Engine Bay Revisited

[JenzDad]

Sorry for the repeat question here, but as you can guess I am a newbie with the NB and need a little hand holding through this with a bit more detail than I have found.

I get the degreaser part and not sure just what one must cover before getting the water in there. My old Ford truck I could just go to the car wash, pop the hood, and blast away, but my new one...don't think so. Do not think that many, if any, on this board would do that with there NB, correct? Thus, the repeat on the VW NB, sorry gang.

Thanks,

JenzDad

[SMG]

You want to use plastic bags to cover the alternator, the air filter (if you have a cone filter), and your coil (the metal box your 4 spark plug wires plug into. Other than that you should be fine. It really freaked me out doing it the first time but everything went great. Loaded everything up with degreaser and took a hose and a brush to it. A good word of advice I learned from a pro detailer: VW engine bays don't like pressure washers.

Take a new tire shine applicator, (not one that's dirty from your tires), and rub tire shine on your hoses and black plastics, everything comes out looking better than new.

Good luck! I've done it quite a few times so feel free to ask any questions.

[iddqd]

How big of a plastic bag are we talking? Ziploc freezer bag, trash bag...

[noR]

grocery plastic bag. Whatever it takes to cover the top of the item you need to protect from water.

I tend to rip a grocery bag into bits to cover the plugs that go into the injectors as well; that may be overkill though.

And yeah, use a smooth steady stream of water to rinse, not a 'blast'.

[SMG]

I always use torn plastic bags and masking tape to hold it in place. I cover the coil, the alternator and the air filter. Everything else is waterproof.

The plugs will be fine uncovered, if water was getting in there you'd have big problems on a wet day.

[LadybugEwa]

How do you deal with the wires coming off the coil? Do you make holes for them in the bag? And what abt the battery?
I've been wanting to do this for a loooooooong time.
Thanks for bringing this up, JenzDad

[SMG]

Nope, the idea is just to keep water from getting the coil too too wet. It's just like a rain hat for it, you don't have to get elaborate.

[6spdvert]

Although i do agree with covering the air filter if it is an exposed cone style the other things under the hood are ok to get cleaner and water on.

Any auto manufacturer after 1995 uses what they call weather pack connectors at all electrical connections. Which means they are water proof. I do this to mine and have never had a problem. What are you guys using for products when you do the under hood detailing? I use the "Fast Clean" for the degreasing and after it is clean then i use the "Liquid Extreme Shine". I get my products from an online store ( www.fastautocare.com )and am very happy with the service and even more happier with the product.blows away the "other" brands out there.

Hope that helps
6spdvert