dr bob

FBIII--

My experience is different from yours. The first was I did, with Simple Green and the garden hose, started the intake and cam cover paint on their way to dull from original. I couldn't get the stuff off fast enough as I saw the finish deteriorate as the first spray hit the parts. Amazing. Then the fan switch on top of the intake decided to fail in the closed position a few days later. That was after a very gentle rinse with the hose, not the pressure washer. I've seen and worked on cars that have been pressure washed, and repaired both failed connectors and corroded wiring that was the result of said washing. Keep in mind that I live in a climate where it seldom rains (<11"/yr) and there is no snow and no salt ever used on the roads. It was all from the washing. Is it possible that your car or anybody else's car for that mattter will be OK with a pressure wash? Sure. My limited experience suggests that one may want to exercise a little more caution though.

I do use the power washer on the lower part of the engine and the whole rest of the underside of the car. I protect the electrical parts as noted above, but otherwise it's a free-for-all with the detergent and water. It's the top of the engine that seems most sensitive, so that gets the more gentle and careful treatment. YMMV, of course.

FBIII

I"m not demeaning others concerns and horror stories, but I guess I'm going to continue going my way until I have that "bad" experience. Having gone this route for nearly 40 years has saved a lot of elbow grease, skin knuckes as well as time. I bought the ex Randy Faunce 928 from Carl that has some serious mileage. The engine is out and the engine compartment is the grimmiest I have ever experienced in a 928. I have power washed it 2 or 3 times using Simple Green. I try to stay away from the electronics but they still get wet. I'll continue to keep my fingers crossed.

tveltman

Well, super awesome advice all around. I didn't realize that P21S wasn't available at a local big box part store, so I went with another suggestion and used laundry detergent and water in a garden pump sprayer. I was careful so hopefully the car will start, but I guess we will have to see. I also bought a bottle of the caustic stuff and used it by applying first to a rag then rubbing down tough spots that the detergent wouldn't take off. To round it out, I whipped out my drill-mounted polishing wheel and tripoli compound and polished up the thermostat housing and the fuel pressure regulator (since the plating was coming off anyway, I figured I might as well make it look nice). I will post pics as soon as I can get them off the camera. I've noticed that some members have websites through rennlist. Is this a special feature or do we all have access to webspace through rennlist? If so, posting all my 928 photos would be a lot simpler than linking to photobucket.

Marine Blue

DaveC turned me on to P21S and my first few times using it at his place left me with a good impression. Fast forward 5 months and I picked up a bottle of their Auto Wash and finally used it this weekend. I'm hooked! This stuff is absolutely amazing to put it lightly. My wifes DD was covered in road tar and grime and after a quick spray and light scrubbing with a microfiber I was able to effortlessly remove almost everything. Same for the bugs on the front and the wheels in my DD. I'm going to use it on the wheel wells of the 928 next weekend. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on the engine bay followed by a light spray of water from a spray bottle.

No substitute for elbow grease when cleaning an engine IMHO. It will guarantee that your elecrtricals operate as intended and that the plating/coatings in the engine bay remain in tact over the long haul.

Bill Ball

I have power washed the grimy inner fenders and the lower portions of the motor w/o a problem, but I only wipe the top of the motor with cloths dampened with water and/or a little solvent.

tveltman

As promised, my before/after pics.

Before:


After:


And a close-up:


EDIT: hmmm, looks like linking to photobucket is broken, when I get the response back from the rennlist admin about setting up the webpage (seems to be down, atm), I'll repost.

M. Requin

Have to confess to doing the same, including not just my 928 but XJ40, and nary a problem if I did it on a hot sunny day and let it dry out thoroughly before I cranked it. Sooner or later I might pay the piper, but SFSG...

Stephencs601

I use low pressure to powerwash the undercarriage parts. And I use a PH balanced mixure for the upper parts with a brush and rags. This is how I do MY car and is in my own opinion. You can read the panorama which stated some ideas as was said before. Good luck and go slow.