Engine detailing is an automotive touch that takes a vehicle to the next level. It might not be something you’re familiar with, but common among car enthusiasts, collectors, and owners of classic cars. You probably wouldn’t consider paying for a detailing on your engine on your commuter car, but even that has it’s benefits. In this article we will discuss the process, costs and benefits of this service. I will also share my experience with the place that does engine detailing near me.
Find Engine Detailing Near Me – Engine Detailer Locator
If you are looking for “Engine Detailing Near Me” or Engine Pressure Washing Near Me” use the map below. This is a specialized service and you may have limited local results.
What is Engine Detailing?
Engine detailing is an exterior automotive service that typically involves cleaning the engine and the surrounding areas. A Professional detailer uses a special solution that’s designed to remove stubborn buildups of dirt and grime. Your car’s engine is a part of the vehicle that doesn’t often receive any attention, as even rainwater won’t reach it. Therefore, the specialized detergent removes oil and grease from the engine bay and the insulation on the underside of the hood.
How is the Engine Professionally Cleaned?
When you pay for this service the engine gets a thorough detailing. The place I go for engine detailing near me does the following:
- Removing debris: Debris builds up in the grille and vent openings on your hood, so it’s vital to remove them before preparing the engine for detailing. This is often done either by hand or with a high-pressured tank of compressed air. The latter is quicker and more effective as it gets into the hard-to-reach areas.
- Preparing the engine: The engine isn’t used to getting wet, so a vehicle detailing service must ensure that the exterior is ready and can deal with a small amount of liquid. To do this, engine detailing companies will cover all sensors, the distributor, spark plug openings, and any other electrical devices. By doing this, they should prevent s short in the flow of electricity.
- Apply the detergent: The best way to remove stubborn grease and oil stains is to start the car as it warms up the engine. After that, the detailer will apply a high-concentrated detergent to the engine and leave for five to ten minutes so that it has enough time to work. Then, they’ll scrub it clean to ensure your engine is sparkling.
- Address the remaining surfaces: Aside from the engine, a detailing service near you should wash and polish internal paint services, clean all plastic compartment covers in the engine, and dress the plastics. This is an all-round technique that clears debris and dirt that could cause issues in the future.
- Leave it to dry: As well as hand-drying the engine, detailers can let it air dry
Some places may offer additional services like painting parts or providing chrome polish on specific components. If you are doing a resto, you may need your full engine pulled and then detailed off the vehicle. There is also a certain level of engine cleaning you can do yourself.
What are the Benefits of Engine Detailing?
There are obvious advantages and benefits that aren’t as apparent.
- Less maintenance: The clearest side-effect of detailing your engine is that you don’t have to deal with as much dirt. This means there is less maintenance work, which is the bane of any motorist’s life! By scheduling an appointment with a local engine detailing service even once per year, you’ll worry less about issues under the hood. Plus if anything they discover is wrong they will tell you.
- More Efficiency: When your engine is clean it does less work. Less work means less strain overtime and it will last longer. This means less wear and tear and potentially better gas mileage and more years out of the vehicle.
- Fewer breakdowns: Another knock-on effect is that the debris and dirt won’t reach your engine. As a result, you shouldn’t suffer from vehicle issues that are common among other drivers. Fewer breakdowns also mean you’ll save money on maintenance fees, which is important as the cost of owning a car increases every year.
- Better resale value: How does engine detailing lead to higher resale value? It’s because your actions as an owner are reflected in your vehicle. Private buyers and dealerships have more faith in cars that are well taken care of as they believe they are reliable and less likely to require repairs. As such, they offer higher fees, allowing you to recoup a bigger chunk of your initial investment.
Other Reasons to Invest in this Service
Some motorists love this services because it suits their lifestyle or hobbies. For example, they might go to car shows regularly. If this is the case, it’s essential that the vehicle looks spotless and as stunning as physically possible. This is because audiences and petrolheads will inspect under the hood and do more than the average person when it comes to viewing the vehicle.
It’s also a favorite pastime of people who own luxury and high-end cars. Not only are they worth more and require thorough maintenance work, but they retain a lot of value, too. When you combine this with the fact that supercars are notoriously temperamental, it makes sense to detail the engine and potentially prevent issues that wouldn’t impact other vehicles.
Does a Detailing Involve Servicing?
No. An engine servicing isn’t included because most providers class it as an extra auto detailing service. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, it takes a lot of time to detail an engine properly. The average is anywhere between two and four hours. Considering standard vehicle detailing and valeting is the same duration, it’s a huge job that requires more resources.
Secondly, the suppliers charge an extra fee. While the amount isn’t massive – it’s often under $100 – it’s big enough that they won’t forego the cost. You can shop around for an inclusive deal, but you should be prepared to fork out more for engine detailing.
What Does Engine Detailing Near Me Cost?
Engine detailing doesn’t cost a great deal compared to what it saves motorists in the long-term. You can expect to pay around $50 for a quality service. The size of your car and its engine will dictate the final price. They also may need to consider how grimy your engine is to begin with.
The place that does engine detailing near me, charged me $60 for cleaning up a 327 on a ’65 Corvette.
You can also consider detailing the engine bay on your own to save money. Learn how to detail an engine bay here.
How to Choose an Engine Detailing Service
You should look out for telltale signs that the company understands the basics of engine detailing. Aside from the cleaning products – SuperClean Degreaser/Brush Hero – a good detailer does it by hand. This is because pressure washers damage electrical and plastic equipment. As always, use reviews and recommendations from sources that you trust. I like to read independent reviews about these companies and understand their methods.
Look for customers who post pictures of their results and see if you can find any one with a similar model of car to what you have. Some people will evn post before an after photos which is the most helpful.
Auto Engine Detailing Near Me – Final Thoughts…
The average car owner doesn’t usually consider a service like this. It feels like extra money. For an enthusiast, vintage car collector, or owner of a super car, a detailing of the motor is a must. The cost isn’t that expensive and you will reap the benefits of improved performance. Choosing a company is about finding reviews, reading testimonials, looking at past work, and considering the price. Not every auto detailer provides this service, so you may need to shop around. This is what I have learned from the place that does auto engine detailing near me.