The engine bay on my series 2 vdp appears to be painted matte black. It does look factory, I thought initially it was just dirty! Is this correct? I would like to have it original. Anybody have some pics of a nice original vdp engine bay? Cheers JJD.

 

Hi JJD,

Engine Bay colour should be body colour as no secondary painting was done at the factory.

Many PO's (not just Jaguar owners) paint engine bays black because without regular cleaning, the area can become all but black with oil, grease, dirt and other muck over the years and this painting masks this development.

To them, it seems like a good idea at the time rather than just spend some time once in a while running a damp cloth over everything you can reach when the engine is cold.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

Nigel, you must have a nearly Perfect engine if it only takes a damp cloth once in a while to keep your engine compartment clean!! I'd like to see that, as I've Never found Any engine that tidy without weekly steam cleaning.

It's Gallons of degreaser here, and my engine bay is black!
(';')

 

Hi LnrB,

Don't get me wrong, I won't be eating my dinner off any engine bay surface of mine any time soon.

I just wipe surfaces whilst cleaning the car.

Over the years I've found that if a hose (coolant or oil) starts to leak / weep, I can usually see the evidence on a relatively clean surface before anything gets too far advanced.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

I've always found engine bays stay pretty clean if wiped over whenever the car is cleaned. If the engine has leaks spraying nasties around, or the car is often driven in "dirty" conditions, it may take more effort! I usually wipe the painted areas with just a wet soapy cloth or a tiny amount of degreaser on a rag for the other bits.

JJD, the only way you can properly change the colour is by removing the engine, wiring, piping, ancillaries etc. from the bay for respraying. Up to you if you think it's worthwhile...

Cheers,

 

I do try to keep most of the "Public areas" of my engine bay presentable, just in case someone wants a look, but certainly Not to the degree you guys have done! As I live at the end of a long gravel driveway you'll find dust on most under hood surfaces.

Farm girls don't mind a little dirt - except on a black car.
(';')

 

You mean like this? Maybe I overdid the stripping!!!













Anyway, the engine bay was body coloured, the green bits between the rust!!

 

Elinor, I admit to being a little bit inclined toward detailing, and I also take mine along to a few display days (NOT Concours I hasten to add) where it's customary to have the hood open. I need to keep it pretty clean under there, but not fanatically so. I don't like extremes and prefer the tidier side of average/usable. Concours makes me prickle.

Agreed, dust is a real killer. It gets even where water can't e.g. dash panel air vents, cleaning those is my pet hate fetish, worse than the engine bay!!!

 

Mine gets 2 cans of degreaser and a good hose every time it gets washed.

 

That would be more my style except for the splashing on the body. That's a problem because I never actually Wash my car, but only use Meguiar's quick detailer.
(';')

 

I tend to visit one of those pressure spray car washes and use the pressure sprayer without pulling the trigger (at least in the engine bay). Give the gearbox/sump/suspension and brakes a bit more of a blast occasionally. Once clean , I usually give the engine bay a spray and wipe with Ballistol which I have around for other reasons. Its great stuff and is friendly to plastics, rubber, leather and wood (germanic wd40 type stuff)

 

Ballistol hey!??

I suppose that keeps the rifling clean in your barrels as well Yarpos

Lots of rabbits in Alexandria though

 

Definitely, but important to know where to draw the line!

 

1. I am reasonably sure that our cars and actually most if not all others, come with engine bays in body color. But, definitely almost glossless in my car's engine bay. I tried with no luck atall to polish the underside of the bonnet.


2. The vendor for the "lump kit' I used suggested that the brake lines be removed and the bay and under bonnet be painted ion body color while vacant. Great idea. I did part of it, sorta. I found Duplicolor rattle can in metalic brown. Not a real match, but quite compatible. The inners of the wing walls got a shot. and, the insulation pads got a shot of silver from another rattle can. Concours or show, not really, but presentable. The black parts up front got reblacked, rattle can again. Other stuff replaced like the four row brass radiator came nicely blacked.


3. I do the wipe it down in lieu of a degreaser and pressure wash. Lots of touch electrics there, including my PCM, mounted in a prominent place.


4. I've cleaned up messy engine bays in other critters and used a combination of gloss black and flat black as a contrast. A bit of wrinkle paint as well.


Durn, gotta do taxes again. More procrastination of a hated process....Oddly,or mebbe not so much, the CA form is far more confusing and lengthy????


Son and I conferred on water heater ills. New gas fired tankless unit On the way
he will help out the old and in with the new. He installed one at one of their houses and is pleased...


Carl

 

I wish I had known that a week or so ago!


Saw your photos of Nix looking all glossy, and thought " I can do that "


So after a snow foam wash, a good clay bar job, a little bit of scratch remover, I gave the old XJR a coat of Meguiars Tech Wax 2.0, and there she was all nice and glossy!


Only took the whole weekend, and you use quick detailer!

 

Thanks folks. Ill be painting it back body colour so!

 

Sorry,
Thank you, Andrew,
It actually fills tiny scratches and scuffs, even removes water marks - Eventually. It also does a good job on bugs, bird poop and road tar.
(';')

 

I use this to clean everything,originally bought it too blow the sand out of the Jeep after fishing up the beach.I blast everything from the lawnmower(every time it is used) to motorcycles and the cars,even around the engine and engine bay. Keeps all the grime away.
I draw the line at watering the garden with it,seems to damage the foliage.. Speed watering was a fail

200 bucks at bunnings,worth every cent.

 

If you look at one of my old posts power washing the engine bay on my old xjr landed me in a world of trouble and eventually turned me off the car to the point where i sold it. Now im more inclined to use petrol or paraffin on a rag to clean up!

 

Agreed. I respect different views, but to my mind dumping water in an environment full electrics & fuel componentry doesn't sit well. Rags and a little solvent of some kind is as far as I go. The most I've ever done on other cars to clean the bottom end is a liberal spray of degreaser then agitate with an old long handled paint brush, repeat a couple of times and spray off finally with more degreaser. Just need a good drip pan underneath!