Cleaning the '03 Engine

[rbattelle]

Has anyone cleaned their engine compartment yet? On a search I found most of the 2nd and 1st gen owners use Simple Green (or equivalent), then spray it down with water. Has anyone out there with an '03 tried this yet?

 

[bighammer]

You got yours dirty?

 

[rbattelle]

Well... not really. But I'd like to stay ahead of the dirt. Especially with winter (read: salty roads) coming!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Dirty? Never! Maybe a little dusty though.

Simple green works good and a light blast of a hose at wash time seems to keep it from getting out of hand.

I know many people think it does damage to get every thing wet under there but I've never had any trouble with any other engines and if I ever do, it's still been well worth it.

 

[ttreibel]

I had to clean mine Friday night besides all the dust from summer 4x4'n in Idaho and Washington I left the drain valve open after I put in the new fuel filter:{



I could not figure out why I wasn't getting primed tell I smelled the fuel.



I used simple green and a garden hose looks and smells like it just came off the line now.



BTW my filter minder said 30% but my filter was just filthy I think 30K is stretching it on the air filter changes I think 15K is more like it.

 

[ttreibel]

Here is the fuel filter at 15K

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

ttreibel my filters looked as bad as yours at only 10,000 miles! I ordered the Amsoil filter today since it only costs a few more bucks than the OEM filter and is cleanable/reusable. I had one on my last truck and it was very easy to maintain and filtered extremely well the superfine dust in this area.



LOL about the drain valve trick. I see I'm not the only one who's done that one!!



Vaughn

 

[ttreibel]

The best part is now my driveway smells like a truck stop.



Well I guess the Cummins knows were home is now

 

[DHess]

For the engine and engine compartment I just use regular car wash soap and a mitt. Usually just have dust and road splash back to deal with. Simple Green works if I spill anything. I do put a rag over the alternator to keep from spraying water directly into it - just one of my quirks. I go to the coin car wash and use pre-soak and high pressure soap on the entire underside.



Dave

 

[Tomscreek]

That fuel filter is SO dirty. I have 50,000 miles on my 01 and I think I've changed the fuel filter 4 times now. All four looked brand new, didn't really need to change them. How can that filter get that dirty that fast?

 

[rbattelle]

I just made an appointment to have my filter replaced at 9800 miles. I will post a picture of what it looks like.



I'm having the dealer do it, that way there's a record that the fuel filters were replaced regularly in case I need to warranty a fuel system failure at 80,000 miles!

 

[Tony T.]

Clue me in on the engine wash, is there going to be a big problem going to the car wash and using the high pressure washer on the engine. I'm seeing here a lot of you are spraying on the simple green and using the garden hose. All my gasser's I used the high pressure hose at the car wash, and my Cat motorgrader I use the high pressure hose on it, but it's not turbo charged.

 

[ttreibel]

rbattelle ... the filter changes and other maintenance are all being documented with digital photos so if there is a problem i open my laptop and show them.....



Tony T I don't see a problem with the pressure hose at the car wash just protect the electronics. My engine was just not that dirty. I only need to do that when i get motor oil all over it, the 2003 seems to be very tight still no leaks.

 

[DPKetchum]

High pressure wash as NEVER been recommended on ANY engine. Can and will push water in places it would NEVER get under any other circumstances.

 

[Steve M]

Not to mention if you drove it to the car wash, it's hot. Not a good thing to spray a hot engine with cold water. I don't know about the ISBe but, the B could suffer instant injector damage if sprayed with cold water on a hot engine. Throttle linkage would get it's lube washed out and electronics would get moisture in them. I "might" cringe and give the engine compartment a bath with car wash soap and a mit out in the front yard. Then lightly rinse it off with a light spray from the hose. But definately not high pressure. I don't even use high pressure on the outside or underside. I don't care much for water filled marker lights or water forced into seals underneath. I don't clean love bugs off with a hammer either!

 

[Prairie Dog]

I agree, high pressure could get by weather pak connectors and cause a big problem.

 

[MO'Donnell]

The detail shop I am familiar with uses straight Purple Power (get it at Advance Auto Parts for about $7. 50 for 2. 5 gals) and a standard garden hose for cleaning engine compartments. They've been in business for several years and never had any problems and the stuff works great. They do start with a COLD engine - spray it when it's off, start it up then hose it down right away.

 

[DPKetchum]

Over the years in the auto repair business I had some BIG parts tickets due to high pressure spray. Shorted distubotors and ecm's etc. not to mention one's that drove a few hundred feet and died due to water filled connectors etc.

 

[Diesel Nut]

Castrol Super Clean in a garden sprayer (so I can spray up under the truck or whereever) and the garden hose as long as I have been driving (no age jokes here guys! I'm young, you're jealous! ) every time I wash. Works great, never had a problem, and techs love to work on a clean engine. IMO, the techs at the dealer are more likely to do a better job on a truck that is nice and clean and taken care of than a truck with 50,000 miles of crud on it. Just a thought.

 

[ralphr]

When clean, as in brand new, I get a can or two of WD40 or equivalent and spray the wire's harness inside fuse box etc. I coat the battery terminals with grease so moisture will not get in there. then I'll clean the engine with soap and water. I was told that simple green while very effective on grease and oil may dis color aluminum. wheel cleaner is usually a better alternative for tough spots.