Nice job on cleaning the engine. I have started using a rag soaked in parts cleaner to remove heavy dried grease from equipment. Wipe it down a few times then use a clean rag to wipe the excess. No water needed. Send her through a big puddle to wash the rest and drown those mice.
Engine wash
- Thread starter 2001LC
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Just pulled up rocker panel covers and kick plates so I could get carpet up. Did it to both front seats. Driver side seats kick panel cover area and carpet were bone dry. Passenger side was very damp in sound dampener below carpet. looks like maybe a drip slowly happening underneath where left foot would rest under some sort of black box. Mech says I need to check out under the cowling--drain holes could be clogged under the cowling and clear those. If it isnt that Mech says it is the improper replacement of the windshield which would need to be reinstalled. The electronics on both sides were 100% dry.
I use a product like simple green made by Baxter chemical, except I buy the concentrate put a couple onces to the gallon in a garden sprayer and I soak everything... engine firewall radiator remove the skid pan soak everything I can then full blast with the garden hose with a jet nozzle and repete.. I think this is still less water than many of you guys cross through on any given trail outing... I've never had an issue blasting away at anything under the hood...
on the subject of washing...
I also keep a garden sprayer filled with my favorite wash/wax soap makes washing these things a ton faster... with 3 in the driveway it cuts way down on the time... I have a soft "RV" brush on a 4-5ft wood handle and a wash mitt, it's amazing how fast you can wash one without using a bucket wet em down... spray with the soap from the pump up garden sprayer and start scrubbing... I never liked the idea of using a bucket of what ends up being dirty water and soap anyway... I finish up with a leaf blower... to blow off all the excess water before I dry... I use to use my backpack blower but now I got the 56volt lithium ion cordless blower that works great. then dry whats left if needed...
on the subject of washing...
I also keep a garden sprayer filled with my favorite wash/wax soap makes washing these things a ton faster... with 3 in the driveway it cuts way down on the time... I have a soft "RV" brush on a 4-5ft wood handle and a wash mitt, it's amazing how fast you can wash one without using a bucket wet em down... spray with the soap from the pump up garden sprayer and start scrubbing... I never liked the idea of using a bucket of what ends up being dirty water and soap anyway... I finish up with a leaf blower... to blow off all the excess water before I dry... I use to use my backpack blower but now I got the 56volt lithium ion cordless blower that works great. then dry whats left if needed...
I think the risk of breaking/knock loose a connector/wire using a brush or rag is about on par with any risks associated with using a hose. I've used a hose under the hood of every car/truck I've had.
That is very helpful. would it leak enough to dampen the entire sound proofing on the passenger floor? Would that leak during the winter, when the AC is not in use, but the heater is used? Or is that rain water getting in?
I think the risk of breaking/knock loose a connector/wire using a brush or rag is about on par with any risks associated with using a hose. I've used a hose under the hood of every car/truck I've had.
Wow! Did you also use Simple Green?
FWIW, I have used hoses, car washes and electric power washers under the hood of the 100 with no ill effects. A little foam cleaner, or Oil Eater (my favorite) and wash it down. I wipe off the big stuff and let it dry in the sun, no problems to date. I do like the baking soda idea on the battery but I just went to AGM style.
- Thread starter
- #52
My favorite local car wash has great soaps, brush, pressure and a flexible wand to get underside and wheel wells. It's always been pricy, but now they gone to far in bumming the price per minute. I like your thinking @ponytl, and I may go one further by picking up a pressure wash. At ~$25 a pop at self serve car wash my payback will fast, and they tend to use less water then a garden hose.
@sean2202, I too use a solvent degreasers', but mostly on individual parts during disassembly. I then rinse with water and dry with high pressure air. Once parts are clean & dry I move quickly too coat with grease, oils or conditioners. Otherwise corrosion can set in pretty quickly on the very clean oil free metal surfaces and rubber & plastics' dry out.
I've noticed Smiple Green, Purple Power "Orange citrus" etc. leave a white haze on metal and rubber hose. They seem to strip oils & grease which is a double edged sword. @blatant the scrubbing bubbles my be a nice touch after the degreasing, before adding back oils & conditioner like you've apparently done @Manhattan (nice).
