How to wash engine
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,220
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
How to wash engine Hey guys my 01 t/a has 51,000 miles on it now and the motor sure looks like it. This is because I have allways been parinoid about washing it. I have heard countless stories about people washing there motor and the electronics getting wet. I dont know how many of these stories are actually true, so I was woundering if you all could tell me how you do it. Because mine really needs it. -Thanks-
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: TX
what about steam cleaning? never had it done, but a friend said his dad had his 442 steam cleaned at the car wash. some dude messed up there and it steamed the decals off, like the emissions one and the belt one, but if you avoid that. i also heard that from another guy, steam cleaning. i wouldnt bother scrubbing/hosing the motor.
Water won't hurt your engine compartment. I've washed my engine compartment with a hose on all of my vehicles with no problems. I also use Orange Degreaser to get rid of the grease marks after doing a head/cam swap. The only thing I do after spraying down the engine compartment with the hose, is make sure you start your engine up after your done, that way your alternator won't corrode from the water.
Trending Topics
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
take it to the car wash and spray it off with the engine running or let a detail shop do but they will do it the same way with the engine running and a pressure washer. then dress it up with some black magic or whatever tire dressing you use. it will look better than the first day you bought it.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
Its just the high pressure stuff you have to look out for. Everything in the engine compartment is water tight, however most of the water tight connectors cant handle the pressure from steam cleaners or pressure washers, and thats when you hear the horror stories.. Like 1fastWS6 said, open end hose, low pressure..
Just be careful of the sensor/electrical connectors. They are very good at sealing out the dirt and moisture,but High water pressure can make them leak. I have seen this happen on cars before,and to me personally. Earlier this year My 02's were acting up,turns out it was just water in the harness connectors. I had water in my MY GTP's maf connector a couple years ago. Someone else mentioned using air to dry the motor/blow away the moisture,sounds like a good Idea to me
I use engine degreaser. I spray it all over the place onto a warm (not hot) engine. I do a little scrub-a-dub with a soft wheel cleaning brush or a toothbrush for tight spots, and then blast it with the garden hose.
If you have some faulty electrical connections, they show their face when you go to fire it up. Sometimes the car will sputter a little but once it runs a while any problematic water will most likely evaporate.
If you have a problem and it won't start you may have to dry things out. Blowing with compressed air helps, so does "wire dryer" spray.
The degreaser will not harm your paint, just don't let it sit on there too long.
If you have some faulty electrical connections, they show their face when you go to fire it up. Sometimes the car will sputter a little but once it runs a while any problematic water will most likely evaporate.
If you have a problem and it won't start you may have to dry things out. Blowing with compressed air helps, so does "wire dryer" spray.
The degreaser will not harm your paint, just don't let it sit on there too long.