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Under-Hood Detailing, Step by Step Process Defined
I had recently written the following write-up which outlines a step by step process for detailing the under-hood area for BMW E34 M5 owners specifically, as this in one piece of something much bigger that I am currently working on. That much bigger project is a complete step by step guide for detailing an E34 M5 to Concours standards which will basically walk anyone through this rigorous process covering every possible area/aspect of the car. All of this will obviously also be applicable on basically any car so you can simply ignore the references made specifically to the M5 in the process defined below.
Additionally, substituting NXT Tech Protectant in place of M40 will yield a much glossier look when compared to the M40. I have recently tried this when detailing several other BMW M5’s but have no idea as to how long the final results will last whereas I have achieved excellent results with the M40 which have lasted for approximately eight months now on my own cars. The two different products will yield two different looks when used so you have a choice based on your own personal preference. The M40 yields a nice clean “new looking� finish where the NXT Tech Protectant yields a more glossy almost fake looking finish in comparison. Personally I prefer the look of the M40, as it basically looks clean without going overboard on the shine which always screams that just been detailed look regardless.
I’ll refrain from adding the various photos here, as all of that will be rolled out in its entirety once I have completed this rather complex project of documenting an entire process used to thoroughly detail an E34 M5 specifically. After all, I’m simply adding all of this here since the topic of detailing the under-hood area has come up once again. Hope that it is helpful to all of you out there ready and or wanting to tackle this task with either your own or customers cars as well. Its obviously a bit lengthy but I wanted to make it as self explanatory as possible so that even someone that knows little about detailing could easily follow it and achieve excellent results without the headaches and or hassles that they could possibly experience otherwise.
Regards,
Ken Little
_________________________________________________
Cleaning & Detailing an S38 and surrounding under-hood areas:
Regardless of how your under-hood area looks currently following this rather simple process will yield excellent results towards making this particular area of your E34 M5 look just as it did when the car was brand new. Obviously the actual effort put forth during this exercise will correlate directly with the actual results achieved in either direction. Therefore making the extra effort is both highly recommended and should be a priority, as you will virtually ensure your complete satisfaction with your time and effort put forth once completed.
It will come as no surprise when I mention that the majority of the products I am recommending here are those from Meguiar’s. As always I am basing this information on my own use of and complete satisfaction with when using the products mentioned here on several locally owned E34 M5’s, mine included. Therefore using other products in substitution can yield different results when used in place of those I will mention here. You are on your own here and I cannot be held responsible for anything that may then happen as a result, as I am simply sharing this based on my own individual experiences which in other cases can perhaps vary for any number of actual reasons.
**Reminder**
Please use caution when spraying water around sensitive electrical component areas such as the coil, distributor and electronic control box on driver’s side of firewall. Covering these areas and then going back to clean/detail them by hand is recommended if you are not comfortable in regard to avoiding them otherwise. Use your own best judgment here, as you may have ignition problems thereafter if water is sprayed directly into any of these sensitive electronic component areas.
Now that all of that is out of the way here is a list of what you will need to get started:
A garden hose connected to a water source preferably with warm to hot water although cold water will also work. If using hot-warm water use caution in regard to the water pressure allowed to build up in the hose, as it can cause the hose to either balloon or burst if left unattended even if only for a brief period of time. Use common sense here and you should be fine. Also the use of warm-hot water for cleaning followed by cool-cold water for rinsing will always yield the best end results for obvious reasons. Hot water obviously removes any grime or buildup more quickly in comparison.
Several soft bristle brushes such as those sold at the local auto parts retailers for cleaning wheels, etc. since they are usually about 5� square with nice handles and are quite soft preventing them from scratching any painted surfaces, etc. Also grab a 1� wide soft bristle paint brush for use in the tighter areas where the larger brush is less effective.
Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner is excellent for cleaning away any grime build up without any fear of damaging any component found under the hood of an E28 or E34 M5. This is sold by the gallon and can be diluted with water in varying strengths depending on what you are cleaning when using it. I have been using it in a ratio of four to one for cleaning both under-hood areas and wheel-wells, as this mixture quickly loosens any grime buildup in either area allowing it to be easily rinsed away with water. Then also using less concentrated mixtures for door jambs, etc. depending on how much cleaning is actually required.
Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner for adding that just detailed look to everything under the hood once it is all cleaned properly beforehand. This is sold in 16 oz. spray bottles and is readily available at most retail auto parts stores. It can also be purchased by the gallon at locations such as California Car Color http://www.californiacarcolor.com here locally in the Bay Area.
