Washing the engine compartment, automobile

[Sac Arrow]

Question is what the title suggests. Your modern Honyotasan compact sedan. Well it's a Sentra, just like @Ted Jaguar but with a different nameplate and less cylinders but they are both automatics with four doors, AC, power windows and a stereo system so let's get past that.

We all know motors, and motor compartments get hecka nasty. I've never really had a reservation about power washing the interior engine compartment in the past, but with sensitive electronics (and by the way, the Sentra's alternator is mounted low, out of the splash/soak zone.) Just do it? Or am I aksing for problems?

 

[FancyG]

You'd be amazed at what you can do with a dish soap and water mix in a spray bottle and an old paint brush and microfiber cloth.

Rinse after with a very light mist of water.

 

[Morgan3820]

You'd be amazed at what you can do with a dish soap and water mix in a spray bottle and an old paint brush and microfiber cloth.

Rinse after with a very light mist of water.

I don't know...it takes a lot to amaze me.

 

[kyleb]

You'd be amazed at what you can do with a dish soap and water mix in a spray bottle and an old paint brush and microfiber cloth.

Rinse after with a very light mist of water.

I suspect he's going for a quick and dirty approach, rather than a hands-on boutique effort.

 

[Zeldman]

Yeah, injecting water at high pressure into electrical connections can end badly for the delicates.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I suspect he's going for a quick and dirty approach, rather than a hands-on boutique effort.

It's not so much that I want the Q&D necessarily, but look at the modern engine compartment. There is so much intricate and inaccessible by hand 'stuff' that cleaning the whole thing by scrubbing ain't happening. Maybe your '64 Fairlane yes. Even your '81 Skylark. My '96 Dodge Ram Turbo Diesel was a no brainer. Even my '08 'Splorer wasn't a problem. But this thing? Sheesh.

 

[Hang 4]

For the most part, the sensitive electronics are pretty well covered in most modern cars. I've used a pressure washer carefully to get some of the grossest stuff that is not part of the engine. Keep the nozzle far away and look where you're aiming. A big brush with soapy water can get to some of the more delicate bits. Most of what is in there is just dust that got wet when you were driving in the rain, so it usually comes off pretty easily. Only exception would be if you have something leaking oil, then it's another ball game.

 

[asicer]

Vacuum it up, wipe it down.

 

[Omalley1537]

Cold engine:
Mr Clean or Simple Green sprayed on, let sit briefly, pressure wash off while making sure to keep away from directly spraying connections with high pressure. Blow off excess water with an air nozzle. Use spray dressing (Meguiars #40, etc) to shine/hide discolored black stuff like hoses…not the belt(s), though. Start engine asap to warm it up and dry it off.

That said, when I used to detail cars, we had trouble occasionally with a no-start…almost always on a Mopar product. Chevy, Ford, and imports were rarely an issue. Older cars are worse due to rubber seals on wiring hardening over time. We’d pull apart connections and blow-dry with shop air. Same for distributor caps (when they still had those).

Although this can be done safely, I personally only do it either before trading it in, or doing major work in the engine bay where cleanliness is imperative (internal engine work, etc).

 

[Racerx]

Ok, now I really want to see someone go through the car wash with the hood up.

 

[jesse]

Wd-40 does a pretty good job at cleaning up an engine bay with minimal scrubbing. I’ve used it on very modern vehicles with no issue. I avoid getting wd-40 on the belts, usually covering them up with some plastic.

I literally just fill a 1 gallon pump spray bottle with WD-40 then goto town on it.

Also works good to loosen up a sore knee or shoulder.

 

[Rich Holt]

Brake cleaner will take all the gunk off and leave the shiny bits purdy.


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[steingar]

 

[Gary Ward]

I voted for the great idea to leave your hood open while going through the automatic drive through car wash, what a great way to get your moneys worth! lol

Years ago we purchased a heated pressure washer at work. It works great for motor cleaning with very little degreaser needed. I was on a mission to clean every motor in sight back then. lol

We still have one(our second one in 25 years) and I have one at home now. I just recently repaired our steam cleaner as we use it everyday at work.
Heat is great for pressure washers and cleaning engines.
Many times I would leave the engine idle while I was cleaning it. That way if it quit running I would have an idea what got wet and made it stop running. And like said above it drys out faster that way.

 

[MIFlyer]

I need access to a hotsy! That would be the bees knees for classic restoration when you first get it home.

 

[rpadula]

Get the engine good and hot, then spray water on it directly from the hose.

 

[Zeldman]

Get the engine good and hot, then spray water on it directly from the hose.

Make sure the water is cold...

 

[Huckster79]

Spray it down heavy with armorall, walk away, looks amazing next morning.

 

[Craig]

Make sure the water is cold...

Common durability testing process is to run a test engine to around 280F block temp, shut it down and then immediately flush with -22F coolant until the block has frosted and is starting to make ice. Fire it up and run it back to 280 and continue the cycle til it fails.