Engine Cleaning

[ZRGator]

After doing an Advance Search for this topic and coming up with nothing, I think it's time to talk about how to clean a ZR-1 engine.

I haven't found the basic idiot's guide to cleaning the engine and I'm in need of one. Maybe some others are too.

So come on, guys....how about some detailed reports on how to clean it up. Since my '93 is the newest Vette I've ever owned, I was stunned to find out you can't hose down the engine or you risk shorting out the starter which appears to be a multi-buck fix.

So let's hear some solutions and advice on how to clean the engine...:happy1:

[Dylan@Adams]

Typically most newer engine bays are fairly safe to take a very light mist with the hose, but I have heard the early 90-ish vettes don't like water too much.

First off how dirty are we talking?? Are we talking little bit of dust/dirt, little bit of grime, or full blown looks like I drove thru a swamp with the hood off?

For light dirt and grime use a very dilluted mixture of APC and water in a sprayer, this allows you to control where the cleaner goes and keep it away from sensitive components. I would even say to go so far as throwing a plastic bag over anything you think might be an issue if it were to get wet. It goes without saying start with a cool engine... don't go banzai 500 miles and immediately pop the hood and go to work.

Spray anything that needs a little help getting clean, agitate with a boars hair brush, and using another sprayer with clean water, spray it off, then dry the area (either with a towel or using compressed air. Work methodically in small sections to make sure you get everything.

Afterward a mixture of our VRT 50/50 with water in a sprayer is a great way to apply dressing to all your rubber, plastic, and other underhood trim that needs to be brought back to life. Knock down the shine with a towel.

[Kevin]

you don't clean the LT5. you don't wash it it will ruin the starter, you don't use chemicals on it you will stain it, if you want to clean it just use some water on a rag. anything else will turn the engine a color you don't want

[QB93Z]

When I bought my yellow 1994 ZR-1 last May the engine was very stained with splotches of water or cleaner staining, and streaks on the cam covers from seepage of oil or water . The car has 94,000 miles on it and the stains could be just age but they were a major appearance distractor.

I was afraid that the only way to make it look better was to remove the plenum, throttle body, coolant tubes, and cam covers and get they powder coated.

Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to try to clean the engine and see what happened. I figured that since the engine is painted, I would treat it as if it was a stained hood or fender. My plan was to try car polish and then try wet sanding.

I started with Simple Green cleaner and it didn't remove any stains.

Next I used Adams Swirl and Haze Remover with a micro-fiber cloth. I put a few drops of the Swirl and Haze Remover on a cloth and with one finger I rubbed the painted portions of the engine working on a small area at a time. When the cloth became black from removing grime, I "rinsed" the area with Simple Green and polished with a clean micro-fiber cloth. And repeat as necessary. And repeat! And repeat!!!!!!

It took me six hours to do the whole engine.

The results were very satisfying. I removed almost all of the staining and the surfaces have a nice shiney, well care-for look.
The finish color may be slightly darker than original, but it is not too bad.
Here are some after pictures (I never took before pictures):

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/QB93Z/2009%20Yellow%20Engine%20Cleaned/DSC02710.jpg

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/QB93Z/2009%20Yellow%20Engine%20Cleaned/DSC02711.jpg

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/QB93Z/2009%20Yellow%20Engine%20Cleaned/DSC02713.jpg

Here is a close up that shows some of the areas I still need to work on:

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/QB93Z/2009%20Yellow%20Engine%20Cleaned/DSC02716.jpg

Jim

[ZRGator]

For any of you skeptics out there...QB93Z is not a shill for Adams Products. He is the MD State Director for the ZR-1 Net Registry and Chief of the WAZOO Tribe. I saw the car yesterday when we had a maintenance day at QB93Z's garage and I can attest to the before and after. Thanks for sharing the story, Chief.

http://www.science.uva.nl/~robbert/zappa/files/jpg/The_Grand_Wazoo.jpg

[Scrrem]

Next I used Adams Swirl and Haze Remover with a micro-fiber cloth. I put a few drops of the Swirl and Haze Remover on a cloth and with one finger I rubbed the painted portions of the engine working on a small area at a time. When the cloth became black from removing grime, I "rinsed" the area with Simple Green and polished with a clean micro-fiber cloth. And repeat as necessary. And repeat! And repeat!!!!!!


