Detailing Engine

[overhere]

Hey, hoping for some advice. My 1999 450 is beautiful :-) but the engine, which runs great, looks pretty dingey. I want to clean and shine up the plenum, rocker covers and alternator. They are aluminium, same as the exaust maifolds on my Golf VR6 so I've been trying stuff on the Golf firt, Gunk, Wonder Wheels, and a scouring pad but hard work and not comming up well. Does anyone know something that works well to clean and make shiny this kind of knarled aluminium?

Appricate any advice

JC

[Sharky500]

Cillit Bang Degreaser (seiously), a toothbrush, stack of jeycloths, and loads of elbowgrease. My plenum and other ali bits came up really well.

[ghouly boy]

For the 'dull' aluminium (plenum, alternator, etc) I used an electric drill with a soft wire cup brush and also a plastic brush that fitted in the drill. For the shiny stuff (swirl pot, etc) I again used a drill but this time with a polishing mop attachment. Gave up with the manifolds after several attempts and just got them ceramic coated! Autosol metal polish also worked OK on the areas I couldn't get the flexible head of my drill too.

[macdeb]

I found best way is to strip off from car what you want to polish. Flat back with differing grades of wet and dry, then polish up with proper mops. For aftercare just use clean cotton cloth and try and keep dry after washing. If you need to further polish after time use 'ALU belgom'. It's a fine cream that isn't as abbrasive as solvol autosol so will not dull the finish.
Hope this helps.
MAC.

Edited by macdeb on Tuesday 12th September 11:35

[overhere]

Excellent, thanks for all the replies, as I thought; it looks like elbow grease may be the most important ingredient. I thought about a drill/wire brush but it’s difficult to get it onto the back and sides of the rocker covers. I’ll give it a go.

Also, on the ceramic coating of the exhaust, how do I get that done? Can I take the car somewhere or do the manifolds have to come off?

Thanks again!

[ghouly boy]

I used a flexible drive attachment on the drill to get to a lot of the places, about £30 or so from places like Machine Mart. Taking stuff off can be easier, it depends on the item and if you can remember where it goes back!
The manifolds have to come off to have them ceramic coated. Camcoat in Warrington did mine, I wrapped them up, they arranged collection and sent them back a couple of weeks later. About £350 all in I recall (for the two manifolds and y-piece), but in addition to the permanent shinyness, the Cermakrome coating stops the manifilds getting so hot and reduces under bonnet temperature a fair bit. They also cool down much faster.

[tvrchim]

macdeb said:

I found best way is to strip off from car what you want to polish. Flat back with differing grades of wet and dry, then polish up with proper mops. For aftercare just use clean cotton cloth and try and keep dry after washing. If you need to further polish after time use 'ALU belgom'. It a fine cream that isn't as abbrasive as solvol autosol so will not dull the finish.
Hope this helps.
MAC.

Might have guessed you would be replying to this one Mac right up your alley

[macdeb]

Just tryin' to do my bit, man. [got a couple of fingerprints back now too]

[tvrchim]

macdeb said:

Just tryin' to do my bit, man. [got a couple of fingerprints back now too]

No sign of your nemesis Schimg i thought Steve would have posted as well seeing as he is the trophy winner .

P.S Hows the you have told everyone i presume.

[macdeb]

He is probably to busy polishing trophy now. [ill gotten gains] As for wibbly wobblies,,,, still black, still sore and definately out of action for a while. Off now to sit on that nice soft cushion.

Edited by macdeb on Wednesday 13th September 08:43

[jagman]

How far are you from Sandhurst ? If not far, don't waste your valuable off duty time !
Remove the parts you want polished and take them to Peter Sturgess at PJS Polishing. Peter is a craftsman polisher and there are very few of those about ! He will achieve unbelieavable results for you for extremely reasonable cost.
Use the time saved to drive your TVR (or to earn more money to buy upgrades for the car) !!

Best Regards Chas