Engine detail DIY

been meaning to do a engine detail for a while now, I've never cleaned it since I bought it so that is call it 1.5 years roughly. I don't use water when I detail engines especially on newer cars where there are so many sensors and ecu's etc.

got started

so first thing I did was go around all the nooks and crannies with a cheap hand held steamer. this works pretty good because you can focus the steam and if the area needed a bit more blasting you can hold the trigger down and shoot out a bit of water keeping it away from electrical components. a few microfibers to wipe up the dirt and it comes out looking nice and new;

steamer works well for the intake rubber arm and all of the air box's crevices, shock towers, block, washer bottle, brake master cover, battery, radiator, etc.

next, take a can of foaming tire shine, and start spraying around plastic and rubber areas. also hit things like the power steering rubber line, don't forget the hood dampener too, and valve cover. you don't to saturate the entire thing, just in areas like so:

now with a new microfiber cloth, I sprayed just a bit of tire shine onto the rag. I then used a chepo detailing brush (a small paint brush will work just as good) to work the tire shine in all the little crevices on the plastic covers, inbetween the air box, etc etc kinda like a thin coating. then use the cloth to smooth and make everything nice and even. spray a bit of tire shine onto the rag and go over the hoses. some people may think this makes them dry out and crack but I've been doing this for years and I find it actually keeps the rubber moist and makes it last longer. the upper and lower rad hoses on my 1994 integra which were original looked brand new 20 years later.

as I let that soak in, I turned my attention to the underside of the hood. again, used the steamer, wiped clean with a microfiber, pretty simple. then I took my handy shop vac to the hood lining.

and done! I took a bit of sealant wax to the painted areas under the hood and anywhere I can squeeze my hand into along the sides of the bay like the shock towers and frame rails. you can use a flat head screwdriver around the rag to get into tight to reach spots like around the ABS module and lines.

hopefully the next time I do this there will be a supercharger under there