Engine Bay Detailing
Discussion
Anybody got any tips or can point me at any previous threads showing what can be done and how. And I suppose just as important - what NOT.
When I say detailing, I don't mean chroming everything in sight. I've no plans to go getting all lax power in there, I'm not even a big fan of coloured silicone pipes etc. but after having a play polishing the alternator guard last night I'm willing to bet there are a few more bits which can have this treatment without getting all blingy.
Why is it, no matter how I type this, I still sound like a Saxo boy visiting the Griff forum
When I say detailing, I don't mean chroming everything in sight. I've no plans to go getting all lax power in there, I'm not even a big fan of coloured silicone pipes etc. but after having a play polishing the alternator guard last night I'm willing to bet there are a few more bits which can have this treatment without getting all blingy.
Why is it, no matter how I type this, I still sound like a Saxo boy visiting the Griff forum
scooter hooter saxo boyI was retensioning the alternator after removing it to fit the manifolds and while I was chatting to a neighbour who 'dropped in' I stood and scrubbed the guard with wire wool and solvol. It was OK but not great so I thought I'd play with the polishing kit I bought at the Classic Car show last Nov.
Staggering is the word. Dusty is another!
But just using 3 polishing mops and wax in the drill for about an hour has brought the guard up like its been chromed.
It got me thinking there must be other stuff I can polish - swirl pot is the obvious one but I think the water pump can be too. I've seen the ads for the engine bay dress up bolt kits but I'm too tight to pay that much for a few bolts, then again, I've already replaced the chassis cross member bolts in the engine bay with stainless ones I bought locally.
I was also thinking there are probably some things you shouldn't polish like pulleys.
Anodising is an interesting option. I'm sure someone at the Growl last year had lots of stuff anodised. I'll look into that - Ta.
I suppose the only thing is I don't want to be pulling stuff off the engine then waiting weeks for it to be returned.
So if I could do it myself, or replace it with something already done it would be a grand idea.
I searched for engine+bay+detailing and engine+polish but didn't really find anything which I find surprising.
Oh yes, here's a question for you. Is it worth the effort to polish stainless steel manifolds? I also cleaned them last night, mainly because they had cruddy marks/paint/finger prints etc which I didn't want to bond on when I run the engine up to temp.
Staggering is the word. Dusty is another!
But just using 3 polishing mops and wax in the drill for about an hour has brought the guard up like its been chromed.
It got me thinking there must be other stuff I can polish - swirl pot is the obvious one but I think the water pump can be too. I've seen the ads for the engine bay dress up bolt kits but I'm too tight to pay that much for a few bolts, then again, I've already replaced the chassis cross member bolts in the engine bay with stainless ones I bought locally.
I was also thinking there are probably some things you shouldn't polish like pulleys.
Anodising is an interesting option. I'm sure someone at the Growl last year had lots of stuff anodised. I'll look into that - Ta.
I suppose the only thing is I don't want to be pulling stuff off the engine then waiting weeks for it to be returned.
So if I could do it myself, or replace it with something already done it would be a grand idea.
I searched for engine+bay+detailing and engine+polish but didn't really find anything which I find surprising.
Oh yes, here's a question for you. Is it worth the effort to polish stainless steel manifolds? I also cleaned them last night, mainly because they had cruddy marks/paint/finger prints etc which I didn't want to bond on when I run the engine up to temp.
Edited by barreti on Wednesday 14th February 12:08
barreti said:
Oh yes, here's a question for you. Is it worth the effort to polish stainless steel manifolds? I also cleaned them last night, mainly because they had cruddy marks/paint/finger prints etc which I didn't want to bond on when I run the engine up to temp.
Edited by barreti on Wednesday 14th February 12:08
My brother has stainless manifolds on his kit car, which he spent ages polishing to a high shine (Dax wanted a fortune to supply them polished - afterwards he understood why!). They do tend to colour from the heat (quite pretty I think) so he tends to repolish them periodically.
(Well, he did until he bought a house with his fiancee - now the poor guy is too busy decorating to have the time to play cars............)
Barretti
Polish the Plenum, swirl pot, anything that's alloy, etc.
Polish and paint the rockers.
Get a chromed flame trap, oil filter cover, coil cover, etc. - quite inexpensive!
Fit Black silicone hoses and nice broad S/S clips.
Fit new set of HT leads,
Replace bolts with S/S bolts.
Chrome or powder-coat pulleys, etc.
Use ties and clips to tidy up all wires and leads.
Everything else just give a good clean
Most of all keep it tasteful (no gawdy colours)and don't forget to drive it.