To obtain additional information and or locate a Meguiar’s retailer/Jobber in your area please visit http://www.meguiars.com, as doing so will provide you with anything else that you may happen to need or locate.
If you are also interested in removing cosmoline from the under-hood areas and motor pick up a spray bottle or two of a citrus based cleaner such as Citrus Cleaner & Degreaser from Zep Commercial or Greased Lightning’s Orange Blast, as both of these products yield excellent results when used properly. They will also quickly cut through any oil/grime that has built up as well yielding a spectacularly clean S38 and engine compartment. I found each of these products at Home Depo.
I have used both of these products and the one from Zep Commercial appears to be a bit more efficient at removing cosmoline from aluminum or non-painted surfaces when compared to Orange Blast. Either will also require some scrubbing since cosmoline becomes baked on and is not simply rinsed off as some out there seem to believe. Just as I have already mentioned your efforts put forth will directly influence your end result(s) so taking the extra time to do it right the first time is highly recommended.
Now that you have all of the needed supplies, etc. its time to get started with the project.
First, rinse the under-hood area and underside of the hood with water, a fine-medium spray and not a stream works best. This will loosen the lighter surface area grime and allow the All Purpose Cleaner to work more effectively when it is applied.
Next, using the appropriate spray bottle apply a good coating of the Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner to the entire under-hood area as well as the painted hood area immediately surrounding the hood liner. Also spray the painted radiator support area and hood hinges/shocks, etc. While you are at it this is also a great time to also clean the grille area around the headlights as well as inside the kidney grille area as well. Simply spraying the All Purpose Cleaner on/into these areas and then rinsing them when you rinse the rest of the area cleaned later yields excellent results. Especially when you also follow the similar process when applying the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner to them later as mentioned as well. Please read the comment below just under the **Please Note** heading, as it directly pertains to the use of Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner on or around painted surfaces that have been either polished and or waxed.
Once you have coated the entire area to be cleaned down with the All Purpose Cleaner now go back with the soft bristle brushes and lightly agitate the areas that require a bit of extra cleaning. For the best results use the brushes over the entire area that you are cleaning, as this will then allow all of the grime and or buildup to be easily be rinsed away with water once you have completed the use of the brushes.
Now its time to thoroughly rinse the entire area that was just cleaned with the All Purpose Cleaner using water to thoroughly remove all of the cleaner and or residue removed during the process thus far. Again be sure to use a spray of water and not a stream, as it will rinse the area more thoroughly as well as limit your risk of soaking the more sensitive areas pointed out at the beginning of this detailing overview.
If you have a heavy amount of grime and or buildup to remove and or some cosmoline you’d like to also remove I would suggest using either the Citrus Cleaner & Degreaser from Zep Commercial or Greased Lightning’s Orange Blast first following the exact same process outlined just above. Simply substituting in the citrus based cleaner/degreaser where needed instead of the All Purpose Cleaner. I would however not use anything but the All Purpose Cleaner for cleaning in the outer grille and kidney grille areas simply as to not risk harming or damaging any exterior plastic areas. Read the instructions carefully on the citrus based cleaners, as they clearly state cautions in regard to not allowing them to remain on certain surfaces for too long, etc. In order to be powerful cleaners they must contain fairly strong cleansing agents which must be removed fairly quickly to eliminate the risk of damage to porous surfaces such as plastics specifically.
If you choose to follow this process and use the citrus based cleaner first I would also recommend that you then go back and use the Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner afterward to both neutralize and remove any remaining citrus cleaner that can become trapped in small crevices on the motor or surrounding areas. To do this, simply follow the process just as outlined above for using the All Purpose Cleaner. I mention this simply since its better to be safe than sorry and also since this will ultimately yield a cleaner finished result as well. You will be absolutely amazed at how this two-step process removes all of the grime and buildup from the firewall and strut towers all the way down to the frame rails and pan under the motor as well. It’s great to see that shiny aluminum pan under the S38 as well as the shiny heat shield that protects part of the firewall on the passenger side of the car, as most don’t realize these parts are aluminum to begin with due to the buildup covering them on most of these cars today.
Once all of the cleaning and rinsing with water is completed its time to lightly towel dry the larger surface areas under the hood of the car. Do not completely dry this area, as the next step requires the surface to be moist in order for the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner to effective cover the entire surface yielding a like new finish on the entire area. Therefore simply blot the areas where water is left standing specifically in crevices and holes, etc. that do not tend to drain themselves.
