Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
#1
Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
Hey everyone, I'm trying to get the car ready for Carlise GM Nationals next month and am having a difficult time getting this stuck on dirt removed from the engine bay paint.
So far I have tried:
- washing
- using dirt and grease remover sprays
- steaming and more removers.
- very light compound
Currently using Meguires Compound with a microfiber pad and while it is working, it is very slow progress. Any one use a better method to clean this up?
Thanks.
- Jim
So far I have tried:
- washing
- using dirt and grease remover sprays
- steaming and more removers.
- very light compound
Currently using Meguires Compound with a microfiber pad and while it is working, it is very slow progress. Any one use a better method to clean this up?
Thanks.
- Jim
#2
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Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
I may not have faced anything quite as stubborn. But when I first got my car, the under hood area had been kept clean-ish (like maybe an occasional spray with a garden hose), but had a lot o wax and grease buildup. I first started cleaning with Fantastic, but that was removing a lot of "red" (paint color). So I switched to WD40. It broke up the worst of the grime without issue, didn't remove as much of the old paint/overspray, and left a protective film behind. It did not leave things feeling oily (I didn't use THAT much), and thus did not attract or hold new dirt.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ml#post5819582
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ml#post5819582
#3
Supreme Member
Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
(It may be that the pictures don't represent what you're actually dealing with.)
#4
Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
I may not have faced anything quite as stubborn. But when I first got my car, the under hood area had been kept clean-ish (like maybe an occasional spray with a garden hose), but had a lot o wax and grease buildup. I first started cleaning with Fantastic, but that was removing a lot of "red" (paint color). So I switched to WD40. It broke up the worst of the grime without issue, didn't remove as much of the old paint/overspray, and left a protective film behind. It did not leave things feeling oily (I didn't use THAT much), and thus did not attract or hold new dirt.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ml#post5819582
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ml#post5819582
#5
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Car: 1988 Trans Am
Engine: L03
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 2.73 Open
Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
You are lucky you have paint that durable, and that shines up that well in the engine compartment. Mine is like baked on base coat with very little clear at all. There is no place that it is glossy, and as you may have seen in the link I provided, the color comes off if you are too aggressive cleaning. The engine compartment finish varies quite a bit from year to year, plant to plant, and car to car.
Count you blessings.
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#6
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Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
Looks like overspray. Try a mild solvent. Just keep in mind the paint under the hood is often little more than overspray itself, and often doesn't have a heavy clear coat to seal the base. Meaning, if you get too aggressive you'll remove the base coat and you'll be left with the gray primer.
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DynoDave43 (05-15-2022)
#7
Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
Looks like overspray. Try a mild solvent. Just keep in mind the paint under the hood is often little more than overspray itself, and often doesn't have a heavy clear coat to seal the base. Meaning, if you get too aggressive you'll remove the base coat and you'll be left with the gray primer.
Last edited by CharcoalBird; 05-16-2022 at 07:13 PM.
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#8
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Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
Dirt comes off pretty easily... Except when it's got clear coat overspray on it from a previous bumper cover touch up. It's really common on these cars to have had the bumpers resprayed, and they seldom did a great job masking, afterall "it's just clear". FWIW.
#10
Member
Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
I've had great success using diluted "Totally awesome" cleaner, and grey scotchbrite pads. Wear gloves and just dip the pad in a bowl of cleaner and go to scrubbing. When it's all clean you can use microfibers and some rubbing compound by hand to shine it all back up. I just did some inner fenders on a truck (prepping for a show) and spent about 2.5 hours each on them.
#11
Moderator
Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
That almost looks like a film layer of undercoating. Have you tried using any of the Gunk products? I found the gel engine cleaner did a fantastic job of removing the Rusty Jones beeswax style undercoating on my IROC-Z. If that wouldn't do much, then I'm in agreement with Drew that the dirt has been sealed in by a layer of clear.
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Re: Cleaning hard to remove dirt from engine bay.
Simple green. Spray it on, let it soak, then wipe with a moist terry towel then rinse off.
Badda bing, badda boom.
That stuff will come right off.
Badda bing, badda boom.
That stuff will come right off.
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