just picked up my son a 92 5.7 z28 that been sitting few years......
My questions are??

1-Is Castrol Super Clean(purple stuff)....OK to knock the dust off from under hood??
Car needs painting,but I'll keep away from body paint anyway....

2-Is there anything under hood I need to avoid Super Clean,or rinsing,or getting wet?....
(computer,etc??)

It's been awhile since I messed with these 3rd. gen cars,and don't want to
mess up any electronics......I don't plan on flooding the bay,just rinse off the dust,and dirt....

3-What do you recommend for the hood louvers?...They're sorta peeling in the valleys at rear of louvers....

Thanks for any help,
JD

 

Nice looking car, superclean works great but it’s a acid and will discolor aluminum if left on for very long. Best way is to wet the intake first then spray it on and rinse right away. Cover the distributor to prevent water getting in the cap.

 

I hate to say it because I think it's almost amalgous to the old man yelling "Get off my lawn!" but for stuff like this you really should do a quick search. Lots of good threads with awesome suggestions about cleaning and detailing the engine bay. That being said a couple of suggestions:

--Use a foaming aluminum wheel cleaner. IMO any foaming cleaner works better than non-foaming. You want the label that says "aluminum cleaner" or an all wheel cleaner that says safe for clear coated wheels. Cleaners like this won't strip paint and don't contain the acid(s) that Tuned Performance touched on.

-- Never use a pressure washer or a hose with the jet setting. Only use a mist or rain setting, you are only wanting to rinse the engine. Any scrubbing should be done by hand, not by water pressure.

--The two components that you need to worry about are the bottom of the distributor and the Knock sensor connector. Neither use any seal and water can enter and cause corrosion.

--If you are using a dressing afterwards I sould stay away from the thick silicones and tire dressings. Anything that leaves a tacky surface will trap dust and you'll have a brown finish in no time. Best stuff is going to be a water based dressing like Mequiars hyper dressing. Stuff like armor all has lots of second hand evidence that it causes plastics to turn brittle.

 

Super Clean is a bit on the aggressive side. I like regular old Dawn dish soap diluted with water in a squirt bottle. Spray everything liberally, let it soak, scrub heavy areas with an old toothbrush, or similar detail brush, rinse and either blow the water out with the blow gun, or soak it up with a towel.

 

Thanks guys for all your input.....If i use Super Clean,it'll only be on the plastic type areas....The air intake,etc....If I have the other reccommended,I'll use it instead./....
But what i had planned to do was Spray thru windex bottle in mist,then rinse immediately.....
You've got me thinking now,should I go as planned?...I'll see what else I have.....

I do know Super Clean is very powerful if left for a period of time.....
I'll keep everyone posted as to how it goes....

Thanks again,JD

 

I understand completely,just my internet(computer) is around 10 years,or older....It's getting very slow,and complicated to use....Can't afford another right now....I do the best I can....I just figured (Auto Detailing and Appearance ) was a good place to ask....

 

First, Looks like you might have found a pretty solid car to wrench on, Congrats.


Next, SUPER CLEAN RULES !!!!!!

I've used that *** on EvErYtHiNg ! Just "saved" my kids $400 sneakers yesterday thanx to that stuff. I haven't seen it melt a plastic or bleach a fabric yet; I always wet the item first then apply SC to a wet-rag and wipe - and have never had a problem. Used it to clean every type of internal engine part; used it to every type of carpet stain, used it to clean the scum from windshield glass, it's perfect for cleaning wheels/tires.......... I Haven't found anything I would not use it on ---> yet !?




A couple old towels, a bucket of water, a bottle of Super Clean and a couple hours time is going to make the car look like a very different car !!!! - Good Luck !

 

Hey man, where in the Triad are you!? ...I'm in Jamestown/High Point area. -I actually spoke with my wife about looking at that car, but my money ultimately was needed elsewhere.

....for underhood, I'm a believer in Simple Green. Not as strong as some of the others but it's safe for any finish. I normally start with compressed air, then rinse with water, douse with SG, wipe down with a rag, then rinse again. I normally cover the battery and relays on the firewall. That's it. Been doing it that way for years. ....but, there are lots of ways that work.

 

You don't happen to be getting any Transmission work done on that Red RS you listed, are you? There's a nice one at my buddies shop. No way the world is THAT small, lol.

 

ZEP foaming BBQ cleaner on the greasy stuff and underside of the engine. Scrubbing Bubbles on the dirty stuff inside the engine bay. This stuff worked great for lifting the dirt and it washing away with light pressure. I also agitated the sprays with those cheap chip brushes to help the dirt and grime wash off easily.

 

The dark red car has been gone from my posession for a few years.....Im acually wanting to find it and possibly buy it back.....Is the one at your buddys shop have the blk hood,and painted bra look?...also small scoop of some sort(maybe older mustang?)?....
I'd really like to buy it back if i could.....

Im near jackson creek,off cid rd.....Are you sure it's same white z you tried to buy?.....

 

Nah, this red one appears to be an RS with aftermarket black rally stripes, no bra.

I never contacted the seller, but I was considering it. Can't be sure it's the same car of course, but it was a 5.7 liter white Z with black hood blisters, which are white from the factory soooo, I'm guessing it's the same. Can't be sure of course. Good luck with it! ...maybe I'll see you around this sprint/summer