power washing engine bay

[MrJD]

Hi guys. My car is in pieces at present, and I had thought about towing it out to a car wash near my house and using their powerwashing set up to blast 35 years of grime off my engine bay. The car would not have a battery in it, and would have weeks if not months to dry afterwards. This would hopefully let me see areas of the car that are leaking oil so I can fix them. Are there potential problems with doing this?

Thanks.

Jon

[aj81spider]

I power washed mine with a home power washer with no issue. I bought a couple of cans of engine cleaner to help get the grease and oil off.

[burgandy81]

Done this as well with good results. My car was operational at the time. I started it to warm it up, cleaned for an hour and then went for a drive to dry it out.

I second the use of a couple cans of degreaser. Some of the new citrus based products are great.

Also i would suggest a long drive on the trailer to help dry it out.

Good luck!

[djape1977]

get the radiator out first

[4uall]

I have this stuff in my garage just been nervous to apply I would always bag/wrap any electrical etc. I have always been told to garden hose rinse rather than power wash Anyone used this with engine/electrical in?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fY1e7oW8Ms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m2qNC6JThM

[4uall]

get the radiator out first

how come?

[MrJD]

Careless use of high pressure water could cut the stock radiator. Thanks for the input guys.

[aj81spider]

I have this stuff in my garage just been nervous to apply I would always bag/wrap any electrical etc. I have always been told to garden hose rinse rather than power wash Anyone used this with engine/electrical in?

I've used that stuff with the engine in, and used a hose rather than the power washer. With the engine in I'd be a little afraid of ripping wires off with a power washer. Perhaps it was ineptitude on my part, but I give it very mixed reviews. It cleaned up some, but didn't get everything. If you want your engine really clean it will start the process, but there will be a lot of hand cleaning afterward.

[4uall]

Think I am going to try it on my Civic on Saturday then see

[djape1977]

don't. if you wash a modern cars engine bay, expect 3-4days before you can re-start the engine

[4uall]

HUH?

I don't believe so

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyiw0JQLGpw

[ClarkTheShark]

don't. if you wash a modern cars engine bay, expect 3-4days before you can re-start the engine

This is false. modern cars (distributorless) have it wayyy better off. As long as you make sure too much water doesn't get in the intake, you're fine. There is literally nothing that isn't designed in the engine bay that isn't designed to have water splash on it every once in awhile.

[spiderrey]

I power wash my cars all the time, with no issues.

[mscafide]

I owned a detail shop a few years back and my customers were most impressed with the engine compartment because they were not expecting what they saw.

The 124 Spider is not much of a problem but many British cars were. Areas that you would consider a problem should be wrapped or bagged.

We started with a warm engine and soaked the area with degreaser, waited and pressure washed with hot water, carefully removing most of the grime. That was just the prep. The rest was done with any all purpose cleaner, rags, toothbrushes and any probe with a rag needed to do the job. It was all cleaned by hand. The whole area was sprayed with a dressing and wiped down with towels and polished. All of the painted areas were cleaned including the underside of the hood. Parts that needed to be lubed again were lubed.

It only took twenty minutes. Start the engine and get it to operating temperature as soon as possible to dry everything.

[djape1977]

I power wash my cars all the time, with no issues.

don't. if you wash a modern cars engine bay, expect 3-4days before you can re-start the engine

This is false. modern cars (distributorless) have it wayyy better off. As long as you make sure too much water doesn't get in the intake, you're fine. There is literally nothing that isn't designed in the engine bay that isn't designed to have water splash on it every once in awhile.

and yet, at least once a week a modern (circa post 1990) car ends up at my workshop after a engine bay wash. i even bought a 6 kilowatt blow heater that i just put in front of the car and leave it on for couple hrs untill it dryes up enough to be able to start. usually it's the connectors that get filled with water