Thread: Engine clean
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Old 9th September 2019, 08:23 AM
MikkiJayne MikkiJayne is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2012
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I do, although I usually take the engine out to do it!

I will start off with a degreaser - usually brake cleaner in a pressure-spray bottle. That gets off oil and the black tar-like dirt which accumulates on oil leaks. Soft-tipped paintbrushes or wheel cleaning brushes help to agitate and remove the dirt. I try and avoid plastics with the degreaser - thats just for the engine block and paintwork.

(tip - not sure about D3, but late D2s are not lacquered under the bonnet to save money. Avoid commercial tar and glue remover in this case as it will dissolve the paint too! Stick to naptha-based brake cleaner)

Once the oil is off I'll rinse down with water from a spray bottle which takes off most of the bigger chunks, then use a waterless shampoo, again with a soft brush to agitate the corners or grubby bits. Once this is worked in and had time to sit, rinse again and they dry with a microfibre. Repeat for any stubborn dirt.

Finally, I'll spray with a sealant to give the paintwork a degree of protection against future muck and buff with a microfibre.

For plastics I clean and protect with Autoglym Instant Tyre Dressing (really). Spray it on and work in with a paint brush and then wipe off with a microfibre or blow dry with compressed air. The first step will take the dirt off, then a second application can be buffed with a clean microfibre to leave a nice even surface.

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