I know this isn't a Titan, but when I go to trade it in for a Titan, it needs to look well taken care-of. So what do we do about this?? How do I get it nice and clean??

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i131/etalian2005/P1010280.jpg

thanks in advance...

Not so sure that'll matter too much on the trade, they'll probably detail the engine compartment anyway before putting it on the lot. That way it'll look just like my grandma only drove the car to church.... IMO save the time and sweat, just be sure no vital fluids are oozing out of anywhere.

oh, mechanically its taken care of, thanks to the extended warranty to 75,000 miles. which has already paid for itself twice. and the outside is usually quite clean. i just figured if the engine was kept clean, it would like a well taken care of car and would bring a few hundred more for a trade-in...

Not sure, but I'll bet somebody here will get you a definite answer. Best of luck w/ the trade.

thanks. i'm hoping to get my truck for a steal in august, when the '08s are coming in.

I use tire shine, just grab a cheap bottle of the clear stuff, no foam and go to town. Maybe wipe it down with a damp rag to start off with. Doesn't look like you have any mud on there, just some surface dust/dirt. That is basically what the dealers spray on ther, this is what I usually do and works well IMO, good luck

thanks. it only went offroad one time and did not go well. its a 2wd and w/ only 5" of ground clearance in the rear, it did not do so well. its not 5" from the diff, its 5" from where the independent rear suspension joins at the end of the axle. i might try that tomorrow if i have time.

I use Gunk...spray on generously and let sit for about 15 Minutes. Rinse off with cool water. Make sure engine is cool when doing this.

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/185/gunkpn0.jpg

should i have the engine running when i pour the water onto it??

should i have the engine running when i pour the water onto it??

I don't, haven't had a problem yet.

how do you pour it? out of a bucket? or do you just put the hose on low like its raining on it?

how do you pour it? out of a bucket? or do you just put the hose on low like its raining on it?

Just spray it with the hose.

simple green works pretty damn good too.... just make sure you cover all your electrical components, and the such...

The main thing is cover your electronics with saran wrap or the likes. Spray some type of mild degreaser, let it sit, then come back and rinse it off with a low pressure spray of water. Afterwards, I usually let it sit, remove saran wrap, then crank the engine to warm it a little in order to get some of the water to evaporate and blow off. I then take a blower (leaf blower) and blow remaining water out of compartment. Once its dry, I wipe all plastic housings, covers, ect... with a protectant to give it that new shiny look. Its a little work, but it may get you a few hundred bucks on trade, either way you can do the same thing to your Titan and keep it looking great.

well i will clean the Titan much more than this Ford POS. but other than the alternator, what else would i need to cover?

the alternator is the MAIN thing. Its probably overkill, but I always try to cover areas that have electrical connectors that are exposed and such. I actaully wrap the connectors and then wipe them off with a damp rag later on rather than get degreaser or water directly on them. I err on the side of safety and precaution. There are some great tips on engine cleaning on meguiarsonline. c o m. Go to the forums section and find the engine detailing section.

thanks for the info.

i'm going to go and clean it right now. i'm just going to use a damp rag to get the dust off of things. i am just uneasy about pouring water into my engine... i'll post a pic when done.

well here it is, the finally product. all i used were two pairs of old socks, an old dishtowel and an old toothbrush. let me know what you think...

BEFORE:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i131/etalian2005/P1010280.jpg

AFTER:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i131/etalian2005/P1010289.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i131/etalian2005/P1010288.jpg

what do you think?

That really looks excellent. Now don't drive it at all until August, or you'll have to do it all over again. All joking aside, nice work.

Nice job! Can you come clean the engine compartment on my wife's minivan? :)

Jim

not too bad....get you some Meguiars NXT protectant along with an applicater pad and all that plastic housing will come to life!

i really couldn't clean the area around the sparkplugs because i'm scared of the water. it doesnt appear that my exploder is sealed as much as the titan is. too many exposed wires, which is why i didnt use the degreaser. i might buy that before i trade it in so i can use it to keep my titan looking good!! . can i find this at any auto parts store, or do i need to order off of the internet?? thanks guys for all your help...

I know this thread is done, but I gotta drop a line about a new engine cleaner:

Black Magic Degreaser and Shine

Its great because you have to apply this when the engine is warm. I used a cheap auto brand after doing some heavy mudding-didn't even cut the grime. So I switched to the GUNK cleaner-that worked a little but left a majority of the dried dirty mud water on there. Last I tried the Black Magic, WOW, it cut right thru and brought it back to almost new look. I did 2 coats just get it extra clean. That plus your engine needs to be warm, I guess the reactant agent works better than when the engine is cold. Lastly I sprayed on some tire shine to add the "wet" look to all the plastic parts. Is this ok, I dunno, but it looks a hella lot better, IMO happy cleaning

exactly how do you use the Black Magic. is it a spray on - hose off?

simple green works pretty damn good too.... just make sure you cover all your electrical components, and the such...

I know this is an old thread but I'll put my $.02 about Simple Green. I'm done with it on my vehicles. It ate the clear coat off my aluminum brake drum on my Honda Shadow. I've seen it make spots on other aluminum parts too.

i just used the black magic on mine...warmed up the engine sprayed it all over let it sit for 15 minutes and then spray it off with a hose...i like it so far

i think I will use black magic. but i'm still worried about spraying a hose on my engine.

I have heard good things about the Black Magic, I have not try it but will probably soon.

go with the black magic...it is awesome my truck has 20k on it and i am in construction, it was filthy...i sprayed about a half of a can of it on the engine and it looks brand new...amazing i am very happy with it...i was worried about spraying it with water too but i have started it several times with no prob...do it you wont regret it

Heading to go get the Black Magic right now!

i cleaned it by hand today but still havent touched the hoses. i asked to see if the service guys could steam clean the engine and he said that you should only clean it with a damp rag. i tried that today and it is still filthy. should i just pour the water on my engine?? has anybody had any harmful issues w/ this?? what areas should i not get the water near??

i cleaned it by hand today but still havent touched the hoses. i asked to see if the service guys could steam clean the engine and he said that you should only clean it with a damp rag. i tried that today and it is still filthy. should i just pour the water on my engine?? has anybody had any harmful issues w/ this?? what areas should i not get the water near??
Low-pressure water ain't gonna hurt it..don't pour water on your engine though. I'll help you out this weekend get it clean.

http://www.clubtitan.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35236

i cleaned it by hand today but still havent touched the hoses. i asked to see if the service guys could steam clean the engine and he said that you should only clean it with a damp rag. i tried that today and it is still filthy. should i just pour the water on my engine?? has anybody had any harmful issues w/ this?? what areas should i not get the water near??
Low-pressure water ain't gonna hurt it..don't pour water on your engine though. I'll help you out this weekend get it clean.

http://www.clubtitan.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35236

Thanks!!



Thanks!! lol

I used some Black Magic today to clean my engine bay. Work great, minimun work.:D