How To Detail Your Lexus Engine

Matthew_McNally · July 18, 2004

"Engine detailing is nothing more than cleaning the exterior of the engine... and applying dressing... "

Did you know a detailed engine increases the resale value of your car? It's a well known fact that people who take the time and effort to detail their engines also take better care of their cars. Mechanics, too, realize that a clean engine belongs to someone who cares for their car, and they will take the time to do the repair or service work correctly.

Engine detailing is nothing more than cleaning the exterior of the engine and the engine compartment, and applying dressing to protect and beautify the engine. It's very easy to do, and requires no more than 45 minutes to and hour every couple of months.

A beautifully detailed engine, like this one, is crisp, sharp and neat. This engine compartment is as tidy as the rest of the car. The attention to detail is excellent and it shows.

GETTING STARTED

The first step in cleaning your engine is to remove the excess debris that gets trapped in your hood, grill, and vent openings. This is particularly true if you live in an area with four seasons. If you have compressed air available, this is the best way to remove old leaves, dead cats, and such. If you don't, a simple hand brush will suffice.

The next very important step is to prepare your engine for getting wet. You must cover all sensors, the distributor, spark plug openings and any electrical devices that have the potential for water accumulation (which could cause a short). Use plastic bags to cover these items. Be sure to use tape or rubber bands to hold the plastic bags in place. You're only trying to prevent the majority of the water from getting in; it does not need to be watertight. The engine environment should already be waterproof. The bags are just a precaution.

To loosen the grease accumulated on your engine and the engine compartment, start your engine and allow it to warm for a few minutes. The best temperature for cleaning your engine is warm to the touch, but not hot. If you're able to hold your hand to the engine without saying "ouch", then the temperature is just about right.

Aluminum foil is an excellent tool to use to protect engine components. This works for spray cleaning, painting and washing. The aluminum foil is easily molded around parts to keep them masked. Since the foil fits tightly it doesn't hamper your view or make it hard to get into tight spots. It's faster and cheaper to use than tape and fits around odd shapes better than rags or paper.

APPLYING DEGREASER

After warming the engine and protecting sensitive areas, you're ready to apply your engine degreaser. Although quick and easy, I warn people against the frequent use of petroleum based cleaners in the engine compartment. They quickly cut though grease and grime, but they can deteriorate your rubber and vinyl components. As an alternative, use a citrus-based cleaners and detergents. Try Autoglym Engine Cleaner

Holly is using a degreaser on the top side of her engine. After allowing it to soak for a few minutes, she will use a brush to agitate and loosen heavy grease and stubborn dirt.

When applying your engine degreaser, it's best to start from the lower areas and work your way up. This prevents the degreaser from dripping on you as you clean the underside areas. One important thing to remember: the engine degreaser will remove the wax from the painted surfaces of your car. If you get degreaser over-spray on your fenders, plan on re-waxing these areas.

When you have applied your engine degreaser, be sure to wash any excess cleaner from the exterior painted surfaces of the fenders, hood and grill. I like to spray these areas with water first.

Depending on the amount of accumulated grease, allow the degreaser to soak on the engine for three to five minutes. Do not allow the degreaser to dry on your engine. For light to mild levels of grease, you will not need to use a brush on the engine and other surfaces. For heavy soil, you can use a long handled brush (parts brush) and car wash solution to provide additional cleaning action prior to hosing off the degreaser.

Holly uses a small parts brush to get into cracks and around parts. If your engine compartment has a heavy accumulation of dirt, you may need to spray cleaner, brush and rinse several times.

HOSING OFF

When you are ready to remove the degreaser, hose down the entire engine compartment and surrounding surfaces with plenty of water. If you're using a high-pressure nozzle, be careful that you don't get the nozzle too close to the covered electrical connectors. Allow your engine to air-dry for several minutes before proceeding to use a towel to wipe down all accessible parts. Remove the plastic bags. The heat from the engine will assist in the drying process; however, do not allow the engine to air dry, as this will result in water spots. When dry, start your engine and allow it to run for a few minutes.

Rinse with a stiff stream of water to remove as much or the grease and grime as possible. Be sure to avoid electrical connections and other sensitive areas. After rinsing, start the engine immediately. Allow it to run for about five minutes to help dry things out.

PROTECT & BEAUTIFY

When everything is dry and your engine has cooled, you should apply a coating of rubber and vinyl protectant to your hoses, wires, and plastic shields. To add a quick shine and protection to the painted surfaces in the engine compartment, use a high quality detailing spray. I like Sonus Acrylic Spritz. Just spray it on all surfaces, and wipe off the excess with a clean terry cloth towel.

After drying the engine, Holly sprayed all of the rubber hoses and plastic parts with rubber & vinyl protectant. 303 Aerospace Protectant and Einszett Tiefenfleger are both great choices. For long-lasting protection, use Wurth Rubber Care.

SUMMARY

Many car enthusiasts find that detailing their engine is the just the beginning of a long road of engine beautification. Other embellishments include polishing aluminum parts, painting key parts with bright colors, and adding chrome. Whatever you choose, make it your style and have fun.