for wheel wells and the short size lets you get into door jambs. I'll put a picture up when I have time