Rob
Polish the Plenum, swirl pot, anything that's alloy, etc.
Polish and paint the rockers.
Get a chromed flame trap, oil filter cover, coil cover, etc. - quite inexpensive!
Fit Black silicone hoses and nice broad S/S clips.
Fit new set of HT leads,
Replace bolts with S/S bolts.
Chrome or powder-coat pulleys, etc.
Use ties and clips to tidy up all wires and leads.
Everything else just give a good clean
Most of all keep it tasteful (no gawdy colours)and don't forget to drive it.
Rob
Hi
You can get a nice chrome oil filter cover from Europa for around 13 quid. Also a chrome coil cover and bracket for around a fiver. If you don't want to change all your bolts in the engine bay you can get chrome covers from Demon Tweeks, etc.
It's all a bit sad but as long as you drive it lots as well it's forgivable.
Roberto
You can get a nice chrome oil filter cover from Europa for around 13 quid. Also a chrome coil cover and bracket for around a fiver. If you don't want to change all your bolts in the engine bay you can get chrome covers from Demon Tweeks, etc.
It's all a bit sad but as long as you drive it lots as well it's forgivable.
Roberto
Ballistic Banana said:
just rip the plastic cover of and give it a good buffing oo err, the same can be done with the oil filler cap too.
BB
BB
What
you mean they are metal underneath but just plastic coated 
I admit I quite like the orange oil filler but that ugly breather has been hacking me off for ages.
Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow then. Thanks BB
barreti said:
Ballistic Banana said:
just rip the plastic cover of and give it a good buffing oo err, the same can be done with the oil filler cap too.
BB
BB
What
you mean they are metal underneath but just plastic coated I admit I quite like the orange oil filler but that ugly breather has been hacking me off for ages.
Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow then. Thanks BB
You're talking about this fella:
pic from LR Direct
I painted mine in aluminium spray, looks quite nice (that's not it btw!). I'm surprised the Rimmer ones don't fit, they are for later rocker covers.
Edited by victormeldrew on Thursday 15th February 23:15
Jeez give me rat-rods & rat-bikes everytime 
Roberto Rica said:
Hi
You can get a nice chrome oil filter cover from Europa for around 13 quid. Also a chrome coil cover and bracket for around a fiver. If you don't want to change all your bolts in the engine bay you can get chrome covers from Demon Tweeks, etc.
It's all a bit sad but as long as you drive it lots as well it's forgivable.
Roberto
You can get a nice chrome oil filter cover from Europa for around 13 quid. Also a chrome coil cover and bracket for around a fiver. If you don't want to change all your bolts in the engine bay you can get chrome covers from Demon Tweeks, etc.
It's all a bit sad but as long as you drive it lots as well it's forgivable.
Roberto
Rob
I couldnt see the chrome oil filter cover on their website - what section is it under mate?
ta
G
barreti said:
Oh yes, here's a question for you. Is it worth the effort to polish stainless steel manifolds? I also cleaned them last night, mainly because they had cruddy marks/paint/finger prints etc which I didn't want to bond on when I run the engine up to temp.
Edited by barreti on Wednesday 14th February 12:08
I've got ACT stainless manifolds on my Chim and periodically (read when I can be bothered) polish them up with Autosol. They do look look but do also tarnish very quickly with the heat so if you want to keep them shiny you'll need to do this often. You'll also end up a very grazed knuckles etc as getting to all the manifold can be a PITA.
If you want to see what can be polished/done to a V8 engine get in touch with MrSheen (Andy Hills) and ask him to post a pic of the engine bay from his concours V8S. I do have a pic but it's on my home PC.
Edited as I've found a couple of his pics -
Edited by zippee on Friday 16th February 12:26
barreti said:
.....Anodising is an interesting option. I'm sure someone at the Growl last year had lots of stuff anodised. I'll look into that - Ta.
I suppose the only thing is I don't want to be pulling stuff off the engine then waiting weeks for it to be returned.
I suppose the only thing is I don't want to be pulling stuff off the engine then waiting weeks for it to be returned.
Edited by barreti on Wednesday 14th February 12:08
Apparently you can anodise at home but it may not be to a great standard and sounds like a right pain in the...to do.
I'm talking anodising stuff silver (aluminium coloured - funnily enough) or black - not loads of colours.
Just prefer the classy clean and tidy look to the bling of Chrome/stainless.
If I had stainless anything, I'd want it powder coated or bead blasted matt or brushed...not polished.
Just my taste though.
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