Engine Detail of my 2003 Mach 1, F21 Reviewed....PICS!

[04sleeper]

I couldn't find the tire spray, but I found some of this instead:

Is this basically the same stuff or should I return it and look around more for the tire spray in the can?

I used the stuff in the can when I did mine. It foams instead of just spraying.

I would return it and keep looking.

 

[emig5m]

I'm going to do that then since I have today off work.

 

[LTHL SVT]

The battery should be fine to get wet and the fuse box is covered. The alternator is located on the bottom of the engine anyway so it gets wet just hitting a puddle or driving in the rain. All should be OK for water. If engines were that sensitive to water then the OEM's would have the bottom of the engine bay sealed up.

With that being said, I would not use a power washer to handle the cleaning. It is not the same as a light rinse with a garden hose. That should be all that is really needed to keep things clean. If your engine is so bad that you need to pressure wash it to get the grime off then a clean engine is the least of your worries. Just my $.02

What do you suggest as a de-greaser to use? Is simple green the best choice or anything else you suggest?

 

[04sleeper]

What do you suggest as a de-greaser to use? Is simple green the best choice or anything else you suggest?

I used Gunk Foamy Engine Brite.

 

[Kevin the Clean 1]

.

 

[BlueSS]

In the process of doing this right now! :beer:

 

[BlueSS]

Figured I'd Give It A Try, Results Ended Up So Good That I Did My Dad's Car Too! Took Me Only About 20 Minutes A Car :rockon:

 

[66temp]

Awesome KissMySVT!!! Glad to be of assistance to you all :coolman: I just did a final detail (at least for a little while) on my motor before I go to UCF on Friday, and here is how it turned out....

 

[inferno03]

this is the thread i've been looking for. thanks for all of the advice, i'm gonna clean my engine this weekend. You are my hero 66temp!

 

[SIr RicCuS]

Very nice write-up! That's exactly what everyone tells me to do, but I haven't gotten around to doing it thus far... Looks great! :beer:

 

[trottlebody]

How well would Simple Green work???

 

[Kevin the Clean 1]

This Article Should Really Really Be A Sticky For This Forum... ! ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

 

[topless_sn8k]

Nice, I'm trying this: this weekend!!!

 

[OldTimer]

This looks so easy that I will try it this weekend. Since so many guys have advocated Simple Green I bought some to degrease as I do have a little build up from when I had a breather on my passenger side valve cover. So help out a first-timer here... is this a good 10-Step sequence?

1. Warm up engine for say 15 minutes?
2. Wrap exposed air filter with plastic.
2. Lightly spray some water on the engine.
3. Spray on the Simple Green and let sit for 5 minutes?
4. Use a parts brush to help loosen caked on gunk.
5. Lightly rinse with a garden hose.
6. Blow off excess water with a air hose or a leaf vacuum.
7. Apply the F21 on all exposed surfaces and close the hood.
8. After 15-20 minutes open the hood and wipe down everything.
9. Touch up areas with a rag and F21 sprayed onto it.
10. Re-start the engine to make sure all is well .

I'm not nuts about the concept of using a water powerspray (mine is 2600 psi) on an engine that might not like water forced into too many crevices... but that's just me. I had read where several guys have used their leaf blowers to blow out all the water. Typically, these blowers crank out 150-200 mph breeze that will evacuate almost any/all water droplets. My concern is obviously the plugs and coils... anyone want to comment on that?

 

[texaswrx]

Your steps look good to me. I use my compressor to clean up after. I am fortunate in that my car is not daily driven and the water hose works fine for me.

 

[texaswrx]

Here is an ok picture of my engine bay to get an idea

 

[sikklightning04]

I did this yesterday after seeing this thread, worked well. I didnt use any water or Simple green or degreaser at all. I used a wet large towel, wiped everthing i could. Used F21, light coat over all plastics, let it sat for approx. 30 sec and wiped it off. Worked well.

 

[sikklightning04]

As far as a leaf blower, i wouldn't do that. A compressor and avoid anything that could easily be damaged. DUH! Think of it as you wouldn't want to do anything that wouldn't happen during normal driving conditions.

 

[03ShadowMach1]

I did this over the weekend with my Mach. The engine has never been cleaned and the car has about 54,xxx on it.

I let the degreaser sit for about 10 minutes, then used soap and water, then used the F21 and let it sit for about 15 minutes. I was amazed, the engine looks almost brand new.

Pics to come soon...

 

[zeus201]

Any tips if your engine is powder coated black :shrug: ? I would really hate to ruin the coating.

BTW, awesome pics of all the detailed engines.