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i want to clean my 09 corolla engine and engine bay .. i have googled it up and it`s 50/50 yes and no it will do damage .. i have washed plenty of older car engines with carbs and points type dizzys and you simply dry the stuff off and away you go .. what about applying pressurized water to these new computerized engines ..
the car wash is 5 miles away .. i dont want to walk home ..
I've used the coin op a couple of times. No problems. I've been told to not aim it directly at any given item, and to not over do it--don't do it for say 15 minutes, hosing everything off. Just one cycle with soapy water, then a quick rinse. I've done this in 2 or 3 vehicles.
My understanding is that every dealership does this on all used cars. It's why under the hood always looks clean.
I wash my vehicle engines frequently (diesel and gas burner) with no issue, however with today's electronics on board you do have to take precautions.
If you plan to wash the engine bay do NOT use high pressure washes. Use low pressure water and use it sparingly. You need to cover the vital electronic components with a plastic bag to make sure water doesn't find its way in through a damaged seal. ECM, alternator, fuse box, (distributor if you have one), etc.. Do NOT get those wet or you risk a car that won't start again until it dries out. Also be careful with getting water near the spark plug holes. I've fouled a few plugs when I initially began washing engines by letting water get down on the plug. Once washed, if you have access to compressed air blow as much of the water out of the engine bay as possible to help speed up the drying process.
I wash whichever way I want to. Engines are sealed, everything is sealed. On older cars with dizzy, I'd only wrap plastic bag over it tight. Pressure washer, hosing, don't matter. Just make sure you do not pour anything into air filter intake.
I wash my vehicle engines frequently (diesel and gas burner) with no issue, however with today's electronics on board you do have to take precautions.
If you plan to wash the engine bay do NOT use high pressure washes. Use low pressure water and use it sparingly. You need to cover the vital electronic components with a plastic bag to make sure water doesn't find its way in through a damaged seal. ECM, alternator, fuse box, (distributor if you have one), etc.. Do NOT get those wet or you risk a car that won't start again until it dries out. Also be careful with getting water near the spark plug holes. I've fouled a few plugs when I initially began washing engines by letting water get down on the plug. Once washed, if you have access to compressed air blow as much of the water out of the engine bay as possible to help speed up the drying process.
pretty much this. if you have to use high pressure water though, then soak the engine compartment with what ever grease remover you are going to use, and let it soak in and do its work. follow what ever directions are on the can. then use the high pressure water from a distance to take some of the pressure off the under hood components, and just use the water to rinse the engine bay clean.
I guess I'm lucky that I have a hot water faucet in my garage that I can connect a hose to... I usually just soak down everything under the hood (except alternator) with a degreaser like Mean Green, let it sit for a bit, and then rinse off gently with hot water. Afterwards I use my leaf blower to dry any puddled water, then start engine to burn off any leftover moisture.
After the engine has cooled I use Gunk engine shine, then wipe up excess. If you use this stuff it'll make everything a lot easier to clean the next time.
I wash whichever way I want to. Engines are sealed, everything is sealed. On older cars with dizzy, I'd only wrap plastic bag over it tight. Pressure washer, hosing, don't matter. Just make sure you do not pour anything into air filter intake.
Seals become weak over time. A high pressure wash can cause the seal to fail and you have now created a problem. Valve cover gaskets, coil packs become unseated and water leaks in, fuse box gaskets get brittle and torn out, etc....
Pressure washing any engine is foolish unless you stand at a distance where the pressure is reduced. Sure it may seem ok the first 5-10 times you do it, but eventually it will cause an issue.
i used mean green then brushed it around with a wire brush then hosed it off with cold water .. it did quite well .. mean green is also an excellent spot cleaner for carpet ...
I prefer simple green myself as it is a little less harsh than mean green, but I have used it in a pinch as well with good results.
I would not use this with anything aluminum. It can etch that.
They make good degreasers that aren't harsh and then can be hosed off. I wouldn't recommend a heavy spray for anything under the hood. Scrub it to agitate the dirt if it's dirty. Then simply turn the hose on and rinse off.
Here's a good one to go with that won't damage things and doesn't use harsh chemicals. Can be diluted to the dirtiness of the engine bay.
Put aluminum foil or plastic bags on your fuse box, alternator and battery. Try to avoid directly spraying those areas when cleaning as well.
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