I'm thinking about having my engine de-grease and cleaned up but wanted to know if there is any danger of having damage done to hoses, wires, or anything else.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

My understanding is you just want to cover the distributer & the coil in a plastic bag before you do that. I've heard brake resivor too, but don't really understand that as it seals pretty good.

 

YES! Don't do it unless you can let your car sit for a month or two as everything dries off and you replace components.

Two weeks ago I washed my engine bay with a garden hose and soapy rag. Let's see, what has crapped out so far all right after this: thermostat failed (don't ask me how that was related but it happened), thermoswitch shorted out and the radiator fans wouldn't stop running unless you pulled the relay or fuse, ditto for the turbo cooling pump, airbag light is on and I can't reset it, the seperate coolant temperature sender/gauge is now hosed up - just turn on the car dead cold and the needle will slowly climb and peg in the red zone without the engine running, starter pinion gear is starting to screech so it must have gotten wet and is sticking.

I'm sure tomorrow there will be a couple other items to add to the list. The only unexpected thing is the car will still start and run.

 

Yeah... I'm with IceShark on this one... the only engines I ever clean with a hose and degreaser are very simple, visible motors that are easy to cover electrical components in. Take my truck for example... I could fit my nephew and neice on either side of the V6... the electrical components and intake are readily available to cover and get too... so after "mudding" around in it and covering my engine in mud (sprayed FULLY up to the underside of my hood sometimes!!) I just go to the car wash with plastic bags, tape (or rubberbands) and a new can of degreaser to waste on it... spray it down with the soapy hose setting, be carefull to not spray off any painted items.... coat it THICKLY in degreaser and hose away

For an engine as cluttered and full of electronics and hoses like ours.. that all make up exactly how are engines run... I prefer to just spray degreaser on a shop rag and wipe things down... lets you do a better job in the end, not risk problems AND spend more TLC time with your baby!

 

I've done it a couple of times using aluminum foil to cover the distributor and some of that Gunk Engine Brite. I drove it over to one of those DIY spray type car washes, covered the distributor, sprayed on the gunk, waited a few minutes, and washed it off. Never had a problem. But I never did a really good cleaning.

Based on IceShark's experience, I've been lucky. It's probably not worth the risks. Think I'll just clean parts when needed.

 

Wow...thanks for the head up. I think I won't risk IceShark's fate either. I like the idea of just wiping it down by hand. Tedious but thorough and safe.

 

Geez, that's some serious bad luck. I sprayed a whole lot of the orange degreaser on it, let it soak in and sprayed it. Did it several times and never had a problem (I just tried to not get the spray directly on the fans or the distributor / coil components). Never had a problem though. . .

 

I spray on Super 11 degreaser, then hit it with a pressure washer with a 40-degree field of spray. then, I start the car RIGHT away, and let the water evaporate. never had a problem, done this MANY times. at least 5 or 6. and I don't cover the dist. cap, I just avoid it.

Pressure washers use less water, and you can avoid things. it's good!

 

Iceshark - Man, you got a dose, huh?

I wash my engine every third or fourth time I wash my car and have had no trouble at all. I use the remnants of my car wash water and soap the broad flat areas and edges of the engine compartment. I, of course, avoid directing water at anything electric, but you can't help but get everything at least a little wet. I use a hose end pistol grip type sprayer and not a stream directly out of the end of the hose. I think this may have contributed significantly to your problem. I hope you get everything straightened out, good luck. -Dan

P.S. I use degreaser on and around smaller things like hose clamps and misc connections and brush with a toothbrush. I don't do this too often, I'm not THAT afflicted! Then I spray off using a minimum of water and wipe with an old terry rag.

 

This winter I washed the engine bay on my explorer. A couple days later when temps hit the single digits the truck developed an intermittent no-start condition. $700 later I figured out the problem: the solenoid on the side of the starter was slightly loose, allowing water to enter and then freeze days later. (But now I have new switches, optima, starter, battery cables, solenoid, etc.) In the future, I would use a rag to wipe off the easy to reach places, and some sort of evaporative degreaser to dissolve the grime on the block etc. No more water!

 

As the owner of multiple high mileage cars, I occasionally clean a part of the engine to check on what is ozing out or before starting work. Lately I have been using a can or two of carb cleaner (Berrymans B12) to wash off the gunk, with an oil drip pan on the ground. The upside is no water or lasting smell. Downside is expense and the environmental concerns and doing it outdoors because of the fumes. The fumes have gotten me in a bit of trouble with my family when I did this in the garage. --Roy--

 

It's so confusing! How do you spray degreaser on--let's say the valve cover--and NOT wash it off with a water source? Wouldnt it be bad to have a bunch of degreaser settle on parts that dont get rinsed off with water?

I want a clean engine, but can't see using a towel and a bottle of Windex to get it done!?

 

After heating up the engine so it's HOT
cover dist. cap and air filter (if cone) with foil
soak in the engine degreaser let sit for a few minutes
than blast away
If something bad happens...your car is a pos
I've washed mine many times...no problems




p.s. just kidding about the pos part