Engine Detailing 2003 Mercury Mountaineer

Red Baron · **Posted:** Mon May 27, 2013 5:15 pm

My Sister-In-Law Kim has a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer that needed an engine detailing. A number of years ago my brother Alan cleaned up and detailed her engine and painted some of the under hood components a purple color in honor of the Ravens. Well, besides the fact that the painted areas were more of a pink/purple the engine itself was pretty dirty and greasy and was in need of another engine detailing.

Noting how the engine detailing went on my 2008 Mercury Mariner, which we traded in for a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, my brother was anxious to see how I would do with Kim's SUV.

Well here are the results. First will be the before photos and the next post will feature the after photos. I'm still not crazy about the choice of his pink/purple custom paint job but the results are pretty dramatic.

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

Red Baron · **Posted:** Mon May 27, 2013 5:28 pm

To detail the engine I used Griot's Engine Degreaser on a warm engine to dissolve the grease and grime and then lightly rinsed the engine off with a hose and water. After restarting the engine to dry it off and using an air compressor to blow out sitting water, I used a new product that I wanted to test out. Normally I would use Griot's Engine Dressing which is my favorite for adding a finished look to a cleaned engine.

In this case I used a new engine dressing from Gunk that goes on a little more wet than misty but dries to a nice finish. After dressing all of the engine and engine bay I started the engine again to help it dry faster and the end result was a factory fresh looking engine bay.

The whole process took about 40 minutes and it makes the SUV look years younger!

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

6-71 · **Posted:** Mon May 27, 2013 6:48 pm

I really couldn't tell much differencefrom the pictures..... :yikes:

Seriously that looks really nice and a job well done :btu:

5.7Lmustang · **Posted:** Mon May 27, 2013 7:41 pm

Looks great dude, I really need to do the stang!

Red Baron · **Posted:** Mon May 27, 2013 7:48 pm

I've got a feeling that in a few months it'll look about the same as the original pictures! :yikes:

The only time this stuff gets done is when I get "volunteered" to do it! :blink:

It's like the last time I detailed her SUV. I clay barred the truck and then polished the scratches out and than sealed the finish with paint sealant. That was over a year and a half ago and it hasn't been cleaned up since then! :nono:

Well at least it looks good for now.

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

Great White · **Posted:** Tue May 28, 2013 11:25 am

Steve, another fantastic job! really a night and day difference. :bows:

Red Baron · **Posted:** Tue May 28, 2013 1:48 pm

6-71 · **Posted:** Tue May 28, 2013 6:30 pm

racered302 · **Joined:** Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:38 pm **Posts:** 81

That was a night and day result, and I'm with u on the color combo. Looks like something you would find on a rice'r.
Do you know of an engine dressing that's not shiny? I see ionization forming on my engine block and I want to clean it off and coat it with something long lasting. Maybe I'll see something at Carlisle.

Red Baron · **Posted:** Tue May 28, 2013 10:45 pm

Mustang Club of Maryland

Engine Detailing 2003 Mercury Mountaineer

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