Interesting Jim, I'll have to try this. My plenum is stained and needs freshing up badly. I'll let you know.
Rich

[ZRGator]

About those areas you still need to work on....think Q-tips...and then maybe you too can try for NCRS Top Flight, a goal I know you wish to achieve...yeah, right;)

[Dylan@Adams]

Excellent results with the Swirl & Haze Remover QB93Z!!

I might also suggest our Revive polish in that area as its intended to remove light surface contamination and stains. Its a deep cleaning polish with no abrasives so its perfectly safe on surfaces like that. I use it all the time around the door handles on the wifes SUV, its great for getting rid of all the little imperfections there too.

[QB93Z]

Excellent results with the Swirl & Haze Remover QB93Z!!

I might also suggest our Revive polish in that area as its intended to remove light surface contamination and stains. Its a deep cleaning polish with no abrasives so its perfectly safe on surfaces like that. I use it all the time around the door handles on the wifes SUV, its great for getting rid of all the little imperfections there too.

Thanks for the info. I grabbed the Swiel & Haze Remover off my shelf and started. Are you saying that the Revive Polish would be a little more aggresive than the S&HR? I know that both are non-abrasive but I would like to use the one that will work the best on the engine surfaces.

Jim

[QB93Z]

Interesting Jim, I'll have to try this. My plenum is stained and needs freshing up badly. I'll let you know.
Rich

Rich, Remember to take some before and after pictures. I am pretty sure that you will be pleased with the result. It will give you a nice looking engine to go with your nice new garage floor.

I found the Simply Green cleaner to be a pretty good general cleaner but it is runny so you have to be aware of what is below where you are spraying. I found cleaning from the top down worked best. When I was working on the cam covers, I would place a cloth below the area that I was spraying to reduce the over-spray and run-off.

Jim

[QB93Z]

About those areas you still need to work on....think Q-tips...and then maybe you too can try for NCRS Top Flight, a goal I know you wish to achieve...yeah, right;)

Gator, I agree, I need to keep Q-Tips in the garage. As far as NCRS goes, I think it is a great program, but during my time in the Navy, I spent way too many hours having inspectors inspect my submarine. I don't want to do it any more.

As an aside, for those of you that know me, the idea of me giving advice on how to clean an engine compartment is pretty funny. I guess I was desperate. If you hear me start talking about cleaning the bottom of a ZR-1 it will be time for an intervention.

Jim

[Dylan@Adams]

Thanks for the info. I grabbed the Swiel & Haze Remover off my shelf and started. Are you saying that the Revive Polish would be a little more aggresive than the S&HR? I know that both are non-abrasive but I would like to use the one that will work the best on the engine surfaces.

Jim

Actually the opposite, Revive is less aggressive, but its really comparing apples and oranges. Revive is a cleaner/surface prep type polish, SHR is a swirl remover/more traditional polish.

The reason I'd suggest Revive is that its properties lend itself better to the removal of 'stains' or discoloration from embedded contamination. Ideally you'd start with SHR and then finish with Revive to get the best of both... thats how the system was designed.

In any event it looks like you got excellent results with just the SHR, I was just offering a possible alternative to those in the audience :D

[QB93Z]

Thanks for the explanation. Maybe I will give the Revive Polish a try now that I have completed Step 1.

Jim

[Rex Ruby]

Typically most newer engine bays are fairly safe to take a very light mist with the hose, but I have heard the early 90-ish vettes don't like water too much.

