Engine bay prep

[Ace]

I'm ready to prep the engine bay minus a few items you see in the photo.  Any suggestions or things that may be different when prepping here than anywhere else?

[dilweed]

do you plan on using the same wiring/harness?  if not, perhaps pop out and fill the existing wiring connector(s) at the firewall.

[rjsjea]

Take you time prepping and clean clean clean.......before any sanding/primers. 

[Ace]

Yeah that wiring block is coming out of the firewall, as well as the cables for the throttle and speedo.  I'm putting an EZ wiring kit in the car.  The bushings in the shock towers won't be there either.  More curious of what you guys use to clean it all up.

[Jim_Lusk]

There are so many areas that are hard to get to that to do it right you almost have to media blast it. I'm in the middle of the same thing with my Barracuda after replacing the tweaked inner fenderwell the rest needs to be blasted so that the new paint will look decent. It's on the agenda for this summer.

[Ace]

Yeah unfortunately blasting is out of the question for me.  I USED to own a blaster, and it was junk, it never ran right, I spent too much money on it to make it work, then returned it.  I guess it's just going to be a lot of brake clean and scrubbing with a wire brush to get 'er all clean?

[rjsjea]

Pressure washing it will get a lot of the gunk off.....if sand/media blasting is not an option.  You can use those black biscuit wheels (actual name escapes me) to get into a lot of the tight areas, but it's not fun to hand sand engine compartment

[mopowers]

For the cavities and tight spots, I found that a scotch bright works well.  Hell, the paint that is there has lasted this long right, why take it off?  I'd wash everything off real well with soap and water and maybe some degreaser, then do any patching/filling you need to do, then sand flat surfaces and scuff the hard to reach spots, then shoot on some primer.  It should look fine.  By the looks of it, you have a very good starting point.

[Ace]

It needs to be scuffed at a minimum as it's going a different color.  I didn't plan on stripping it down to nothing, but prepping the surface for new paint.

[flyboy01]

I would not use Brakleen, start by cleaning it with engine degreaser and power washing it, get some dish washing soap and a bucket of warm water (dont fall asleep with your hand in it!) and scub every inch with a long bristle med-soft brush, then get some old t-shirts and gloves, wipe down everything with laquer thinner, twice. Do all this before you even think about touching anything with sandpaper and you will greatly reduce the chance of fisheyes. Then wipe everything down with some type of pre-paint prep (wax/grease remover), now you can start sanding. If in the process you find any little pockets of grease & gunk, hit that with a toothbrush (an old one, or someones that pissed you off). Don't ever sand over any grease because you can imbed the grease into the metal deep in the scratches. Engine compartments are a real bitch because of the oils, greases, and silicones used. 

[Ace]

Excellent!

[flyboy01]

If in the process you find any little pockets of grease & gunk, hit that with a toothbrush (an old one, or someones that pissed you off).

What I meant to say was toothbrush and dip it in a little cup of wax and grease remover, not dry.

I am getting ready to do my engine compartment in a few days, I am pulling the old engine and trans out this weekend.

[Ace]

Yeah I figured it out. 

[512Stroker]

and you will greatly reduce the chance of fisheyes.

Fisheyes?

[BigSlim]

Nasty Job!!!! Next time I'll try to sand blast if at all possible. I used wire wheels of differant sizes, paint stiper, sand paper and anything else that I thought would remove paint. Don't forget to use a dust mask or some form of breathing protection.
Slim
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/BigSlim990/Cuda/cudaetc-7.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/BigSlim990/Cuda/cudaetc-17.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/BigSlim990/Cuda/cudaetc-16.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/BigSlim990/Cuda/cudaetc.046.jpg

[flyboy01]

Fisheyes, read this, good info.

http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/reference/troubleshooting_guide/fisheyes/index.cfm

[512Stroker]

Learn something new everyday.  Thanks.

[68_Val_Sedan]

You might want to skip the lacquer thinner ... it will soften the old enamel that the car was originally painted with.   just go right to the wax and grease remover then there will be no chance of softening the paint you do not want to sand off ...

[illfish]

aircraft stripper

[flyboy01]

If its original paint, then its laquer, not enamel. I used it myself, it takes off a lot stuff that might be hard to take off like caulks and adhesives. It will not soften the paint, it might take some off, but that is what you are trying to do anyway. Laquer dries, and does not cure, it also needs to be sealed if you do not strip it down all the way to metal.

[Ace]

No need for me to go down to bare metal, but I do like the idea of the wax/grease remover.  Any thoughts on something like Simple Green or Purple Power or something of the sorts?  That was mentioned on another board, and then a thorough rinse afterwards.

[75Dart440]

I use R-M PreKleano for all of my degreasing operations.  Just wipes on wet with a rag, and remove it with a clean dry rag.  Repeat using new rags each time until the surfaces are all free of grease.

