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...

[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):







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



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.

[Scrrem]

Originally Posted by QB93Z

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

[QB93Z]

Originally Posted by 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

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

[QB93Z]

Originally Posted by Scrrem

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

[Rex Ruby]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

Jim

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