Dylan, you need to do some research so you know what's up with C4 Corvette engines. Any kind of washing on an LT5 or LT1 will be detrimental to engine componets. The LT5 had a problematic paint finish applied to it that requires special attention or you can end up making it worse looking than just some dirt.

When I bought my yellow 1994 ZR-1 last May the engine was very stained with splotches of water or cleaner staining, and streaks on the cam covers from seepage of oil or water . The car has 94,000 miles on it and the stains could be just age but they were a major appearance distractor.

I was afraid that the only way to make it look better was to remove the plenum, throttle body, coolant tubes, and cam covers and get they powder coated.

Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to try to clean the engine and see what happened. I figured that since the engine is painted, I would treat it as if it was a stained hood or fender. My plan was to try car polish and then try wet sanding.

I started with Simple Green cleaner and it didn't remove any stains.

Next I used Adams Swirl and Haze Remover with a micro-fiber cloth. I put a few drops of the Swirl and Haze Remover on a cloth and with one finger I rubbed the painted portions of the engine working on a small area at a time. When the cloth became black from removing grime, I "rinsed" the area with Simple Green and polished with a clean micro-fiber cloth. And repeat as necessary. And repeat! And repeat!!!!!!

It took me six hours to do the whole engine.

The results were very satisfying. I removed almost all of the staining and the surfaces have a nice shiney, well care-for look.
The finish color may be slightly darker than original, but it is not too bad.

Jim

Jim, That is outstanding. Makes sense since paint is paint! Added this to my to do list:cheers:

[Dylan@Adams]

Dylan, you need to do some research so you know what's up with C4 Corvette engines. Any kind of washing on an LT5 or LT1 will be detrimental to engine componets. The LT5 had a problematic paint finish applied to it that requires special attention or you can end up making it worse looking than just some dirt.


and thus the reason I stated this in the quote:

I have heard the early 90-ish vettes don't like water too much

I've been professionally detailing for over 13 years now, but any LT1/LT5 vettes I have had the privilege of touching have either been pristine under the hood and required no work or were only dirty enough to require a little detail spray and microfiber to come clean, then controlled APC for any areas that needed degreasing.

As with any "sensitive paint" it will be susceptible to staining, discoloration, or worse if harsh chemicals are used for cleaning. This is the reason I suggested that even if the engine compartment were VERY dirty he use a highly diluted mixture of APC in a spray in order to control what got wet and what didn't. Trust me, I don't go around telling people with potentially problematic areas of their car to grab the hose and the harshest chemical they can find and apply with an SOS pad... if I had no clue what I was talking about I'd have been run out of business a loooooong time ago.

[xlr8nflorida]

I use Toothpaste and distilled water.

Cleans my LT-5 right up and it smells minty fresh :mrgreen:

Then I hand dry it with towel and leaf blower to be safe.

[QB93Z]

I use Toothpaste and distilled water.

Cleans my LT-5 right up and it smells minty fresh :mrgreen:

Then I hand dry it with towel and leaf blower to be safe.

I thought about tooth paste for trying to clean the engine. I figured that it would be less "aggressive" than the Swirl and Haze Remover. I had some fairly bad stains to remove.

Jim

[Jason 91]

The engine looks great! Thanks for the tips. I will be purchasing these products shortly to give this a try.

Thanks,

Jason

[QB93Z]

The engine looks great! Thanks for the tips. I will be purchasing these products shortly to give this a try.

Thanks,

Jason

When I did my engine, it took me about six hours. I removed both front wheels to be able to stand closer to the engine. But, bending over for that long ruined my back and it took about a week to get to where I could move comfortably again. So be careful and take stretching breaks.

Jim

[Kevin]

When I did my engine, it took me about six hours. I removed both front wheels to be able to stand closer to the engine. But, bending over for that long ruined my back and it took about a week to get to where I could move comfortably again. So be careful and take stretching breaks.

