A&Q about 350Z
Q:
So I have the engine out, I've been going at the engine bay with SimpleGreen and a 2400psi pressure washer.
I've got the engine bay almost spotless but there's still a slight film.
What is the best thing I can do....hose it all down with carb cleaner?
Man it's going to look nice when I'm done....I'm replacing all the nuts, bolts and screws while I am at it too.
A:
FYI in case anyone asks....I'm painting it the same silver flake as my 2 tone.
A:
Also....
What's the best way to clean up old faded wire harneses? Would black paint look tacky and start chipping?
A:
Alcohol works pretty good as a final prep/wipedown. It will clean and then evaporate. You will probably want to some light sanding, especially if there are some glossy areas, don't know if this is the slight film you are talking about. But sanding will give the new paint a better surface to attach to.
1978 280Z Turbo MS
1981 280ZXT - scrapyard
A:
I thought you had yours up for sale? I've used the engine gunk and then scrubed it after soaking. You could try the cleaner you use on body to get all grease and wax off after also. It's not easy getting it all.
80 280zx 10th Anniversary Edition Rust Free
4 previous z's
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2301692
A:
Yeah I was selling it. Then I blew the headgasket and decided to finally put the 5 speed into it. I'm friends with the car again now.
I think I'm going to try the alcohol route....Get some gloves, goggles and a couple scrub brushes.
A:
Go to "Welle Auto" and get a can of "Wax and grease remover". It what the pros use.
They also sell new wire harness cover in different colors, including stock BLACK. Just put it on over your old stuff.
P.S. Get back to work, monthly meeting is in a week.
1983 280ZX current restoration project
1982 280ZX parts car for 83' and now crushed
1984 300ZX turbo Rolled it one rainy spring day, twisted the body and then junked it.
A:
Try the gunk engine cleaner or equivelant, and rinse well. Sanding might be the best bet, and then clean it up w/ some laquer thinner.
Try some Mothers back to black on the wiring harness' . Or the cheap plastic cover things come in different colors and sizes too.
You could try the power washer after all that. Those toxic Chemicals should help clean up that floor too.
The five speed is going to make your car a lot more fun. Go easy on those root beers, after the hunt.
76 280 Z
77 280 Z
Post Edited (Apr 24, 8:36pm)
A:
Thanks Bruce I'll try some.....I might not have a Z for the meet, I need to find a 2 seater T5 driveshaft in time.
Rusty: I've found that almost everything they sell at checker is so diluted that it's not even funny....Engine gunk has never done anything for me, and it seems to leave a residue.
The back to black is nice stuff, but does nothing under the hood, the heat causes it to dry up in a matter of days.
Root Beer? You are looking at 22 ounces of home brewed alcoholic goodness.
Post Edited (Apr 24, 9:10pm)
A:
Tyson-I've read that oven cleaner (don't leave it on for long) works very well. I've used lacquer thinner and acetone, both work ok. I just scrub the area, then follow up with water and Dawn (yup, dish soap).
Dan
Its the pedal on the right, use it or move over.
A:
try some Castrol Super Clean and a pressure washer then lightly sand and wipe off with laquer thinner before painting
A:
Carb cleaner will leave a oily film. Lacquer thinner would be better.
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Tyson, i just emailed you at your zcarchat email addy. Please let me know asap.
A:
Use comet cleanser on a Scotchbrite 7447 Pad.
NO grease will be left, and wonderfully prepped for paint at the same time!
Using similar treatments, you can do the outside of the car as well with astounding results.
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"
A:
I used "Marine clean" which is made by Por-15. I was very happy with the product, it cuts grease extreamly well. It is sold in 1 gal containers. You can run it through a power washer to blast everything away. Auto body stores sell another product called "Prep All" that does the final cleaning to ready the surface for paint, but a lot of hand sanding will be required to prep the bay properly. I spent about 3 days inside the engine compartment preping it for paint.
"YES I will finish what I sta"
.
1977 280Z blue 2+2,
1973 240z
1977 280Z coupe in restoration progress
A:
Never used Oven Cleaner on automotive grease, but it sounds like a decent theory. The lye will turn any grease into soap thereby increasing the cleaning effectiveness.
As for the harness, have you had it out of the car or not? If not, you might want to think about taking it out stripping it and inspecting it for broken connectors and/or rotten sections. Then use self fusing loom tape. Not electrical tape or that crappy looking corrugated stuff. The stuff I bought was a little thicker than the factory tape and a little more pliable after fusing; but works and looks pretty good.
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up
A:
Yeah electrical tape is crap and that ribbed plastic stuff is tacky.
I'm gunna run out to a few auto stores in a couple minutes and get started.
Thanks for all the replies!
A:
NO...I wouldn't use oven cleaner...a little of it under fissures or cracks in paint and it will keep damaging and you'll never know when to quit rinsing.
Also, oven cleaner will eat or etch the finish on anything plastic nearby....ouch. Go lacq thinner or isoprop alchohol as abv.
sidenote:
..just as a matter of fact and being in the indus, DowCorning and GE will NOT warrant silicone based products over alum/paint unless prepped with iso.alchohol FIRST. This is good enough for me to know paint needs the
same clean surface even if product applied is different (For you homeowners, using silicone over alum trim, etc....it will fail & peel out in strips if it is not cleaned with alchohol first. And people wonder why...)
Keep folding the rag to clean areas though too...
...and the scotchbrite whether for cleaning or just roughing up is good idea (from TonyD abv)....spray a "tackcoat" first; I'd be prone to bet "RUNS" are going to be tough to stop from happening in an engine bay without the abv.
'73 240z, sitting 16 years in garaged storage...Spring 2005 endeavor...
Twin Cities, Mn
Post Edited (Apr 25, 9:52am)
A:
Thanks....I just spent $100 at Welle and the GF is at Byerly's and I told her to pick me up a few bottles of alcohol.
Hopefully she stops by the liqour store too ;)