Now its time to finish the project by spraying a moderate-heavy coating of Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner by covering the entire under-hood area as well as the grille/kidney grille (spraying it inside as well) areas to protect all of the various surfaces that have just been thoroughly cleaned prior. This product is water based and will spread throughout the under-hood area when it mixes with the remaining moisture left behind after the last rinse with water. It will not harm or discolor any of the under-hood area surfaces including those that are painted. It leaves a nice matte-gloss finish on the entire area making it all look much like it did back in the early ‘90’s when these cars were new. This also eliminates having to apply any dressing/conditioner by hand otherwise if you were to not use the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner as mentioned here.
Now you are done and can simply close the hood and walk away or proceed to wash the entire car if it needs it, as the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner will shortly become dissipated and dry on its own if left to do so overnight. Starting the car afterward and allowing it to slowly come up to operating temperature at idle will obviously speed this drying process up but I would not rev the motor as it could cause the #40 to be blown off of some of the surfaces yielding a more dull finish in areas.
Phase II of this project will also include polishing the raised lettering and areas on both the valve cover and intake plenum and will be one part of the overall E34 M5 detailing process which I am currently working diligently on. This will all hopefully be completed in the first couple of months of the New Year, as that should be literally perfect timing for anyone wanting to completely detail their E28 and or E34 M5 for the upcoming summer driving and ///M-car enjoyment season.
**Please Note**
Also be aware that Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner does remove waxes and other paint protectants from any painted surface that has been waxed, etc. Therefore use caution when spraying it and or look for areas where the paint looks more dull than usual. If you end up with dull spots or streaks where the All Purpose Cleaner has run down fenders, etc. simply go back and apply another coat of your preferred wax once you have completed this detailing project.
As you can see from this small segment of the overall detailing process I am defining for our cars specifically, you will be able to pick and choose the area(s) that you happen to want to work on at any given time. Thus allowing you to go back and work on others at a later date or whenever time permits, etc.
I hope that this is useful to anyone out there that may want to achieve an end result such as the one in the photo I have shared recently in a prior post. I’d love to see some before and after photos from others out there after their having followed this process on their own cars, as I’m sure that many will be blown away with the results that can easily be achieved in a fairly short period of time with moderate effort.
Regards,
Ken Little
’91 M5 Mauritius Blue
’91 M5 Alpine White
Additionally, substituting NXT Tech Protectant in place of M40 will yield a much glossier look when compared to the M40. I have recently tried this when detailing several other BMW M5’s but have no idea as to how long the final results will last whereas I have achieved excellent results with the M40 which have lasted for approximately eight months now on my own cars. The two different products will yield two different looks when used so you have a choice based on your own personal preference. The M40 yields a nice clean “new looking� finish where the NXT Tech Protectant yields a more glossy almost fake looking finish in comparison. Personally I prefer the look of the M40, as it basically looks clean without going overboard on the shine which always screams that just been detailed look regardless.
I’ll refrain from adding the various photos here, as all of that will be rolled out in its entirety once I have completed this rather complex project of documenting an entire process used to thoroughly detail an E34 M5 specifically. After all, I’m simply adding all of this here since the topic of detailing the under-hood area has come up once again. Hope that it is helpful to all of you out there ready and or wanting to tackle this task with either your own or customers cars as well. Its obviously a bit lengthy but I wanted to make it as self explanatory as possible so that even someone that knows little about detailing could easily follow it and achieve excellent results without the headaches and or hassles that they could possibly experience otherwise.
Regards,
Ken Little
_________________________________________________
Cleaning & Detailing an S38 and surrounding under-hood areas:
Regardless of how your under-hood area looks currently following this rather simple process will yield excellent results towards making this particular area of your E34 M5 look just as it did when the car was brand new. Obviously the actual effort put forth during this exercise will correlate directly with the actual results achieved in either direction. Therefore making the extra effort is both highly recommended and should be a priority, as you will virtually ensure your complete satisfaction with your time and effort put forth once completed.
It will come as no surprise when I mention that the majority of the products I am recommending here are those from Meguiar’s. As always I am basing this information on my own use of and complete satisfaction with when using the products mentioned here on several locally owned E34 M5’s, mine included. Therefore using other products in substitution can yield different results when used in place of those I will mention here. You are on your own here and I cannot be held responsible for anything that may then happen as a result, as I am simply sharing this based on my own individual experiences which in other cases can perhaps vary for any number of actual reasons.
