Saalro

iTrader: (8)

Will WD40 damage my paintwork?

I was also going to use it to clean my engine bay, is this okay to use?

Thanks

Splitpin

You'd be better off not using WD40. It won't damage paintwork as such but it will soften/muck about with wax finishes - both under the bonnet and elsewhere. It won't do your belts any favours either.

It has its uses for dissolving tar spots, grease and suchlike, but there are much better things for cleaning an engine bay with.

rifleman

gunk!!!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

If any of your paintwork is oxidised, the WD40 will mark it with an oil stain that is hard to remove.

It IS good for getting rid of tar spots and sticky label resdue.

Terry Butcher

WD40 is a lubricant not a cleaner. I use my wife's motorbike muc-off underneath the bonnet and the results are good - very good. You can get lots of good cleaners these days but ultimately most lubricants affect paintwork adversely.

T4YLOR 83

iTrader: (2)

i find the best thing to use is autoglym engine cleaner with toothbrush's and bottle brush's and a couple of hours then followed up with autoglym rubber and vinyl care and your engine will look brand new mate

Saalro

iTrader: (8)

I was using it to clean oil and thick dirt on the inside of the doors and so on and it got on the exterior paintwork, just thought i would check if it would damage it.

Should i be cleaning it off with water after?

What is gunk?

Thanks a lot

Saalro

iTrader: (8)

Is Autoglym engine cleaner and rubber and vinyl care okay to get on the paintwork? Or if it does touch paintwork is it best to wash it off?

Thanks

albob

".....What is gunk?......"

Gunk is commercial product used for cleaning engines (and lots of other things !!)

Saalro

iTrader: (8)

Thanks

Splitpin

As above, WD40 will lift wax and other treatments, so on exterior paintwork, you'd be best rubbing a cloth with some detergent over the affected area, rinsing with clean water, drying and then applying some fresh wax.

Engine cleaner just rinse off with water. V&RC, what does it say on the can?

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

I've just bought a used v.3/4 IM complete with all ancillaries attached , etc. It's unpainted (so from a non-STi variant) and is a bit superficially tatty looking, wth oil and dirt on it, that's hard to shift with WD40 or similar, alone.

Can anyone recommend a really good degreaser (that doesn't attack rubber hoses), and which doesn't involve too much elbow grease to shift off the dirt and oil, once applied?

Are there any good, spray on... leave... wash off, solutions out there, for example?

All suggestons welcome....

Splitpin

Ideally strip the ancills off it and have it water/sand blasted. If that isn't an option, this stuff is the nad's danglers.

dynamix

iTrader: (3)

Looks good stuff that SP - might give that a go. I presume you have used it?

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Cheers SP

Just bought some... but from, it would appear, to be the sole proprietor of said stuffs, on eBay (45p cheaper all in, than if bought from Frost. ):-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=380054985652


EDIT: Hold on a min... is that THE Mike Wood of Prodrive fame, that's set up Frost...?!:-

http://www.frost.co.uk/about_us.asp

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Splitpin, well what can I say? The stuff's awesome! The IM looks all but brand new. It cleans like a b@stard!

I like the way it gives it that slightly darkened 'silver-grey' colour too - perfectly passable as an acceptable 'finish'. Groovy.

Cheers dudey.

jeffwrx

iTrader: (50)

would that stuff in the link above be ok to clean a FMIC , i sprayed mine with WD40 to stop it corroding but then everthing stuck to it and it looks all dirty , cheers

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

It should clean it great (going on my experience, at least) - esp. if you work it in with a stiff nylon brush. You may have to do 3 or 4 applications, but I'm sure it'll work great, though. You just wash off with running water between each app.

There is a caveat: your shiny silver looking FM just MAY turn to more of a darkened 'grey' colour, as I've experienced.