I prepped my engine bay by stripping it by hand using dremel tool with flap discs and other abrasive attachments to get into the tight spots.  The rest of it I sanded using a dual action sander or DA sander with 80 grit paper.  All said I had about 100 hours including the rust repair and base/clear paint work on the engine compartment.

[redfastback]

i like to use a bucket of hot water and simple green.  mix it strong.  then wash down a few times with just hot water.  use gloves. for one it dries faster and two, it gets the grease to run off better.  after that you can get in there with green scrubbies and scuff it up.

[flyboy01]

i actually did try Purple Power, but it left a powdery residue when it dried, I had to wipe off wth sometning else.

[MVRCorp]

Check this post

http://www.bigblockdart.com/index.php?topic=27144.msg259307

This blaster works great and it is cheap. I used medium sand from Quickcrete (Lowes)

[flyboy01]

Eastwood just came out with a Soda blasting system for about $250. Check that out too, since the soda is not re-used, you can blast right over grease and gunk. The soda looks like grains of sugar than explode when they hit metal and make the paint fly off.

[IL.DART340- 4SP]

Check this post

http://www.bigblockdart.com/index.php?topic=27144.msg259307

This blaster works great and it is cheap. I used medium sand from Quickcrete (Lowes)

I would say it is the best way to restore a engine compartment is media blasting. I did mine on my charger blast to bare metal, prep work, primer, sealer,paint and clear in a few hours. I got lucking a tool rental place a couple a blocks away had them for rent at 26 dollars a day. MVRCorp thanks for info. that is one of the best ones that I have seen for the price. Also guys check out tool suppliers at the big car shows that you attend. They have huge volume buying power so they can past the savings on to the consumer. I check out this big blasting cabinet at the Mopar Nats every year for $199.95 comes with everything gloves,footpump,hoses,nozzle,parts screen,light bulb etc. Only thing that stops me from buying it is I have no room in my garage and my air compressor size is not big enough to run it. So this one from Harberfreight might be perfect for me. Again MVRCorp thanks for info. I will drive over to store and check it out.

[68fish]

I made five thorough passes with a power washer that I bought specifically to do this job (didn't own one prior). Then hit it with the chemical paint prep cleaners. Forty years of gunk in the engine compartment definitely justified the purchase of the power washer.

[MVRCorp]

Check this post

http://www.bigblockdart.com/index.php?topic=27144.msg259307

This blaster works great and it is cheap. I used medium sand from Quickcrete (Lowes)

I would say it is the best way to restore a engine compartment is media blasting. I did mine on my charger blast to bare metal, prep work, primer, sealer,paint and clear in a few hours. I got lucking a tool rental place a couple a blocks away had them for rent at 26 dollars a day. MVRCorp thanks for info. that is one of the best ones that I have seen for the price. Also guys check out tool suppliers at the big car shows that you attend. They have huge volume buying power so they can past the savings on to the consumer. I check out this big blasting cabinet at the Mopar Nats every year for $199.95 comes with everything gloves,footpump,hoses,nozzle,parts screen,light bulb etc. Only thing that stops me from buying it is I have no room in my garage and my air compressor size is not big enough to run it. So this one from Harberfreight might be perfect for me. Again MVRCorp thanks for info. I will drive over to store and check it out.

One tip about harbor freight. Often I have found the web prices are cheaper then in the stores. If you print the web price and take it with you the store will honor the the lower price so always check it on line first.

[IL.DART340- 4SP]

Check this post

http://www.bigblockdart.com/index.php?topic=27144.msg259307

This blaster works great and it is cheap. I used medium sand from Quickcrete (Lowes)

I would say it is the best way to restore a engine compartment is media blasting. I did mine on my charger blast to bare metal, prep work, primer, sealer,paint and clear in a few hours. I got lucking a tool rental place a couple a blocks away had them for rent at 26 dollars a day. MVRCorp thanks for info. that is one of the best ones that I have seen for the price. Also guys check out tool suppliers at the big car shows that you attend. They have huge volume buying power so they can past the savings on to the consumer. I check out this big blasting cabinet at the Mopar Nats every year for $199.95 comes with everything gloves,footpump,hoses,nozzle,parts screen,light bulb etc. Only thing that stops me from buying it is I have no room in my garage and my air compressor size is not big enough to run it. So this one from Harberfreight might be perfect for me. Again MVRCorp thanks for info. I will drive over to store and check it out.

One tip about harbor freight. Often I have found the web prices are cheaper then in the stores. If you print the web price and take it with you the store will honor the the lower price so always check it on line first.

Will it was cheaper at the store I just bought one #34202. From the web info. that you posted it was $84.99 in store price was $79.99 Did you find a air filter for yours. They did not sale it.