@sean2202, I too use a solvent degreasers', but mostly on individual parts during disassembly. I then rinse with water and dry with high pressure air. Once parts are clean & dry I move quickly too coat with grease, oils or conditioners. Otherwise corrosion can set in pretty quickly on the very clean oil free metal surfaces and rubber & plastics' dry out.
I've noticed Smiple Green, Purple Power "Orange citrus" etc. leave a white haze on metal and rubber hose. They seem to strip oils & grease which is a double edged sword. @blatant the scrubbing bubbles my be a nice touch after the degreasing, before adding back oils & conditioner like you've apparently done @Manhattan (nice).
Agreed, i should mention my engine is already very clean so the scrubbing bubbles is more like an easy main't cleaning. It would not work on gunked up motors. Also your purple power is NOT the same thing as castrol super clean despite same color. I would stay far away from castrol super cleanpurple for this job. If you don't dilute/mix the castrol correctly, you'll have big issues.
I'm not too concerned with a clean engine bay, so I grabbed a can of some foaming engine cleaner at AutoZone and sprayed / rinsed it this afternoon. Super easy and the engine bay is much cleaner. Not show-room clean like some of you guys, but I'm happy.
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What conditioners do you like to use?
I love my Karcher home pressure washer. I have had one for years...
I pulled off the cowling after unscrewing the windshield wiper handles. It probably accidently put more junk into the drain compartment than was already there. Very clean. I ran a hose through the drain compartment for several minutes on both sides-- no water entered the interior compartment. Water ran through the engine compartment, to the doors and also the rocker panels easily. No water pooled in the drain compartment.
I also, for kicks, did the soapy water test around the windshield top and sides-- funny but a bubble appeared on the driver side at the top corner of the windshield but it was likely due to the wind catching the gap around the roof rack trim. there was no way to check the windshield bottom part of the seal where it would be covered by the cowling because the seal was tucked in behind the glass.
Next/last up would be the evaporator. But I would like to know if the evaporator runs the heater, because I do not use the AC, and it leaks without the AC running.
I received my 3' wire pipe cleaner and tied to use it on the sunroof drain holes, but it hit resistance at 5" so I did not want to force it, so I did not clean the drain holes. How hard do you jam the cleaner into the drain holes without damaging the drain hose?
I also, for kicks, did the soapy water test around the windshield top and sides-- funny but a bubble appeared on the driver side at the top corner of the windshield but it was likely due to the wind catching the gap around the roof rack trim. there was no way to check the windshield bottom part of the seal where it would be covered by the cowling because the seal was tucked in behind the glass.
Next/last up would be the evaporator. But I would like to know if the evaporator runs the heater, because I do not use the AC, and it leaks without the AC running.
I received my 3' wire pipe cleaner and tied to use it on the sunroof drain holes, but it hit resistance at 5" so I did not want to force it, so I did not clean the drain holes. How hard do you jam the cleaner into the drain holes without damaging the drain hose?
- Thread starter
- #58
LEXOL Vinylex Protectant for rubber and plastic, stuff really goes a long way.
I've gone nuts with Marine grease lately on all of the undercarriage frame, wheel wells and heavy metal. Usually I spray black paint but though I give this a try, can't hurt.
Now that I'm 90% done with mechanical I'm starting detailing of the LX. I'm going to give Leatherique a try starting tomorrow. Then Use Meguiar's DA correcting, polish and wax on the body paint.
That "Kärcher Follow Me Pressure Washer" looks interesting, and very compact. Thanks for the heads ups!
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- Thread starter
- #59
That turned out amazing. But what's going on with the radiator upper support. Looks like the paint came off.I'm not too concerned with a clean engine bay, so I grabbed a can of some foaming engine cleaner at AutoZone and sprayed / rinsed it this afternoon. Super easy and the engine bay is much cleaner. Not show-room clean like some of you guys, but I'm happy.
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Thanks - just the difference in lighting between wet areas vs dry (drier is wet, lighter dry) - no paint was removed.