HAVE any of you guys damaged or messed something up while detailing an engine
Never. Many there are mixed feeling about ways of doing this process. I myself, use a pressure washer. Though I do not stand 3 inches and blast away, I stand back at least 2 feet and move the wand quickly. Others use regular water pressure, and some use good old rags and elbow grease.
Al long as you cover what needs to covered, and keep the water off of sensors and electrical parts, there should not be a problem.
Like I said, I have never had a problem.
"In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield."
Its always a risk but I have never had any problems detailing an engine. Just make sure to cover an filters, cool air intakes, and any electrical boxes. If you are going to pressure wash be very careful. I have used my PW on engines and I make sure to give plenty of space between the Wand and the engine.
HAVE any of you guys damaged or messed something up while detailing an engine
Only two problems I've ever encountered in close to 20 years of doing this were a '72 Cadillac Eldorado that cross-fired due to a set of old cracked plug wires -- and one of those early 80's Cadillac diesel's where the computer "brain box" shorted*. In both cases though, it was deemed (by certified GM mechanics) "not the fault of the detail process, but moreover faulty equipment."
*The "Brain Box" was replaced under warranty.
A happy customer tells a friend ... An unhappy one tells many friends !!!
Gim-me a car with finns... :naughty and I'll shows ya what detailin's all about... :jump
Re: Engine Detailing Problems -
04-04-2006, 02:20 AM
I have never wrecked an engine but when i first did a clean of mine i was scared. I also found that the adams polishes web site helped. Go to www.adamspolishes.com and go the videos. He has one on how to be an engine detail. It helped me get through mine. He also has a list of which cars not to do. Check it out im sure it will help
Re: Engine Detailing Problems -
04-04-2006, 09:23 AM
Nope, never any problems, but I always disconnect the battery, cover all electrical parts, and am very careful when working with them. And, after I finish I always use a leaf blower and then an air compressor to dry the engine very well before I reconnect the battery and start it up. Plus a little wire dryer on the major electrical stuff always helps.
Re: Engine Detailing Problems -
04-04-2006, 09:52 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shiny Lil Detlr
Nope, never any problems, but I always disconnect the battery, cover all electrical parts, and am very careful when working with them. And, after I finish I always use a leaf blower and then an air compressor to dry the engine very well before I reconnect the battery and start it up. Plus a little wire dryer on the major electrical stuff always helps.
The battery disconnect can be a little iffy on lots of cars.
You reset the ECU, can lose the radio pre-sets, and I have been told that on those with a "Theft-Lock" type of security system on the radio, you can put the radio out of operation until a security code is entered.
Not necessarily a big deal, but a customer might not be too appreciative.
I honestly can take no blame for this, but I had a friend who wanted me to show him how to detail his engine. He decided to start without me, so I don't know what he did to begin with. All I told him to do was spray degreaser around the perimeter of the engine focusing primarily on the plastic bottles and the paint that he could see. So I get there and he is finishing up with that part. I show him how to rinse it off and start scrubbing by hand to get everything clean. I gave him a can of CD2 to shine up the plastics and hoses with while I put away my stuff. We were standing there admiring our handy work when...
...the alternator started on fire.
I have no idea what he sprayed on it or how long it had been sitting there, but needless to say the alternator was FUBAR. The good news is that he had just bought it less than a year ago and it was replaced under warranty. Whew....
My advice to everybody else is exactly what I told him before he even started:
1) NEVER detail a hot engine. It needs to be totally cool and not driven recently.
2) NEVER spray any degreasers on the alternator.
3) Avoid hosing down the engine as if you were putting out a fire. Concentrate the water and degreaser around the perimeter of the engine avoiding sensitive electronics when possible.
4) Do most of it by hand with spray bottles and brushes. It might take you 45 minutes to detail the engine that way versus 10 minutes doing it the sloppy way, but it is a hundred times safer and the results always come out better.
~ ~ www.OCDetails.com ~ ~
Faster isn't better. BETTER is better no matter how long it takes.
The battery disconnect can be a little iffy on lots of cars.
You reset the ECU, can lose the radio pre-sets, and I have been told that on those with a "Theft-Lock" type of security system on the radio, you can put the radio out of operation until a security code is entered.
Not necessarily a big deal, but a customer might not be too appreciative.
Charles
I always get the theftlock code from customers before I do anything like that, as well as writing down radio presets. Past that, I've found that the ECU on most cars I've dealt with don't reset that quickly since there's a bit of residual voltage left over. If I get done within 30-45 minutes, usually I've had no problems.
The theftlock code is no big deal to me, really.... I figure as long as I ask, if they say it doesn't have one and it turns out to have it, that's not my fault. They were warned beforehand and waived me of the liability from it.
I can certainly see where you're comming from, though.
yeah heres why i ask.........i did a 2002 mercedes s500 engine.....and one of the headlights went completely out, i dont know if it was the car or something i did...i have done like atleast 30 engine details and have never had any problems, any suggestions or comments
water could have shorted out the headlight. Check the fuses. If that doesn't work then check the bulb. If it was a 2002 then it probably had HIDs. I really hope you didn't break one of the ballasts. That can get expensive. I always wrap my HID ballasts with foil to protect them from the water, but I have aftermarket ones and they aren't really that well protected anyway.
~ ~ www.OCDetails.com ~ ~
Faster isn't better. BETTER is better no matter how long it takes.
The battery disconnect can be a little iffy on lots of cars.
You reset the ECU, can lose the radio pre-sets, and I have been told that on those with a "Theft-Lock" type of security system on the radio, you can put the radio out of operation until a security code is entered.
Not necessarily a big deal, but a customer might not be too appreciative.
Charles
One thing to save you from resetting everything is using a secondary 9v battery backup to save your presets and ECU. All you have to do is go to radio shack and get a cigarette lighter plug and a thing that plugs into the top of the 9v battery. Wire them together and voila your presets are saved when you disconnect the battery!
"Aerodynamics are for people who don't know how to build engines" Enzo Ferrari
Re: Engine Detailing Problems -
04-06-2006, 12:07 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BLACKWRX
is that located in the back of the headlight?......... it just shocked me that something that expensive would not be protected
Well, it technically "is" protected, but probably no moreso than the fuse block under the hood. Under normal driving conditions, it can withstand the rain that may get into the engine area, but when detailing the engine you're flooding a LOT more water into the area than it was designed to handle.
... An unhappy one tells many friends 
!!!
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