AK Weathering Set AK087 Engines and Metal Weathering 5x35ml Review (2026)

What this set targets

This kit is built around two related but distinct modeling problems: making engines and machinery look like they run oily and dirty, and making bare metal parts like tracks and exhausts look worn and oxidized rather than freshly painted. AK Interactive designed the five products in the set to be used together across both jobs rather than as a single-purpose product, which fits builders working on engine bays, undercarriages, exhaust stacks or tank tracks where oil staining, grime and metal wear all show up in the same area. It is a themed problem-solving kit rather than a general all-purpose wash or pigment set.

What is in the box

According to the manufacturer, the set includes AK082 Engine Grime and AK084 Engine Oil, both enamel colors for dirt and oily residue on engines; AK083 Track Wash, an enamel wash formulated for metal tracks and accessories; AK085 Track Rust Pigment, a dry pigment for oxidation on metal; and AK086 Dark Steel Pigment, an ultra-fine metallic pigment the manufacturer says produces a polished steel look without loose metallic particles. That is a mix of two enamel colors, one enamel wash and two pigments, which supports the site's pro that the five products cover oil stains, fuel spills and grime rather than just one effect.

Enamel-based application and cleanup

Because the wash and colors in this set are enamel-based rather than acrylic or water-based, they need an enamel-compatible thinner, generally white spirit or a similar mineral spirit product, both for thinning washes to the right consistency and for cleaning brushes and any spills afterward. That matches the site's con that enamel products need white spirit for cleanup, and it is worth planning for if a builder's bench is currently set up only for water-cleanup acrylics. The upside of enamel washes is that they flow into recesses and panel lines cleanly and can be wiped back with a solvent-dampened cloth for controlled results before they fully cure.

Working over a sealed finish

Enamel weathering products are generally applied over a model that has already been clear coated or otherwise sealed, since the enamel solvents can attack the base acrylic or lacquer paint underneath if applied directly to bare paint. That lines up with the site's con that these effects are best applied over a sealed finish, meaning a builder should plan for a gloss or satin clear coat step before reaching for this set rather than applying it straight after basecoating. Skipping that step risks lifting or marring the paint underneath when the enamel wash or grime color is applied and later wiped back.

Verdict

For builders detailing engine bays, tracks or exhaust systems who want oil, grime, rust and steel effects from one coordinated set rather than sourcing five separate bottles, this kit earns the site's score of 8.4 out of 10 by covering both the oily-dirty and worn-metal sides of engine and undercarriage weathering. It asks for a mineral spirit thinner on hand and a sealed base finish before use, which is a small extra step for builders already comfortable with enamel washes, but a real consideration for anyone whose bench and technique are built entirely around acrylics. Overall it is a focused, well-matched set for the specific job of engine and metal weathering rather than a general-purpose kit.

Frequently asked questions