# Maestro Turbo engine bay



## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

For those of you whose experience of detailing an engine bay is spraying a few black lumps of plastic with some trim restorer and viola.....this is an engine bay:










That of course is the 'before' photo. I'll post up the 'finished' pictures when I'm done.


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

This should be fun, you not done yet?


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## turbosnoop (Apr 14, 2015)

I wish my engine bay had that much air in it .
Obviously you look after it, as it doesn't look too bad already


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## biggriff (Feb 9, 2009)

My friend did the development work on the turbo and got busted doing 120 between the roundabouts in Oxford. He still says it was a bloody good car and massively underrated.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

If that's a dirty engine bay then I don't know what one is then, be nice to see the finished job.


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

Thanks for the responses. Took a while not least because I was under considerable pressure to 'make good use of the fine weather' from Mrs G51 and children. While means 'get your backside out of that bloody garage and let's go somewhere while it's not raining for once'.

Anyhow here is the completed job. I have the cuts and grazes to prove it. Reversed it out into the carport to get a better 'completed' picture, I only realised after I'd uploaded the initial photo from my phone that the light really is rubbish in the garage.










Next photos are not engine bay (sorry) but I also started work on the interior mats. They're a bit worn but they've been with the car from new as far as I can tell, so they're 26 years old, and I haven't the heart to skip them. In the first photo I'd already done the passenger side but the drivers side was not done. All four mats completed in the second photo:


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

G51 NAV said:


> Thanks for the responses. Took a while not least because I was under considerable pressure to 'make good use of the fine weather' from Mrs G51 and children. While means 'get your backside out of that bloody garage and let's go somewhere while it's not raining for once'.
> 
> Anyhow here is the completed job. I have the cuts and grazes to prove it. Reversed it out into the carport to get a better 'completed' picture, I only realised after I'd uploaded the initial photo from my phone that the light really is rubbish in the garage.
> 
> ...


What a lovely job you did fella, and those matts look great. :thumb:


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## dave- (Nov 8, 2012)

This is an engine bay lol : Not my car unfortunately


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

G51 NAV said:


> Thanks for the responses. Took a while not least because I was under considerable pressure to 'make good use of the fine weather' from Mrs G51 and children. While means 'get your backside out of that bloody garage and let's go somewhere while it's not raining for once'.
> 
> Anyhow here is the completed job. I have the cuts and grazes to prove it. Reversed it out into the carport to get a better 'completed' picture, I only realised after I'd uploaded the initial photo from my phone that the light really is rubbish in the garage.
> 
> ...


nice job on your mats mate:thumb:
Am sorry but your engine bay is still the same as the first picture:wall: I was expecting a big difference from your first comment but all I see is a dirty bay, and no dressing at all on your plastics that's just my thoughts .


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

chongo said:


> Am sorry but your engine bay is still the same as the first picture:wall: I was expecting a big difference from your first comment but all I see is a dirty bay, and no dressing at all on your plastics that's just my thoughts .


I think the first picture flattered it somewhat. It was literally caked in grey dust from the bodyshop where it had sat under cover for two years waiting for them to do the one solitary repair which was a crack in the back bumper. This is still very much a WIP, when I said 'completed' I probably meant for now because I've spent too long in there. There's quite a bit left to do, but even so it's unlikely I'll ever dress the plastics or even rubber after they've been thoroughly cleaned. Maybe I'm using the wrong stuff but I once used AG vinyl and rubber care on the hoses and intercooler pipes and they looked great for maybe a month but then turned yellow and the sticky gloss finish attracted even more dirt. Not for me.


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## Paul.D (Jun 26, 2013)

Ahh..... SU carbs spent many a hour taking them to bits to clean them out ro make the car run a little smoother. They work best with 3 in 1 oil dropped down the damper tube rather than engine oil.


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

Paul.D said:


> 3 in 1 oil dropped down the damper tube rather than engine oil.


Correct and thanks for the reminder, I haven't checked the dashpot since the car came back so likely it's dry. On these cars the screw cover on the dashpot is actually clamped on to stop it blowing off under boost.


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## Hufty (Apr 27, 2015)

Might be the light but the hoses and plastics look a little darker in the before shot. What did you use on them ? Nice that you have some paintwork to go at, most modern engine bays are so crammed you literally can't get in there.its those concealed areas that really tell the true story. :thumb:


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

Hufty said:


> Might be the light but the hoses and plastics look a little darker in the before shot. What did you use on them ? Nice that you have some paintwork to go at, most modern engine bays are so crammed you literally can't get in there.its those concealed areas that really tell the true story. :thumb:


Yeah crap light in the top shot. All hoses and plastics (and in fact most of the engine) were sprayed with diluted APC, then scrubbed with brushes and old cloths. The filth that came off is unbelievable, I purposefully used old MFs and towels that were effectively beyond use, but the only place they'll now be going is the bin.

The block still looks dirty but in truth it's not dirt it's mostly where the original red paint has worn off, so ideally this needs repainting, which is an engine-out job.


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## Hufty (Apr 27, 2015)

Did you dress the hoses and plastics at all after cleaning ? Big job if you wanted to paint, how many miles has it done.


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

Hufty said:


> Did you dress the hoses and plastics at all after cleaning ? Big job if you wanted to paint, how many miles has it done.


Just shy of 31k. I didn't dress the rubbers and plastics. I haven't tried very many different dressings on plastics and rubber but those I have tried (from AG and Megs) tend leave a greasy finish, especially AG, which attracts dirt.


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## TOG (Jun 24, 2016)

I hope to achieve the same level of finish, and looking for advice from this forum.


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

I keep hacking at it. During the evenings of the past week I've degreased and polished all the slam panel/front cross member, headlight plastics, and de-rusted all the washers, nuts and screws (in a solution of white vinegar). Tonight I gave everything a coating of Auto Balm which is said to have rust-inhibiting properties. Although the car isn't exposed to the elements very much I am hoping this will prevent the washers/nuts/screws from flash-rusting quite so quickly, which is always a problem unless you paint them.





































I'm sort of working from front to back. Cam cover is going to be a pain.


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## Gadgeteer (Feb 15, 2014)

Great job , fancy a weekend "holiday" in Edinburgh


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