**Reminder**
Please use caution when spraying water around sensitive electrical component areas such as the coil, distributor and electronic control box on driver’s side of firewall. Covering these areas and then going back to clean/detail them by hand is recommended if you are not comfortable in regard to avoiding them otherwise. Use your own best judgment here, as you may have ignition problems thereafter if water is sprayed directly into any of these sensitive electronic component areas.
Now that all of that is out of the way here is a list of what you will need to get started:
A garden hose connected to a water source preferably with warm to hot water although cold water will also work. If using hot-warm water use caution in regard to the water pressure allowed to build up in the hose, as it can cause the hose to either balloon or burst if left unattended even if only for a brief period of time. Use common sense here and you should be fine. Also the use of warm-hot water for cleaning followed by cool-cold water for rinsing will always yield the best end results for obvious reasons. Hot water obviously removes any grime or buildup more quickly in comparison.
Several soft bristle brushes such as those sold at the local auto parts retailers for cleaning wheels, etc. since they are usually about 5� square with nice handles and are quite soft preventing them from scratching any painted surfaces, etc. Also grab a 1� wide soft bristle paint brush for use in the tighter areas where the larger brush is less effective.
Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner is excellent for cleaning away any grime build up without any fear of damaging any component found under the hood of an E28 or E34 M5. This is sold by the gallon and can be diluted with water in varying strengths depending on what you are cleaning when using it. I have been using it in a ratio of four to one for cleaning both under-hood areas and wheel-wells, as this mixture quickly loosens any grime buildup in either area allowing it to be easily rinsed away with water. Then also using less concentrated mixtures for door jambs, etc. depending on how much cleaning is actually required.
Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner for adding that just detailed look to everything under the hood once it is all cleaned properly beforehand. This is sold in 16 oz. spray bottles and is readily available at most retail auto parts stores. It can also be purchased by the gallon at locations such as California Car Color http://www.californiacarcolor.com here locally in the Bay Area.
To obtain additional information and or locate a Meguiar’s retailer/Jobber in your area please visit http://www.meguiars.com, as doing so will provide you with anything else that you may happen to need or locate.
If you are also interested in removing cosmoline from the under-hood areas and motor pick up a spray bottle or two of a citrus based cleaner such as Citrus Cleaner & Degreaser from Zep Commercial or Greased Lightning’s Orange Blast, as both of these products yield excellent results when used properly. They will also quickly cut through any oil/grime that has built up as well yielding a spectacularly clean S38 and engine compartment. I found each of these products at Home Depo.
I have used both of these products and the one from Zep Commercial appears to be a bit more efficient at removing cosmoline from aluminum or non-painted surfaces when compared to Orange Blast. Either will also require some scrubbing since cosmoline becomes baked on and is not simply rinsed off as some out there seem to believe. Just as I have already mentioned your efforts put forth will directly influence your end result(s) so taking the extra time to do it right the first time is highly recommended.
Now that you have all of the needed supplies, etc. its time to get started with the project.
First, rinse the under-hood area and underside of the hood with water, a fine-medium spray and not a stream works best. This will loosen the lighter surface area grime and allow the All Purpose Cleaner to work more effectively when it is applied.
Next, using the appropriate spray bottle apply a good coating of the Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner to the entire under-hood area as well as the painted hood area immediately surrounding the hood liner. Also spray the painted radiator support area and hood hinges/shocks, etc. While you are at it this is also a great time to also clean the grille area around the headlights as well as inside the kidney grille area as well. Simply spraying the All Purpose Cleaner on/into these areas and then rinsing them when you rinse the rest of the area cleaned later yields excellent results. Especially when you also follow the similar process when applying the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner to them later as mentioned as well. Please read the comment below just under the **Please Note** heading, as it directly pertains to the use of Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner on or around painted surfaces that have been either polished and or waxed.
Once you have coated the entire area to be cleaned down with the All Purpose Cleaner now go back with the soft bristle brushes and lightly agitate the areas that require a bit of extra cleaning. For the best results use the brushes over the entire area that you are cleaning, as this will then allow all of the grime and or buildup to be easily be rinsed away with water once you have completed the use of the brushes.
