1994 Viper Engine Detail

[OCDetails]

This is partly a product review and partly just some information about engine detailing. The Viper is a great car to show you on since you can really get in there and get just about all of it pretty easily. :)

I love Vipers. I've been in love with them since 1992, in fact. Its not about the performance or anything like that. I just love the way they look. That car is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. So any chance I have to detail one, I jump on it! This one has sat around for several months and needed a pretty good detailing a year ago when I first saw it. It belongs to an acquaintance who knows me through some car shows I've sponsored in the past, so I was really excited when he finally called last week to set something up. Saturday was overcast, but it was in the 60s and great weather for detailing. The sun even came out at the end so I could appreciate the car a bit. ;)


The engine is what I wanted to focus on for this post. It was pretty dirty and had some tough spots to reach. Here are some before pictures.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/cd83567d.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/91a69822.jpg


I sprayed it down with Gunk Foaming Engine Degreaser (my degreaser of choice) being careful to avoid the alternator and other electrical connections. Most of the really dirty areas were covered in plastic anyway, so that part was easy. Then I used my engine wash mitt (microfiber and doesn't snag on the engine leaving lint) to wash down the plastic parts and other areas.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/e1f87303.jpg

I've got a Meguiar's Waffle Weave microfiber towel I picked up at AutoZone a few years back. It isn't a soft as my Autogeek towels, so I use it for drying engines instead.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/123760e7.jpg

The valve covers were pretty dirty, but washing them down helped a lot. The problem was that a lot of the dirt was in the corners and areas the mitt couldn't reach. Not tons of dirt (fortunately) but enough that it was going to be a process which needed to be done by hand.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/63020078.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/0f4a1ffa.jpg

So out comes my favorite engine detailing tool!! The Daytona Speedmaster Wheel Brush! (http://www.autogeek.net/ezdebrfca.html) This thing works great in the engine bay.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/dfcbe5fd.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/6e5ffa73.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/7a58430f.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/d7fd018f.jpg

It was easy to brush out some really hard to reach spaces where my toothbrush wouldn't even fit well. It also got under hoses and above heat shields on the lower part of the engine where shoving my hand and a rag just wasn't possible. I love that tool for wheels for sure, but for engine detailing it can't be beat! I've got two of them, in fact. One for wheels and one for engines.

The final result is as you would expect. It is as clean as it can get. :) A little CD2 Engine Detailer and she is good for show.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/f71dd138.jpg

The rest of the car wasn't too terribly rough. I used the Foam Gun (http://www.autogeek.net/auqufofogun.html) to do a presoak and then washed it down.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/ec582947.jpg

Then I taught Erik the fine art of rinsing a vehicle with no top on it. lol

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/b3fc8a83.jpg

The paint just needed a little XMT love and some Wolfgang Sealant. It was the interior that really sucked. It has been stored without a top on it since last April and it was REALLY dirty inside. The Viper has a funny shape to it on the inside and you pretty much have to be a contortionist to get it really clean. lol I was really happy with the end results though. So was the owner. Hopefully this means more Viper time in my driveway in the future!

Engine Before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/c5aec932.jpg

Engine After:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/36da0f50.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/e681e16d.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/2dad4fef.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/74393e6b.jpg

[CrownKote]

Nice job... the only question that I have is WHY THE HECK WOULD YOU HAVE DUCT TAPE ON A NICE CAR LIKE THAT??????

[OCDetails]

Well, it is pretty old. I think the plastic is just cracking due to age. Parts for the Viper are pretty spendy even though the car isn't. You can pick up a '94 for around $23K these days. Parts are just hard to come by on the used market and new they are all going to cost a couple Benjamins even for stupid stuff. That's his excuse anyway. ;)

[CrownKote]

I know I am just a synic when it comes to owning a pricey sports car... you bought it knowing the price you should keep it up knowing the price... lol...

[jpegs13]

Nice work and your assistant is doing a heck of a job!

[OCDetails]

He just bought it last spring. I think the previous owner let it go a bit... Considering it only has 48K on the clock, it was pretty banged up. Both rear fenders had been repainted at some point that I could tell, and possibly more. It has a couple other issues with the removable 'windows' and top as well. I'm sure he'll get around to it. ...someday.

[Nick McKees37]

There are very few vehicles that define American Muscle more than the original Dodge Viper. From the crude V10, no A/C, no anti-lock brakes, a cabin that got as an oven, no exterior door handles, and basically no creature comforts - it was just you, 3000 lbs of detroit steel, and 400+ horsepower and enough torque to wrinkle the pavement.

Good job. :props:

[OCDetails]

Nice work and your assistant is doing a heck of a job!

Yup. He is the hardest working kid on the block. :)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/f2318d24.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/AprilViper/251b8502.jpg

[C. Charles Hahn]

Hope the kid isn't slave labor.... if so somebody should get him an agent! :laughing:

Nice work as always.

[OCDetails]

;) I'm all about the slave labor, but in most cases it is me providing the labor as the slave. lol Erik worked his butt off on that car. He is actually starting to become more of a help. I had him wipe down the interior with Meguiar's Quick Interior Detailer (kinda hard to screw anything up with that) and do the vacuuming. I still had to go over it after him, but he got 80% of the problems fixed and it saved me a bunch of time. He is saving up for a new bike, so I've got him on the payroll now. ;)