Washing the new engines.

[EricBu12]

Hey there with all the doo-dads and gizmos under the hood... electronics and such, what precautions if any do I need to do like cover components or whatnot to protect them?



I am wanting to clean my engine and have not done it since new. (sept. 09) and it is looking a little grimey. also just a normal engine cleaner? . . Water and how much pressure?. . I have a pressure washer. . just a normal electric one. .



TIA

Eric

 

[Hoefler]

I hose off my engines every time I wash the trucks. Did it on the 08 and doing it on the 2010. Nozzle on the hose, wash the bug screen, batteries, engine, and every thing else under the hood.

 

[BGlidewell]

degreasers like simple green need to be rinsed off quickly or they can corrode (etch) certain types of metal finishes.

 

[SNGLESHOT]

Do it yourself.. carefully

Funny you should ask. Had my rig detailed before leaving on vacation pulling a camper trailer. The detailer is a friend of mine and I have used his services in the past. He asked if I wanted the engine compartment washed and I questioned him about the electronics, etc, etc. He reassured me that he had done many and never had a problem brought to his attention. Seeing as how it didnt add to the price. . I let him do it without the application of that shiny spray stuff that makes the engine look new. Well after it was done my 'check gauges' alarm lite kept coming on at random with chimes and all... none of my gauges were reading critical areas at all. This continued for about 3 weeks and suddenly stopped. I enquired through local dealer mechanics using scanners etc, and motor heads that know much more than I do about this Cummins 6. 7L and they just about unanimously stated that the spray down was probably the cause of the irritating alerts and also stated that eventually the trigger point would dry out and it would stop. They were right. So. That being said... I will wash my engine compartment myself from now on I guess... being more carefull to direct the washing efforts away from any known electrical or electronic components and I wont be using a pressure washer. My 2 cents.
PS: The scans I had done turned up nothing. No overhead alerts either. Just in the dash gauge area only. Go figure.

 

[SNGLESHOT]

Hey Eric. Camping at the fam camp on HILL AFB right now. Out here visiting my daughter who is getting married on the 7th of July. Still using the winter front grill panels I bought off you. Working well I might add. Take care.

 

[HBarlow]

I have used a young man who owns and operates a mobile car wash/detail service for about ten years. He has always washed under the hood of my Dodges using low pressure washer. I have always worried a little about the practice but other than requiring 30 seconds of operation to sling the water out of the alternators I've never had any code sets or any bad results.

 

[BGlidewell]

if you've ever driven in the rain, you know that water splashes from your tires because you can see it moving at high speeds away from the fenders. It's also splashing up under the engine. Not as high a pressure as a 2000 or more PSI washer though. I'm not afraid to get my engines wet, but I don't try and peel paint off either.

 

[KLauber]

Some dilute Purple Power, a brush and a garden hose to rinse off and it looks showroom new. Twice a year.

Ken

 

[Bill Stockard]

if you've ever driven in the rain, you know that water splashes from your tires because you can see it moving at high speeds away from the fenders. It's also splashing up under the engine. Not as high a pressure as a 2000 or more PSI washer though. I'm not afraid to get my engines wet, but I don't try and peel paint off either.

I wash my engine compartment with a 2500-psi pressure washer after first wetting it down with diluted Zep pressure washer soap. I use the widest nozzle which emits the lowest pressure. I too don't try to peel paint. I do the same with my wife's Honda which has more "electronic gagets/controls" in the engine compartment than my truck. No problem... so far.



Bill

 

[EricBu12]

Finally washed it. Used the car wash place had an engine cleaner. Used low pressure and then used spot free rinse. No lights on and engine looks good.

 

[NIsaacs]

I think if you wash the engine when it is cold and try to not get any heavy spray on the alt. or electronics it's okay. However I have always been afraid to wash a hot/warm engine for fear of getting water on the fuel pump, they have such close tolerances. Might be an unfounded fear tho.



Nick

 

[BGlidewell]

I wash my engine compartment with a 2500-psi pressure washer after first wetting it down with diluted Zep pressure washer soap. I use the widest nozzle which emits the lowest pressure. I too don't try to peel paint. I do the same with my wife's Honda which has more "electronic gagets/controls" in the engine compartment than my truck. No problem... so far.



Bill

I do pretty much the same thing. A nice degreaser on a hot engine works great.



Actually now that distributors are a thing of the past, I've never have a problem.