Cleaning the engine bay? (1 Viewer)

[Karate Chopped]

How do you guys clean your engine bay? Or is that the magic Landcruiser dust that holds the engine together?

I'm deathly worried about using any high pressure hoses. Is it as simple as just going to town with degresaser, and then using a low pressure rinse (at the car wash of course so that I dont drop all that goop on my driveway)

Any electrics that I should avoid? Or am I being too precious considering thr number of people who do river crossings and totally flood their engine bays?

 

[MongooseGA]

I let mine warm a little- not hot. Spray with degreaser. I use a pressure pump sprayer so I don't kill my wrists.

Let it sit, agitate if you want, then I hit it with my pressure washer. I do this very often, at least every oil change and every few washes.

Be conscious of the electronics, don't try to blast water in at the ignition coils or anything. But, the engine bay is plenty robust for pressure washing.

Do you know anyone who has flooded their engine at a river crossing? I've had water over my hood and felt the truck floating and not had an issue. I didn't like it happening, but it was fine.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Been a few threads on this with good tips - search "engine cleaning", titles only, 100 section only.

 

[2001LC]

I've various heads/nozzle that yield different PSI from 1,600 to 3,000 PSI. For areas like fins of radiator, hoses, electrical wiring & boxes/housings I use the lower PSI.

Mist battery with water, than poor baking soda all over it while wet. Than misting the baking soda with water, making a slurry. Baking soda will neutralize acid. Rinse slurry off and repeat. You'll know when acid is all gone, when no blue appears in slurry.

Avoid material that will be damaged by high pressure water. Such as firewall, foam rubber, etc. Don't spend excessive time on wire housing blocks. Spray top down on fuse boxes. Don't spray at angle, that blows water into wire housing blocks matting surfaces

Best if front of vehicle higher than rear, when cleaning top of engine (when engine cover off). This is so water pooling in engine valley, will flow out rear drain holes in valley. Tip: check for old/new rodent nest under intake manifold, before washing top of engine. Vacuum those out, when dry.

Avoid excessive spraying on engine head covers (AKA: valve covers). Old coil top rubber seals shrink. Water may wash sand pass coil top seal, down into spark plug tubes. Replacing coil boots and top seal (Denso coil boot kit), will help keep sand out of spark tubes. It's the sand/dust we must avoid washing into spark plug tubes. Sand in spark plugs tubes fall into cylinder, when spark plugs removed. At minimum blow sand from head covers with HP air, before washing with water. A small amount of water getting into spark plug tubes, is fine. The water will vaporize. This is one reason we clean with engine running/warm, than drive to dry. Warm cleans better also. But don't start washing a very hot engine. Which will shock parts like hot radiator with cold water. Spinning pulleys throws off water is another reason for running engine.

Start cleaning radiator fins when a cold or warm engine/radiators, than start engine and keep cleaning. Avoid direct spray into alternator especially when stationary (not spinning). Avoid spraying drive belt or it's pulleys directly, especially if not spinning/running. If belt or pulley bearings marginal or bad, they'll sing! Replace them.

Don't go crazy around fuse boxes, spraying top down as noted.

While washing don't forget to blast front stabilizer bushing mounts & bolts and all bushings.

Wash undercarriage and brakes often.

Always drive to dry brakes and engine.

 

[Karate Chopped]

Been a few threads on this with good tips - search "engine cleaning", titles only, 100 section only.

I must be getting old because I tried that and didnt get any good results.
Bloody technology, can't we just organise the forum by dewy decimel?

 

[dbleon]

Anyone use steam?

 

[94SRUNNER]

dry ice blasting is a good method as well.

 

[Mike NXP]

I don't polish it up to a shine but I do thoroughly wash it all down. Not as much in the summer, more often in the winter for salt purposes. Low pressure and high, with no issues.
>> I also use a bug net on my bumper which keeps the radiator way cleaner. Especially those hot long summer roads in our state, when it's raining bugs.

