Crows89RS

How can I go about detailing my LT1 engine/bay? I'm too afraid to use a hose even with the opti covered up, should I just get some simple green, a scrubber and go at it? I'm sure there are lot of people on here who have accomplished such a thing without killing their opti.

ssean92

I have cleaned the WS6's engine bay a few times, just be carful

Captain Jeff Z28

I would do a search on this subject - I know that I've seen it discussed many times and it seems that there are some people that swear that it's okay to:

1. Use the hose without covering the opti.
2. Use the hose as long as the opti is covered.
3. NOT use the hose whatsoever.
4. Make sure the engine is running.

Jeff

slomarao

i asked this same ?, on the next page or the one after is my thread. What i got from everybody is 40 60 water simple green. Be careful and lightly mist it with a spray bottle. Than scrub and dry. Finish all the black plastic with back to black.

CALL911

Honestly, some simple green, a pile of rags, and a lot of patience and time will get you good results without worring about breaking anything.

The opti is too fragile with water to consider water in that quantity going under your hood IMO. I'd just play it safe and not do that.

After you've cleaned off all the engine grime and dirt, make the final touches like using Finish 2000 (or some other "Armor All" like dressing) on plastic parts and rubber hoses and lines. Then go through with some steel wool and work on the metals under the hood like the alternator. Finally go back over the metal with some Mothers Mag aluminum polish and polish the rest up. The key is to give yourself lots of time, and not quit until you are 100% satisfied with the total cleanliness and appearance with it.

Here's my engine bay.

slomarao

that must really take some time. Im jealous.

ssean92

I use water every time i clean the engine bay.....

Crows89RS

thanks for the tips, fellas... is it safe to use mag cleaner or whatnot on pacesetter coated long tubes? i've seen header polish, but i was curious as to whether it would work the same.

thanks again for the tips, i'll be knocking it out later this week when it's warmer out.. hell i might just detail the whole car...

also, what should i do to the painted inner fenders in the engine bay? normal wash/dry then wax maybe?

CALL911

Mag aluminum polish works great on anything metal, and smooth. Although I haven't tried it, I'm sure it would work like a charm on the headers.

As for the painted inner fenders in the engine bay. Yeah just get them good and clean by wiping them down with like a detailer or simple green, then apply wax. You'll want to do several coats on the wax, as the paint in your engine bay does not have the clear coat your body does. But with enough coats of wax, it will look good and shiny

Crows89RS

awesome, thanks, i can't wait to get down to it this week.. my engine looks like teh ugly. 40k since i last detailed it.

CALL911

Just be patient with it, and expect to spend a lot of time, and don't quit until your 100% satisfied.

ksmyss

i hose everything off. soak it with simple green and hose it off. if anything is left behind i was it with a sponge and hose it back off.

i have done it this way atleast 5-6 times a year since i bought the car in 98 and never had any problems. the first 2-3 years was a power washer at the car wash. the only thing i ever cover is the air filter since the ss air filter sits right on top.

CALL911

I'm telling you, any time you bring a hose, or power washer to under the hood of an LT1 you are rolling the dice on if you are going to take out the opti.

Why risk it when the same results can be had with some simple green, a rag, and some time? To me at least, I would always rather spend time cleaning it with some simple green and a rag and know for a fact my opti will still be fine, compared to saving some time and spraying it all down with water, perhaps taking out my opti in the process.

ksmyss

im not worried about the opti. its a sealed unit. i dont see how water can get in it. i bet 98% of the people that say that water took out their optis had other problems, loose coil wires or stuff like that that just happened to get fixed or replaced while doing the opti. mine has 9 some thousand miles on it and its been washed, coolant dumped on it countless times and was taken off and put back on after the cam swap with zero problems.

the opti is no were near as easy to get water into as the old style dist. and people wash those all the time.

CALL911

Dude, what are you saying?? Try a search on "bad opti", and you'll find a plethera of individuals who took out their opti by doing just that, washing out their engine bay with a power washer, or a hose, even if that wasn't the case for you.

My 94 Formula ran like a champ until the morons at the detail shop powerwashed under the hood, then it ran like crap until I changed the opti out.

I have gotten only a few drips of anti-freeze on the opti while changing the water pump in my 95 Z28, and sure enough, it ran like crap after I put it back together, and after hoping and wishing that it didn't take out the opti, and it was something stupid like a bad coil, or crossed plug wire, it was in the end, the opti.

Thats the biggest complaint hands down about the LT1's is how fragile the opti is with water (and the fact they put the water pump right over it). To ignore this, and say "go ahead, get your engine bay wet, the opti will be fine" is just foolish.