Jim
next time leave the wheels on and sit on them

[carter200]

next time leave the wheels on and sit on them

That's what I do :thumbsup:

[QB93Z]

Sounds like a plan!:thumbsup:

[Hammer]

Well I thoguht I'd let you know what I used for my engine. Your drain hole must be clean to do this though. I use GUNK ENGINE BRITE...soak the motor and compartment down with it . Sits a few minutes and then let 'er have it with the water enough to wash the GUNK off. I have done this with both the ZR-1's now. Of course I don't do it every weekend, just initially to get the grime off, and #473, this one was real dirty. Then I have had success with Adams Buttery wax and In-n-Out spray (No Longer Available) all over the engine compartment. I keep my engines pretty clean on a weekly basis.

What do you think?
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/HammerZR1/ZR-1%20No%20473%20April%2009/100_1334.jpg?t=1259160014
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/HammerZR1/ZR-1%20No%20473%20April%2009/100_1335.jpg?t=1259159605
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/HammerZR1/ZR-1%20No%20473%20April%2009/100_1336.jpg?t=1259159555
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/HammerZR1/ZR-1%20No%20473%20April%2009/100_1338.jpg?t=1259160064
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/HammerZR1/ZR-1%20No%20473%20April%2009/100_1339.jpg?t=1259159672
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/HammerZR1/ZR-1%20No%20473%20April%2009/100_1340.jpg?t=1259159707

[ScottZ95ZR1]

Damn. That motor looks clean as a whistle, John. :thumbsup:

[GOLDCYLON]

Its Filty John. Thats the worst brake fluid Ive ever seen!!! :mrgreen:

Wow damn claen!! :thumbsup:

[QB93Z]

Very nice John. Mine will never look that good. Every time I start to work on cleaning, I get an over-powering urge to go for a drive. :dancing:dancing

Jim

[ZZZZZR1]

Wow John,


Great job!!! I miss that In and Out spray too!


:cool:


David

[4DSZR1]

Friggin PERFECT John :-)

[ZR1ROB]

mmm shiny good!

If you have to pull the plenum, you might as well enlarge the drain hole in the back of the starter valley. Thats the problem child. 3/8" drill is what I remember opening it out to. Not a problem since. Now I'm going out to get some gunk engine bright. mmm shiny

[Hammer]

mmm shiny good!

If you have to pull the plenum, you might as well enlarge the drain hole in the back of the starter valley. Thats the problem child. 3/8" drill is what I remember opening it out to. Not a problem since. Now I'm going out to get some gunk engine bright. mmm shiny

Let me know what you think. I washed one car at the car wash. That one I hadn't cleaned the plenum hole out. Didn't have any problems.

The other one, Ive cleaned twice that way. The hole was cleaned and you can actually hear the water draining, a sucking sound kinda was heard.

If you can, take some before and after pics.

[Dynomite]

mmm shiny good!

If you have to pull the plenum, you might as well enlarge the drain hole in the back of the starter valley. Thats the problem child. 3/8" drill is what I remember opening it out to. Not a problem since. Now I'm going out to get some gunk engine bright. mmm shiny

I have my engine top end parts, radiator, water pump, starter, front brakes, exhaust system laying on benches all around my 91 Z :sign10:

Tell me a bit more about enlarging that drain hole...There is a steel tube (maybe 3/16) at right angle to the rear about 1/2 inch down in that hole. The hole is dead ended down further. The steel tube drains fluids to the rear from that hole and down in front of the fly wheel out just behind the oil pan. I do not want to dump oily fluid onto the flywheel from that hole so prefer using the steel tube. There is no way to enlarge that steel tube without getting inside the bell housing. I will study this further and try to invent a way to more effectively drain that area :read2:

[Hammer]

There is no way to enlarge that steel tube without getting inside the bell housing. I will study this further and try to invent a way to more effectively drain that area :read2:
No inventing or studying needed. The ZR-1 Net Registry has you covered.
http://www.bcvettes.org/howto/zr-1/starter/print.html

[Hammer]

mmm shiny good!