Common sense applies, maybe cover the fuse box and other areas with a bag for the hell of it but I usually don't. Degreaser doesn't really get the grime off unless you can get a brush on it.

I also like hitting it all with compressed air first, a few shots in between our intake towards the starter usually blows out some mouse residue.

I'd rather find an issue with something shorting out while washing it in my driveway and not while splashing a big puddle in the middle of nowhere

 

[Mike NXP]

I must be getting old because I tried that and didnt get any good results.
Bloody technology, can't we just organise the forum by dewy decimel?

The search on here isn't great, Google is smarter.

My technique is....

" enter topic here 100 series ih8mud "

Washing engine bay 100 series ih8mud

 

[Hokie99]

I use Amsoil Heavy Duty degreaser, let it sit for 10 minutes, wash it off with a hose, works on pretty much everything I’ve thrown at it

 

[BnvS]

Cleaning the engine. Why would anyone do that? What are you showing it of to you mother-in-law?

 

[SteveH]

This is one reason we clean with engine running/warm, than drive to dry.

When I had a running engine power washed (without my approval) at a shop, it fried the distributor cap and rotor by forcing water into this high voltage area. I would never power wash a running engine. After washing, take the vehicle on a long drive to get it good and hot and dry it off.

 

[2001LC]

Cleaning the engine. Why would anyone do that? What are you showing it of to you mother-in-law?

It has "very little" to do with showing it off!

Here is a few reasons:
1) Before working on, to remove dust. Which dust is; fine sand. When we remove the intake manifold this is super important. As any dust into intake ports, will compromise compression. We work at cleaning area between intake-man to head valley. Using Air pistol before, during and after getting wet.
2) Same holds true for spark plugs R&R. Here we must use extra care when cleaning head covers, especially if coil boots are old (shrunken). We do not want to wash dirt with water into spark plug tubes. It's also best to blow out spark plug tubes with air pistol, before pulling plugs.
3) Clean off oil to help locate leaks and or confirm.
4) While working in engine bay on any part. We need clean during assemble. Or we're more likely to get grim into engine, and in threads of bolts & nuts.
7) Reduce corrosion of parts from salts & pollutants.
8) Cleaning radiator fins.
9) For inspection purposes.

This is one reason we clean with engine running/warm, than drive to dry.

When I had a running engine power washed (without my approval) at a shop, it fried the distributor cap and rotor by forcing water into this high voltage area. I would never power wash a running engine. After washing, take the vehicle on a long drive to get it good and hot and dry it off.

We don't have distributors. Those and its coil, were replaced with COP and electronic IG systems. But when we did have distributors in the old muscle cars, we cover them with plastic bag or foil. When they did get wet inside cap. We just pull the distributor cap and dry it, rotor and points. No need to replace anything.

There are areas to use caution like alternator, fuse box, fire wall & hood deadening barriers, etc. But for most parts, the Land Cruiser handles washing very well.

BTW:
Make sure to keep undercarriage including brakes clean. Always drive to dry afterwards!

 

[2001LC]

>> I also use a bug net on my bumper which keeps the radiator way cleaner. Especially those hot long summer roads in our state, when it's raining bugs.

Excellent idea!

 

[2001LC]

Clean Battery" also. Always dampen battery lightly with water first. Then sprinkle with baking soda. Some pre-mix water & baking soda, and pour over battery. Baking soda neutralize the acid. Otherwise acid will run with water onto metal parts, and eat them.

Do not let the white powdery substance build-up on battery cables. It grows and will getting into wire clamps & block, damaging & increasing resistance reducing voltage..

Baking soda solution clean, all standard lead acid batteries. The blueish green is acid, not yet neutralized.

 

[silvarshooter]

we cover them with plastic bag or foil.

The foil trick works great, learned that on the Subaru forums back when I had an STI. Definitely helps create a quick temporary seal on any wiring terminals one might be concerned about.