Washing engine bay

[Jaxx_]

extremely bad idea

Let me know how it goes when you get water around spark plug holes with a cold motor. As I said, not everyone agrees, but I've never caused a problem doing it.

[socalife]

Ok i determined to fuck the engine bay and im not going to clean it :D

[JasonC]

I've pressure washed every bay of every car I've ever had. Well minus my two forth gen f bodies... Must keep water away from the opti!!!! Just be smart when using the pressure washer.

[88BlackS-ETA]

Go get this shit at wally world http://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech...18-oz/16821277

Its cheap and works really REALLY good. Spray on the engine and let sit for a few minutes and maybe to a little scrubbing on really bad spots and rinse off with a garden hose.

It cleaned my diff off really good first time I used it and it was covered in thick oil/grease.

And like everyone else is saying stay away from the alternator and the fuse box and intake.

[anabolice30]

I've hosed down my engine bay mutiple times. Nothing bad ever happened to me. I'd be reluctant to hit it with a pressure washer though.

[BLACKCHARM88]

Mean Green and a rag or paper towel, what ever floats your boat.

[SubDad]

I hate pressure washers with a shining, pure hatred.
They blast corrosive electrically conductive soap where it shouldn't be.
If I feel like cleaning an engine, which hasn't happened much since I quit working on aircraft, Varsol, some rags and patience are all I need.

(Back in the airplane times I caught an apprentice pressure washing a Lycoming IGSO-540-A1D from the front. I chased him away but didn't follow up. Four days later, right engine partial failure at 9,000 out of Nuuk for Narsarsuaq. Magneto breaker box had a high water mark of corrosive conductive crap.)

[slaterd]

Only thing bad that happened to me was I power washed my Pontiac grand prix's engine bay right after getting it back from my ex. It ran kinda weird but it was manageable. I went to power wash it, drove it for a couple of miles and it started lurching with the throttle. Found out she had been driving with a loose spark plug wire and water trickled down. Blew the water out with compressed air, plugged it nice and snug and it ran like it did before I let her borrow it.

[Jaxx_]

They blast corrosive electrically conductive soap where it shouldn't be.

(Back in the airplane times I caught an apprentice pressure washing a Lycoming IGSO-540-A1D from the front. I chased him away but didn't follow up. Four days later, right engine partial failure at 9,000 out of Nuuk for Narsarsuaq. Magneto breaker box had a high water mark of corrosive conductive crap.)

Let's be real here... Our don't engines keep us from falling out of the sky. I am interested to hear if you think that this an issue using a machine that is on rinse.

[lambo]

Just don't be retarded and you'll be fine.

[socalife]

Decided to use engine degreaser in the a aerosol form, with a bucket of water. /thread

[nando]

you aren't going to significantly cool off the motor with a little pressure washer. lol. what do you guys think happens when it rains? you're talking 400lbs of steel & aluminum vs a few gallons of water.

I've pressure washed numerous E30s. Make sure the engines hot, do it while it's running, don't spray things that are obviously incompatible with water. it's not rocket science.

[Thizzelle]

Just don't be retarded and you'll be fine.

I approve of this message

you can always watch a bunch of youtube videos to get an idea before you do it, hence again

Just don't be retarded and you'll be fine.

[Graebmw95]

Washing engine bay

Lets end this here.

To start off I'm a detailer and detail cars for a living, among other things. One of the things that I do when detailing a car is the engine bay to make it look shiny and new! Newer cars are easy to clean, for obvious reasons; however, cleaning an old engine shouldn't be that hard either. First thing you're going to want to do is get a couple plastic bags, like grocery bags, then get tape, any tape works. Now, take the bags and completely cover your cap and rotor and fuse box. Tape them shut. Now take a medium degreaser, anything really works just nothing too harsh- you don't want to eat paint, and spray the crap out of the engine bay! Get the manifold, block, shock towers, firewall, every nook and cranny if the engine bay. Once degreased, spray with power washer. After you've power washed the degreaser and dirt away, take a crappy rag and dry the engine best you can. ( this doesn't do anything except prevent the water from drying and leaving spots) a couple tricks to make the engine bay look good; degreased and spray the inside of the hood too; while drying the engine bay, spray some detail spray all over the engine. This helps prevent water spots and gives it a clean oem look; if your car has plastic covers (newer cars) spray a little silicone spray (tire shine) on a rag and wipe the plastic! And viola! Brand new oem look!!

Now, as for keeping the engine running or, "avoiding the alternator," dont worry about that. Turn the car off you'll just waste gas that way. Leaving it running does nothing but create ugly water spots and you can get the alternator wet, it wont hurt it.

I hope this helps, this is how the pros do it!

Oh also, if you have a cold air intake or some kind of open filter, cover that too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[socalife]

Ok guys, i bought the degreaser can and sprayed the shit out of the bay. Then got a gallon of water and started pouring all over. Next day the alternator got fried even though i avoided that area :D Just either do it before a engine swap or keep that shit dirty its not worth it