If you have to pull the plenum, you might as well enlarge the drain hole in the back of the starter valley. Thats the problem child. 3/8" drill is what I remember opening it out to. Not a problem since. Now I'm going out to get some gunk engine bright. mmm shiny

Well, you hit it with Engine Brite yet? Post up as most people think you can't do this. If not be sure to take some before and afters.

[Dynomite]

No inventing or studying needed. The ZR-1 Net Registry has you covered.
http://www.bcvettes.org/howto/zr-1/starter/print.html

That will work but it dumps the debree into the bell housing in front of the fly wheel. When the hole was being drilled they could have just as well put in a larger tube since they had the fly wheel removed :sign10:

That will work ......just drilling a larger hole and dumping into the flywheel area is prolly better than drowning out your starter when washing the engine :D

[ZR1ROB]

Well, you hit it with Engine Brite yet? Post up as most people think you can't do this. If not be sure to take some before and afters.

I've been working on the whole enchilada, so theyre all off - cam covers, injector housings, etc. You know, repainting, cleaning, and so on. Its been 10 years since I've had everything out. The injectors went to Mr. Injector in Idaho (excellent work, and reasonable too). The TBody went to Mr. Haibeck (idem eadem idem). So while everything was off (cams and manifold openings covered of course) I did spray a full can of Engine Brite orange (its on sale 2 for $5 at Autozone right now), scrubbed a bit, then washed it off with water. It cleans things up very nicely and leaves a noticable shine to things. The connectors were then hit with the air hose, and STP wire dryer sprayed into them.

The cam covers are back on, and the whole thing should be done this weekend. Its freezing in my shop, so I cant work out there too long.

I found a mouse nest in the starter valley. That's been there since I dont know when. But even with that crap in there, the larger drain hole did its job and drained the starter valley. I dont want to pull the starter so I can measure the hole, but the hole isnt much bigger than it originally was. I dont think that drain tube is still there though. It may have been "Lost" when I did this back in the day. However, I remember doing the big hole thing because it wouldnt start once and I wasnt going to go thru that again. Especially after a GM bulletin went out regarding making the damn thing larger. They should have done this at the factory!!!!:icon_boun

[Dynomite]

the larger drain hole did its job and drained the starter valley. I dont want to pull the starter so I can measure the hole, but the hole isnt much bigger than it originally was. I dont think that drain tube is still there though. It may have been "Lost" when I did this back in the day. However, I remember doing the big hole thing because it wouldnt start once and I wasnt going to go thru that again. Especially after a GM bulletin went out regarding making the damn thing larger. They should have done this at the factory!!!!:icon_boun

Does the GM bulletin suggest make the original hole larger or does the bulletin suggest make a new hole beside the original hole? Did the GM bulletin say anything about the steel drain tube?

[ZR1ROB]

Does the GM bulletin suggest make the original hole larger or does the bulletin suggest make a new hole beside the original hole? Did the GM bulletin say anything about the steel drain tube?

here is the bad boy himself:
http://www.zr1netregistry.com/bulletins/923076-1.jpg

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/bulletins/923076-2.jpg

[Dynomite]

here is the bad boy himself:



Now....that is what I really like about this forum :thumbsup::thumbsup:

You guys and gals waste no time and GET ER DONE :cheers::cheers:
But then again....that is what ZR1 owners do :sign10:

Thanks ZR1ROB :thumbsup:

[4DSZR1]

Good stuff in the Service Bulletin. Thanks for posting :thumbsup:

[RedRiderZR1]

and thus the reason I stated this in the quote:



I've been professionally detailing for over 13 years now, but any LT1/LT5 vettes I have had the privilege of touching have either been pristine under the hood and required no work or were only dirty enough to require a little detail spray and microfiber to come clean, then controlled APC for any areas that needed degreasing.

