engine compartment detailing

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I have a 2014 ford fusion, and would like to do some engine compartment detailing. I seem to remember reading some time back that you should NEVER use anything containing silicone ANYWHERE under the hood on modern cars due to it messing up some sensors. Is this true? If so, what is the best product for detailing, and shining up the engine compartment?
 
On a cool engine, I spray with meguiars all purpose cleaner let it dwell for a minute or two and then power wash it off. I will then look for grease spots and reapply the all purpose cleaner and use a brush to get anything I missed. Once everything is clean, I usually shut the hood and let it air dry why I do the rest of the car. Right before I'm done with the car, I give everything under the hood a good soaking of Stoners "Trim Shine". 10 minutes later, your engine will look great and it's water based so it won't hurt anything!
 
Originally Posted By: wn1998
On a cool engine, I spray with meguiars all purpose cleaner let it dwell for a minute or two and then power wash it off. I will then look for grease spots and reapply the all purpose cleaner and use a brush to get anything I missed. Once everything is clean, I usually shut the hood and let it air dry why I do the rest of the car. Right before I'm done with the car, I give everything under the hood a good soaking of Stoners "Trim Shine". 10 minutes later, your engine will look great and it's water based so it won't hurt anything!



So the Stoners Trim Shine has no silicone then?
 
I do remember for rubber parts such as O-rings you only wanted to use specific lubes so that it either won't eat away or swell the o-ring. I'm not sure which chemical that was. Regardless you for sure wouldn't not want any shiny after dressing underneath the hood. That's simply because it will just attract and coalesce dirt.

Basic degreaser and a nylon paint brush worked fine on 3 cars I engine clean. Yes if you clean up aluminum or worn rubber parts it can leave water like spots. That is not a fault of the degreaser, but of hard water + degreaser. Also it is easily 'polished' away with aluminum polish or 303/FluidFilm on rubber parts.
 
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Simple Green works well.


Just make sure it's Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner and Degreaser if the engine is aluminum. The Pro HD formula is better for metal. Simple Green original formula can discolor aluminum.

303 works well on the engine after it's cleaned and dry. Spray it on a cool dry engine, let it sit about 2 hours and blot off any puddles of the material, then take it for a ride. It works very well.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Simple Green works well.


Just make sure it's Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner and Degreaser if the engine is aluminum. The Pro HD formula is better for metal. Simple Green original formula can discolor aluminum.

303 works well on the engine after it's cleaned and dry. Spray it on a cool dry engine, let it sit about 2 hours and blot off any puddles of the material, then take it for a ride. It works very well.


So are you saying that the 303 does not have silicone, or that silicone doesn't hurt anything?
 
Originally Posted By: old1
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Simple Green works well.


Just make sure it's Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner and Degreaser if the engine is aluminum. The Pro HD formula is better for metal. Simple Green original formula can discolor aluminum.

303 works well on the engine after it's cleaned and dry. Spray it on a cool dry engine, let it sit about 2 hours and blot off any puddles of the material, then take it for a ride. It works very well.


So are you saying that the 303 does not have silicone, or that silicone doesn't hurt anything?


No silicone. Buster commented here, http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4089305/2 and provided this link, http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/303-aerospace-protectant-cat19.html I tried it too, it worked well.
 
I use Simple Green HD to clean. Then I use a leaf blower to dry everything. After drying,I use Eagle One Nano Wax to detail it. Protectants will attract dust and dirt like a magnet under there so I stopped using them.
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I use Simple Green HD to clean. Then I use a leaf blower to dry everything. After drying,I use Eagle One Nano Wax to detail it. Protectants will attract dust and dirt like a magnet under there so I stopped using them.


I haven't had that problem, yet. Last oil change I did after I had everything buttoned up, I took my air hose with the air gun and blew the dust and junk off the engine, battery, fuse block, etc. The dust came right off.
 
The dealership 'detailed' the engine of a CP0 Fusion I bought a while back. Everything was nice and black and shiny (and a little greasy) when I brought it home. 1,000 miles later, it had a coat of brown Texas dust stuck to everything.

No thanks. Simple Green, soak a while, rinse with garden hose, compressed air to get the standing water out of the nooks and crannies, and a wipe down. No goo to attract dust.
 
Whatever you do I always start the engine right after and drive it on the highway with the ac on then mix in some heat soaking idling so all the water dries off. You want that thing DRY before you park it.
 
I make sure the engine is cool to the touch (usually let it sit for 10-15 minutes with the hood up after driving). Then I spray liberaly with an All purpose cleaner (I use meguiars D101) and I let it dwell for a few minutes. I pressure wash it off and take a look. I will re-apply more D101 and use a soft brush where needed then rinse again with the pressure washer.

Sometimes once I'm done, I close the hood and just apply trim shine an hour later or if I need it done ASAP, I use a leaf blower to dry it a bit and then add my trim shine. That's it!
 
Once the engine is clean and dry, I've found nothing as good as Surf City Garage Beyond Black Dressing. Yes, it was designed for tire sidewalls but I spray it on everything in the engine bay. It dries down to sutle, gleam.
 
Originally Posted By: old1
I have a 2014 ford fusion, and would like to do some engine compartment detailing. I seem to remember reading some time back that you should NEVER use anything containing silicone ANYWHERE under the hood on modern cars due to it messing up some sensors. Is this true? If so, what is the best product for detailing, and shining up the engine compartment?


If you Google "Silicone Sensor Contamination" there seems to be lots of references of O2 sensor fouling by non sensor safe silicone RTV gasket use. The use of silicone rubber dressing in the engine department causing sensor problems is debated, and most do not think it is a problem.

I do not understand the statements here that Aerospace 303 contains no silicones. It IS water based. But no silicone???? Anyone care to explain?

I have not had any sensor problems using silicone dressings moderately under the hood.

I also endorse demarpaint's recommendation to use Simple Green Pro HD (Homedepot). It is the same formula as their Aviation Simple Green and is safer on all metals, plastics, and rubbers.
 
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