Armor All your Engine Bay

Jim 5 · Mar 12, 2006

I found this link somewhere and thought you guys might find it interesting. I have to say the engine bay looks pretty good afterwards!

http://www.apexcone.com/JimPowellHomepage/TechProcedures/EngineBayCleaning/ArmorAll.html

Brian Miller_dup1 · Mar 12, 2006

I use diluted Simple Green, and finish up with a coating of 303.

Keeps everything nice and clean.

Brian

ScottB · Mar 12, 2006

Try silicone spray on the hoses/rubber next time - lasts longer, and doesn't attract as much dirt.

Scott

wavinwayne · Mar 12, 2006

Here's what one of Armor All's evil cousins does for my wife's Expedition:

ScottB · Mar 12, 2006

Man. Remember when engines used to be something to look at?
These days, they're just plain *****.
And...you can't even work on most of the parts to boot.

Scott

Shannow · Mar 12, 2006

I've bought a few cars from dealers with something like armorall sprayed liberally on the engine.

Months later, anll the exposed (hot) metal is pitted

robbobster · Mar 12, 2006

Armor All attracts dust.

I use Lemon-fresh Pledge furnuture polish on underhood plastic/rubber and my interior. Repels dust so things look clean longer.

AcuraTech · Mar 13, 2006

Im gonna disagree with Armor All on the engine bay. They do that to all the used cars where I work and it leaves a nasty greasy coating on everything and it attracts dust. If you are trying to work on anything underhood it is all slippery and leaves a nasty residue on your hands. I am a fan of just cleaning the engine bay with some engine foamy bright and rinsing well. Leaves a nice clean look.

michaelc80 · Mar 13, 2006

I have to agree with AcuraTech. I hate the glossy slimey look of Armor All. The stuff seems to get all over your hands and attracts dust like a magnet. Even their low-gloss version leave a slimey film and seems to attract dust.

If I were to use something I'd use 303.

ShortBuSX · Mar 13, 2006

Armor All is the absolute WORST thing to use...its oil base will turn brown in a short matter of time...use only water based products.

DakAttack · Mar 13, 2006

Would you guys recommend any aerosol spray for the engine compartment? like TrimShine ..http://www.trimshine.com/
or what about any type of tire foam? like STp one step tire care?. thanks!!

asiancivicmaniac · Mar 13, 2006

quote:

Originally posted by ShortBuSX:
Armor All is the absolute WORST thing to use...its oil base will turn brown in a short matter of time...use only water based products.

Armor All has been water based for a couple of years now. If your bottle is a milky color then it's water based. If it's clear then it is silicone based.

Hirev · Mar 14, 2006

I stopped using armor all in the early 80s for good reason it turned rubber brown in time and attracted dust. armor all is nothing I would use on a car I was going to keep for some time.

Racerjk · Mar 14, 2006

Armor All is much improved now!! It's not like it used to be!

The CD2 Engine Detailer is some good stuff if you can still get it.

Hirev · Mar 15, 2006

quote:

Originally posted by Racerjk:
Armor All is much improved now!! It's not like it used to be!

Kind of reminds me of that old saying "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me"

Racerjk · Mar 16, 2006

Well, the folks over at www.autopia.org don't seem to be too scared of Armor All.

Alan · Mar 16, 2006

I clean my engine bays often and use Megeuirs Quik Detailer as a dress up.Very OEM looking.

C.S. · Mar 17, 2006

Rubber turns brown all on its own, doesn't need any help.

I spritz my plastic under-hood parts with Armor-All a couple of times a year (and brush everything off with a soft pig-bristle 3" paint brush at every oil change), and spray the wheel wells with Son-of-a-Gun (cheaper than A-A) after every wash, both look new.

Two time national champion Probe GT at the National Probe Owners Network meet.

sxg6 · Mar 17, 2006

true, but using oil based products on rubber will accelerate the process

Tyson-53 · Mar 17, 2006

amour all is water based now...will not do any damage to rubber....and will not collect dust either...the older versions that were a solvent and silicone base were oily greasy...

another way to make the engine compartment shine is to use Johnson's Future floor wax and a water mix...it is a acrylic sealer and drys bone dry and with a nice shine ..and lasts....

take a 16oz spray bottle and add 4 ozs of Future and 12 oz of water....

you can get the Future at wally world or any Ace hardware it's about 6.00 and will make a gallon or more of nice engine spray...

Armor All your Engine Bay

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