As with any "sensitive paint" it will be susceptible to staining, discoloration, or worse if harsh chemicals are used for cleaning. This is the reason I suggested that even if the engine compartment were VERY dirty he use a highly diluted mixture of APC in a spray in order to control what got wet and what didn't. Trust me, I don't go around telling people with potentially problematic areas of their car to grab the hose and the harshest chemical they can find and apply with an SOS pad... if I had no clue what I was talking about I'd have been run out of business a loooooong time ago.

:mrgreen: . Says your in SoCal. I have a dirty stained engine that you can try to clean. Good test for your products. :sign10:

[Dylan@Adams]

Yep I'm in Rancho Cucamonga.

You could always come out to our detail clinic at Stillen Performance... I'll be posting the info here tomorrow.

[lfalzarano]

Actually, any clearcoat safe polishing compound will remove the dirt and stains. Just do small sections at a time and then when you are done, use Maguire's NXT Generation® Tech Wax® 2.0 to make it shine. Carnauba wax will yellow from the heat Same trick goes for your polished wheels

[Bob Eyres]

Actually, any clearcoat safe polishing compound will remove the dirt and stains. Just do small sections at a time and then when you are done, use Maguire's NXT Generation® Tech Wax® 2.0 to make it shine. Carnauba wax will yellow from the heat Same trick goes for your polished wheels

Thanks, That's probably what I'll do. I went to the Adam's website to order the product, but it wouldn't let me order just one bottle.

At 19.95 a bottle I didn't want to spend $40.00 just to try their product.

I'll buy a clearcoat safe compound off the shelf.

[Flyman 27]

Anyone trying this? Polishing your engine?
Recently I found a product called "RamRodz". They are like Q-Tips on steroids. They are intended as gun cleaning tools, but they work excellently for polishing hard to reach engine parts.
They range in size from .17 inch dia. up to 1/2 inch dia. They use bamboo sticks that are quite flexible to get into tight places, but strong enough to not break easily. A full selection box contains 680 swabs, so you have enough to last a long time.
I have found many uses for these.

[Tripler]

When I did my engine, it took me about six hours. I removed both front wheels to be able to stand closer to the engine. But, bending over for that long ruined my back and it took about a week to get to where I could move comfortably again. So be careful and take stretching breaks.

Jim

I believe this is were the BL5000 Quick Jack would be perfect . I used it when replacing the window stop on the passenger side of our Z . What a back and knee saver .
I will be using it to clean the engine also . Thanks for the tips Jim and of course Dylan from Adams products also .
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae272/Triplerocket/20170424_131714_zpsjqiqaxu9.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/Triplerocket/media/20170424_131714_zpsjqiqaxu9.jpg.html)

;)

[Z51JEFF]

I've found that using anything with abrasives will change the finish anywhere you use it.

[90C4ZR1]

Just cleaned my LT5 engine to a like new clean with Arm and Hammer Extreme White Toothpaste. About 3 hours labor, 1/2 tube of toothpaste, 1 brush, and a pint spray bottle of water. Going to check out the Maguires NXT wax.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=90383)

[Dynomite]

I use Toothpaste and distilled water.
Cleans my LT-5 right up and it smells minty fresh :mrgreen:
Then I hand dry it with towel and leaf blower to be safe.
A tooth Paste User.....:p

Just cleaned my LT5 engine to a like new clean with Arm and Hammer Extreme White Toothpaste. About 3 hours labor, 1/2 tube of toothpaste, 1 brush, and a pint spray bottle of water. Going to check out the Maguires NXT wax.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=90383)

A second Tooth Paste User......:sign10:

Welcome to the Registry Forum 90C4ZR1 :handshak::handshak:

Guess we know what you are driving :D

I have Number 3032 the last 1990 sold to the public :cheers:

[90C4ZR1]

I used Arm and Hammer Extreme Whitening Toothpaste to clean my LT5 to show room look. I used a toothbrush originally, but on doing touchup I used a microfiber cloth on my finger tip, dipped in water, and a dab of toothpaste. Man I was really surprised how good it looks. I rub a bit and spray with water from a spray bottle and dry. Although the toothbrush did the original work, I prefer the microfiber wrapped on my finger. You can actually see the oxidation removed on the cloth. Took me about 3.5 hours of love and labor.

