I’ve looked at some threads but most seem a few years ago or unanswered. I’m just wondering if there is something I can use , spray on that is not to corrosive to clean the cylinder block.
Thanks
Simon
Something like a citrus degreaser would be effective but safe
Thanks , anything you use , recommend yourself?
I’ve used diluted Bilberry wheel cleaner on a really dirty engine before.
If it’s only dusty, I usually just snow foam it with my hose sprayer, agitate with a soft brush, then rinse off with a low pressure hose, then blow dry with the leaf blower.
Spray on some Autoglym vinyl & rubber dressing for an as new finish.
Plenty of YouTube videos about cleaning engines, just don’t use a pressure washer and don’t soak the electronics or alternator.
Put it in the dishwasher and use the longest hottest cycle. Just use your usual tablet/powder.
I’ve done numerous alloy bits and it works every time.
Oh, and don’t tell your wife…
Any decent APC at a high enough concentration sprayed on should do a decent job. If it’s bad you’ll want a dedicated engine bay cleaner/degreaser.
If you’re dressing the engine bay you’ll want something to treat the plastics and seals too, AFAIC you can’t go wrong with CarPro PERL.
Hi Chris , the engine is very clean no grease oil etc , I just wanted to keep it that way and protect it without using anything abrasive.
Car wax???
Is there not a risk here - I believe most waxes might not last too well on a hot engine?
Autobahn Swissvax is designed for wheels but it also contains PTFE, apparently making it a lot more heat-resistant than most other waxes. Whether or not it would cope with engine temperatures, I don’t know, but it might be worth contacting the distributor.
There’s a catch - It’s pretty expensive! A lot of preparation is also required in order to get the best finish.
I recently bought some for the wheels of a Lexus RC-F (also naturally aspirated, like the MX-5). If my RF is really lucky, it might get to experience Swissvax too!
Back in the day, one of my biker mates who had a Bonnie, always had shinier engine cases than anyone else.
I asked him his secret and it was car wax.
He reckoned the wax kept the cases shiny by preventing oxidation.
I used to use car wax on my BMW R80/7’s chrome silencers too. I doubt MX5 cam covers get any hotter than those.
I think the length of time a wax lasts could be a differentiator between waxes, as well as the degree of shine, of course. I believe the Swissvax is supposed to last months (at least for its intended application). It will be interesting to see if this is borne out in practise …
Try 3 coats of wheel ceramic like gyeon rim