Now its time to thoroughly rinse the entire area that was just cleaned with the All Purpose Cleaner using water to thoroughly remove all of the cleaner and or residue removed during the process thus far. Again be sure to use a spray of water and not a stream, as it will rinse the area more thoroughly as well as limit your risk of soaking the more sensitive areas pointed out at the beginning of this detailing overview.
If you have a heavy amount of grime and or buildup to remove and or some cosmoline you’d like to also remove I would suggest using either the Citrus Cleaner & Degreaser from Zep Commercial or Greased Lightning’s Orange Blast first following the exact same process outlined just above. Simply substituting in the citrus based cleaner/degreaser where needed instead of the All Purpose Cleaner. I would however not use anything but the All Purpose Cleaner for cleaning in the outer grille and kidney grille areas simply as to not risk harming or damaging any exterior plastic areas. Read the instructions carefully on the citrus based cleaners, as they clearly state cautions in regard to not allowing them to remain on certain surfaces for too long, etc. In order to be powerful cleaners they must contain fairly strong cleansing agents which must be removed fairly quickly to eliminate the risk of damage to porous surfaces such as plastics specifically.
If you choose to follow this process and use the citrus based cleaner first I would also recommend that you then go back and use the Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner afterward to both neutralize and remove any remaining citrus cleaner that can become trapped in small crevices on the motor or surrounding areas. To do this, simply follow the process just as outlined above for using the All Purpose Cleaner. I mention this simply since its better to be safe than sorry and also since this will ultimately yield a cleaner finished result as well. You will be absolutely amazed at how this two-step process removes all of the grime and buildup from the firewall and strut towers all the way down to the frame rails and pan under the motor as well. It’s great to see that shiny aluminum pan under the S38 as well as the shiny heat shield that protects part of the firewall on the passenger side of the car, as most don’t realize these parts are aluminum to begin with due to the buildup covering them on most of these cars today.
Once all of the cleaning and rinsing with water is completed its time to lightly towel dry the larger surface areas under the hood of the car. Do not completely dry this area, as the next step requires the surface to be moist in order for the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner to effective cover the entire surface yielding a like new finish on the entire area. Therefore simply blot the areas where water is left standing specifically in crevices and holes, etc. that do not tend to drain themselves.
Now its time to finish the project by spraying a moderate-heavy coating of Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner by covering the entire under-hood area as well as the grille/kidney grille (spraying it inside as well) areas to protect all of the various surfaces that have just been thoroughly cleaned prior. This product is water based and will spread throughout the under-hood area when it mixes with the remaining moisture left behind after the last rinse with water. It will not harm or discolor any of the under-hood area surfaces including those that are painted. It leaves a nice matte-gloss finish on the entire area making it all look much like it did back in the early ‘90’s when these cars were new. This also eliminates having to apply any dressing/conditioner by hand otherwise if you were to not use the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner as mentioned here.
Now you are done and can simply close the hood and walk away or proceed to wash the entire car if it needs it, as the Meguiar’s #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner will shortly become dissipated and dry on its own if left to do so overnight. Starting the car afterward and allowing it to slowly come up to operating temperature at idle will obviously speed this drying process up but I would not rev the motor as it could cause the #40 to be blown off of some of the surfaces yielding a more dull finish in areas.
Phase II of this project will also include polishing the raised lettering and areas on both the valve cover and intake plenum and will be one part of the overall E34 M5 detailing process which I am currently working diligently on. This will all hopefully be completed in the first couple of months of the New Year, as that should be literally perfect timing for anyone wanting to completely detail their E28 and or E34 M5 for the upcoming summer driving and ///M-car enjoyment season.
**Please Note**
Also be aware that Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner does remove waxes and other paint protectants from any painted surface that has been waxed, etc. Therefore use caution when spraying it and or look for areas where the paint looks more dull than usual. If you end up with dull spots or streaks where the All Purpose Cleaner has run down fenders, etc. simply go back and apply another coat of your preferred wax once you have completed this detailing project.
As you can see from this small segment of the overall detailing process I am defining for our cars specifically, you will be able to pick and choose the area(s) that you happen to want to work on at any given time. Thus allowing you to go back and work on others at a later date or whenever time permits, etc.
I hope that this is useful to anyone out there that may want to achieve an end result such as the one in the photo I have shared recently in a prior post. I’d love to see some before and after photos from others out there after their having followed this process on their own cars, as I’m sure that many will be blown away with the results that can easily be achieved in a fairly short period of time with moderate effort.
Regards,
Ken Little
’91 M5 Mauritius Blue
’91 M5 Alpine White
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