vwink182

iTrader: (2)

I'm in the process of cleanin' up my engine...it's one dirty mo fo. I degreased the valve cover all day and was wondering if it's ok to just pop the hood when I'm at the car wash and spray out the engine bay? I know the engine should be cool when I do it and wait to start it till it dries...but is it ok do power wash it?

pkfinn

I have washed the engines with the unregulated city water spigot (higher than normal tap water pressure, but not a "pressure washer") periodically on all my cars over the years and have never had any problems until last week. I decided to wash the engine in my son's 91SE and used Gunk, Simple Green, a brush, and the garden hose with a spray nozzle on it. I cleaned it the best I could, but it was starting to get dark and hard to see, so I quit. When I tried to start it, it just cranked and cranked, but wouldn't even try to start. I took the distributor cap off, but it was bone dry inside. I pulled the coil wire off and it too was dry. It was about 9PM and I didn't feel like fooling with it any more that night, so I just left the hood open on it overnight to help it dry off. The next morning, it started right up like it always does. I guess a connector for the ignition got wet, but I couldn't tell you which one.

I wouldn't be afraid to try it again, I'll just do it earlier in the day in case it doesn't start, I'll have time to figure out why. And I won't park it in a place where it blocks in my other cars that DO run like I did this time!! I was glad it started, because I would have had to push it uphill to get it out of the way if it didn't.

vwink182

iTrader: (2)

I am talking about using a regular car wash sprayer, i guess its not a real "powerwasher" like farmers use to clean hog sheds, its just pressurized water. yeah i'm not obviously from the midwest am I. anywho thanks for the imput pkfinn. I'll wash it out tomorrow and if my car breaks in two I'll blame you

93teg44444

I would avoid the carwash pressure washer. Some car washes have an engine cleaning setting which runs at a lot lower pressure. The foaming engine cleaner and a garden hose is alot safer. You shouldn't even need to really spray anything real hard. 2 or 3 cans of engine cleaner can clean alot of real gunk out of the engine compartment. I usuallt scrape anythign that is thick off, them spray it and let it set until it stops foaming. Then rinse. Continue until clean.

Maxima-4DSC

iTrader: (1)

cover your battery over and plug up and air intake to the motor that you may have as it will damage the motor ! saran wrap works fine

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

I just go to the car wash and use the engine cleaner. But I don't push down on the gun for high pressure(too high IMHO). The way the water comes out normally is fine. I go to the car wash because I don't want all the crap on my driveway/street.

MrGone

iTrader: (30)

At school we would use this stuff called "SLAM". it was a professional grade pink/redish chemical used under the hood to get it looking like new or better . The hotter the surface the better it worked, an 80* temp increase yielded 5x better results, although that mainly ment to us that it will simply rip threw dirt much faster while hot than if it was cold. We also had one steam cleaner, and 2 heated pressure washers. I normally used the pressure washers simply because they were easier and could be shut off. Every now and then I would use the steam cleaner if other people were too, it was easier to put away the pressure washers.

I've heard some really good results with the new meguires organic engine cleaner.

MrGone

Clayton

iTrader: (3)

I've used both a garden hose and simple green, and the pressure washers at the car wash on my engine and never had a problem. The key is to cover the air intake.

vwink182

iTrader: (2)

Cool thanks for all the imput. I have no CAI yet ( ) so i dont need to worry about that.

bigbadbeck

no, even without the cai you need to cover the intake (its not worth risking getting water in the engine). Follow the piping from the stock airbox to the open end (just behind the driver headlight) and cover it with plastic wrap.

vwink182

iTrader: (2)

Well I took it to the car wash, covered the important stuff(ok well it's all pretty important) and used the regular washer, just didnt squeeze the trigger. worked great and i've had no problems, thanks for all the advice.