TC-11 is easy to use once the vehicle is clean. Cleaning the undercarriage is easy. A garden hose will do a great job of cleaning most undercarriages, and a pressure washer will handle even the dirtiest vehicles.
Engine compartments are a bit of a challenge the first time you clean them.
Cleaning an engine compartment is not all that easy, and mistakes can cause a lot of money.
One mistake to avoid is trying to clean a hot engine. If you hose down a hot engine, there is a good chance that you can crack the exhaust manifold or break one of the bolts that attaches the manifold to the head. Either one is bad news and very difficult (i.e. expensive) to repair.
In addition, the heat tends to evaporate water and cleaners too quickly, so the effectiveness of the cleaning process itself is reduced.
Until TC-11 is applied the electrical system is very sensitive to water. The way the connectors are designed, water shorts out the connector as soon as it touches the connectors. It can take days or weeks for the component to dry out, and the water will start the corrosion process.
The ignition system is highly susceptible to failure as soon as water touches the coil, distributor, or spark plug wires. The spark that is supposed to ignite the fuel/air mixture in the cylinder finds an easier path to the ground through the water film on the engine. The engine degreaser manufacturers are very careful to warn users about this, and they actually recommend putting aluminum foil over the ignition coil, distributor cap, ignition wires, and spark plugs for this very reason.
These problems disappear once TC-11 is applied. The TC-11 film makes it impossible for water to get close enough to the ignition system connectors to conduct the electrical impulse from the connector to the engine block. In addition, all of the low voltage components -and there are hundreds of them – are no longer susceptible to shorting out if water touches them. With TC-11 you can hose down your engine compartment without any concern about electrical problems. This allows you to have an engine compartment that looks better, is much easier to work on, and is not subject to corrosion related problems.
Once the engine compartment is clean and dry, simply spray a light coat of TC-11 on the metal components. The engine compartment will look as if it has just been painted with clear paint when TC-11 is applied correctly.
After three to six months, go back and hose off the engine. Most of the TC-11 will remain in place, but the dirt, salt, and corrosion that has been removed from the engine will come off. Allow the engine to dry, and re-apply TC-11.
Once a year, it is a good idea to clean the engine with a mild surface cleaner. With TC-11, it is not necessary or recommended to use an engine degreaser at this point. Engine degreasers are very aggressive, and they can cause damage to rubber and plastic parts. Some degreasers will eat right through aluminum, so they are to be used with caution. It is also necessary to rinse the engine compartment thoroughly. The solvent properties of degreasers will continue indefinitely if they are allowed to remain in place. The goal is to have the degreaser remain in place long enough to remove the grease but not long enough to affect the rubber and plastic. It is very important o avoid contact between the degreaser and the finish paint coat.
After the annual cleaning, the engine compartment is dirt free, oil free, and corrosion free. This is a great time to do any painting that may be required.