Engine Detailing History
Back in the day, engines were very messy, and when you open the hood, you could see all areas of the engine. This grease, grime, oil and other "stuff" needed to be regularly cleaned if a mechanic wanted to work on the vehicle, or if the owner wanted to open the hood and see a clean detailed engine compartment.

Many dealerships, auto wholesalers, used car businesses regularly had the engines thoroughly doused with water to clean them from top to bottom so they would be presentable for sale. However, this created some ugly runoff!

Historically, there was not as much concern over the hazardous waste coming off the engine, so you could spray some degreaser, let it sit, come back and rinse with a pressure washer, and then apply some dressing ,done. And the industry could charge some good money with a low level of effort.

But things are changing. Environmental laws do require containment and proper disposal of hazardous waste, expensive and sensitive computers now reside within the engine compartment. And most new cars have covers preventing visibility and access to many areas.

Why is Engine Detailing a concern in Eco Detailing?
In Eco Detailing, we take the most green and eco friendly options available to us, and change our behavior to achieve same or similar results. With many vehicles, the concern isn't necessarily the chemicals used to clean the engine, the primary concern is the waste removed from the engine. Grease, oil, gas are some of the most hazardous contaminants that concern the stewards of Storm Drains and Sewer Systems.

Even if you have the appropriate system to allow discharge into the Sewer, or are operating with the appropriate Wash Capture Mat and Reclaim System, next to brake dust, you are potentially removing the most environmentally sensitive contaminants from the vehicle.

Lastly, the traditional method requires you to locate the vehicles computer, fuse boxes, relay systems, ABS brake systems which also contain sensitive components and should be protected.

These computers located in the engine compartment are getting more sophisticated, more expensive, and harder to find. Once you locate them, you are to protect them as you pressure wash and clean. Properly wrapping them with a waterproof material or absorbent towel will shield them from moisture. This concern is significantly reduced in an Eco Detailing process.

Why not eliminate Engine Detailing?
Regular cleaning of the engine compartment does have benefits. A clean engine allows for cooler running and produces fewer emissions.

A mechanic will love you as it makes his job easier and allows for leak identification. Provided the car is in good running condition and there are no leaks, no oil, etc., many of the new cars, when you open the hood, have mostly dust and road grime, similar to the exterior of a car (although it gets cleaned more frequently).

If you regularly clean the engine, this significantly reduces the environmental concerns as compared to a ten year old car that cleans the engine only at time of sale or trade in.

In addition, the resale value of automobiles can greatly be affected when a prospective buyer examines a vehicle to purchase and sees a well maintained engine compartment.

Even some manufacturers recommend regular cleaning and wiping down of the engine as part of the regimen of the detailing and washing process.

If done properly, engines can tolerate water and will benefit from regular cleaning.

In Eco Detailing, provided you watch out for the alternator, and the connectors, Eco Engine Detailing can be performed reasonably safe, reasonable level of effort and generate additional profits.

Eco Detailing How To:
There is an opportunity to selectively engage in the practice of Engine Detailing within the requirements of Eco Detailing. Here are some examples of Best Practices:

• Eco Clean and wipe down all noticeable surface dirt that you can reach or see.
• Eco Dress top surfaces of engine compartment so that it is clean and presentable

• Open Hood
• Place absorbent towels found at some local suppliers underneath the engine to catch and drippings or contamination from hitting the ground.
• Assess condition of engine, location of Computer, ABS brake system, and fuse boxes, Alternator, Alarm components, etc. Additionally, Computers can be located at the firewall or in some cases near the battery. In many cases, auto manufactures are placing the thinking center of the automobile within the interior of the automobile but many electrical system components will still be found within the engine compartment.
• If the Engine Compartment has excessive grime and contaminants, politely communicate with the customer to say no, or make a recommendation of options like where else they can take it. Or manage expectations of the results you know you can achieve. So do not overpromise on a challenging vehicle.
• If the compartment meets the criteria of a newer model, with simple dust and road grime, then follow these steps:
• In the event you are working with high-end or classic vehicles with areas of chrome or aluminum, using a liquid glass cleaner that is safe for chrome and aluminum is a quick and effective way to bring a great shine to an engine while doing so in a quick and responsible fashion.

• Spray a biodegradable All Purpose Cleaner, and let it sit for a couple minutes to allow the loosening and breaking up of dust and grime. You can use brushes and microfibers as necessary
• Use a Steamer or low pressure washer to rinse and remove. With steamer adjust nozzle and settings to discharge the least amount of water and most amount of vapor steam, careful around connectors, often plastic and can expand and contrast with extreme heat. Cover connectors as necessary. You may wish to angle the tip of steamer nozzle at an angle and "blow" engine grime onto a towel so that the material is completely removed from the engine compartment. This is an effective method when working on vehicle with slight grime or on show type vehicles.

• Spray a biodegradable All Purpose Cleaner; let it sit for a couple minutes to allow the loosening and breaking up of dust and grime.
• Use brushes and towels to remove dust and grime.
• This is a superficial cleaning, appropriate for newer models that have many areas of the engine covered.
• Concentrate on the topsides of covers, hoses and in general things that are visual when you open the hood, and areas that can be easily cleaned.
• Absorbent towels on ground below engine to catch the drippings and other contaminents that may fall to ground

• Spray Biodegradable Tire Dressing + Avoid any dressings the have silicones or petroleum distillates, as they may harden plastics and deteriorate rubber components
• Make sure you clean the back side of the hood, and any jamb area
• Grease hood jambs with an acceptable lubricant (white lithium preferred) so that it prevents rust, prevents squeaking of hinges, and properly allows for the hood to shut smoothly.
• Quality Check to ensure that all equipment, micro fibers, and materials are removed from the compartment. Once the engine is completed, simply close the hood. On your mental checklist you will know that once you close a panel it's been taken care of.

• Time is money, so we recommend that you perform a couple of these services to get a sense of how long it will take you based on the service and
• On Average, you should spend 30-45 minutes on Eco Engine Detailing
• A guideline of pricing is $80-$175 depending on size and condition

Note, for Hybrid cars, there would be a concern during collision repair. However, when Eco Detailing, stay clear of connectors to the energy batteries, and you should be safe.

Special thanks to Renny Doyle of Attention to Details for his contribution to this article and his continued willingness to transfer his knowledge on Eco Detailing. Please visit his educational and informative web site at www.detailingsuccess.com

Thank you for your time and interest, there is more to come on Eco Detailing Please join us on the Eco Detailing Forum.