[SAB]

I used Arm and Hammer Extreme Whitening Toothpaste to clean my LT5 to show room look. I used a toothbrush originally, but on doing touchup I used a microfiber cloth on my finger tip, dipped in water, and a dab of toothpaste. Man I was really surprised how good it looks. I rub a bit and spray with water from a spray bottle and dry. Although the toothbrush did the original work, I prefer the microfiber wrapped on my finger. You can actually see the oxidation removed on the cloth. Took me about 3.5 hours of love and labor.

Did the finish on the motor darken up after you used the toothpaste?

[90C4ZR1]

It looks great. I have won my class in 7 local car shows plaques and trophies. Just did a 200 mile trip in her today with a group of newer vettes. They got nothing on a real ZR-1. She's a runner for sure. DRIVE YOUR ZR-1!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=90383)

[SAB]

Can you post a picture of it? My goal is to clean it without darkening the finish.

[Crusin]

Great effort, great results QB. I may have missed it, but what wax did you use to get that great shine? Thanks

[QB93Z]

Great effort, great results QB. I may have missed it, but what wax did you use to get that great shine? Thanks



I used Adams Swirl and Haze Remover with a micro-fiber cloth. I put a few drops of the Swirl and Haze Remover on a cloth and with one finger I rubbed the painted portions of the engine working on a small area at a time. When the cloth became black from removing grime, I "rinsed" the area with Simple Green and polished with a clean micro-fiber cloth. And repeat as necessary. And repeat! And repeat!!!!!!

It took me six hours to do the whole engine.


I don't know if the current Adams product line still offers Swirl and Haze Remover. I believe it was the "mildest" of the three polishes that Adams offered at the time. Good luck.


Jim

[Crusin]

Thanks for info Jim. My LT 5 is clean but hasn't shine you have on yours. Have to check if product is available here. Hopefully won't have to put as much time in it as you have. Now what you did takes dedication.

[Bruce Hazell]

I have a powder coated yellow LT5 in my "91".
Have had many years now and have found that using some WD-40 sprayed on and wiped off really removes a lot of the fan belt gunk and the like that really shows up on the yellow paint. Also spray it through the little straw in the bolt crevices which build up a lot of gunk then I use a compressed air can with the little straw to spray the gunk and WD40 out of there.
Has served me well over the years without any ill effects to the engine shine :)

[viper107]

yes wd40 is a grease remover!!!

[AirbusDriver]

I've recently started cleaning a filthy engine on a 1990 that sat in a metal building for 32 years.
I was very skeptical Arm & Hammer toothpaste would have any affect but, it has. I've just gotten started and am already sick of scrubbing with a tooth brush🤮

https://i.postimg.cc/bJk5KgNT/AA1-C9-D48-AC37-4600-9128-A4-DE1090-EE6-B.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[AirbusDriver]

Still a long way to go but, progress is being made...
https://i.postimg.cc/QdJpvmNR/EDD40-EE2-FE24-4848-8251-AA4-F41126822.png (https://postimg.cc/PCNpwmw4)

https://i.postimg.cc/9Xst9zNN/83-A2-B0-DE-004-E-4-DE3-BE9-F-CF85-F03-CBC22.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Hj4yDWmQ)

[Mystic ZR-1]

I've recently started cleaning a filthy engine on a 1990 that sat in a metal building for 32 years.
I was very skeptical Arm & Hammer toothpaste would have any affect but, it has. I've just gotten started and am already sick of scrubbing with a tooth brush🤮

https://i.postimg.cc/bJk5KgNT/AA1-C9-D48-AC37-4600-9128-A4-DE1090-EE6-B.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

There's nothing more important than good dental hygiene! 🪥🦷
😀

[AirbusDriver]

It's the same toothbrush I use on my teeth...tastes kinda funky