Easiest way to clean engine?

[Shorty]

I saw a few people mention cleaning it while it was running. Is it just me or do you see a problem with spraying cool water on a hot engine that it made of metal?

I don't see any more of a problem hosing it down than I do driving through a puddle and splashing it with cold water. It does sound like thermal shock would cause problems, but the amount of stored heat in the engine is more than enough to overcome the cooling effect of the water. Remember that things give off heat, things don't absorb cold. If you're spraying the engine you shouldn't be absorbing nearly enough heat to reduce the temperature quickly enough to cause problems.

Many people have been known to drive through streams and puddles (myself included) without stopping and waiting for the engine to cool down and I've yet to hear about "hot engines made of metal" breaking.:dunno:

 

[jshaab2]

what if you have coil pack instead of distributer.? can that get wet ?

 

[Shorty]

"As mentioned, stay away from electricals, TPS, Alternator, etc"

I'd include distributor and coil packs in that as well

 

[stephenspann27]

I've killed two starters.. both were used.. I even drilled holes in them and dried them out with an air hose.. be careful around the starter as well.

 

[iwannadie]

Ive been meaning to spray down my motor but have no where for the grimy run off water to go! I cant have it staining my concrete driveway and theres no storm drains so oil/water would just run down the block in front of everyones house.

I thought about going to the car wash to do it but then worried about killing a sensor and being stuck.

 

[Shorty]

pull it up into the yard (stones, I assume as there wasn't much natural grass last time I was in Az) and let them "filter" the run off. I've used car wash many times and never gotten stranded-- I did get btchd out for polluting their water once, though.

 

[stephenspann27]

Ive been meaning to spray down my motor but have no where for the grimy run off water to go! I cant have it staining my concrete driveway and theres no storm drains so oil/water would just run down the block in front of everyones house.

I thought about going to the car wash to do it but then worried about killing a sensor and being stuck.

I have this same issue with the concrete driveway.. I've also almost been stranded at the car wash... and another time had to limp my isuzu rodeo home when some electronic got wet.

I have a '95 Z28 with the infamous "opti spark" distributor which is really sensitive to moisture. It wouldn't start after washing the engine one time so I pulled the two vacuum lines that come for the distributor off the intake and stuck them in the end of a dirt devil hand vacuum and seal them off to the end of the vacuum. Let the vacuum run about 10 minutes and it fired right up.

Probably best to do a prewash at a car wash with the engine running then drive it home and finish it off.

 

[iwannadie]

pull it up into the yard (stones, I assume as there wasn't much natural grass last time I was in Az) and let them "filter" the run off. I've used car wash many times and never gotten stranded-- I did get btchd out for polluting their water once, though.

I thought about that, didnt know if it would leave a big black spot on the gravel though. Its just a real thin layer so there isnt much to rack around if a spot gets oil'd. Im not too worried my motor is pretty clean really, just one of those things Id like to stay ahead on.

Theres actually a Ton of grass yards out here these days with less and less gravel, my front is half and half.

 

[Shorty]

I'd just hit the runoff spot with the hose when you're done and anything cruddy will wash below the rocks. You've gotta figure if it washed off the engine, it prolly won't stick to the stones either.

P.S. it was S.C.W. that I was visiting, and most of the Dell Web communities are just pre-fab stone lots....

 

[iwannadie]

I'd just hit the runoff spot with the hose when you're done and anything cruddy will wash below the rocks. You've gotta figure if it washed off the engine, it prolly won't stick to the stones either.

P.S. it was S.C.W. that I was visiting, and most of the Dell Web communities are just pre-fab stone lots....

Makes sense to me Im going to give it a shot, stupid HOA always has me walking on egg shells lol.

 

[Shorty]

just don't let sheriff Joe see ya do it-- he'll have you in pink boxer within a week!

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

OK well I've used the 'mist' setting on the hose nozzle, but the heat from the engine keeps evaporating the water so I can't get it as clean as I want it. I've also been trying to wipe the excess mud off with a towel, but I feel like I'm not really making any progress.

I did start the engine after I misted it several times to make sure it started, and it started and ran fine, except for a strange 'ticking' sound coming from something in the left side of the engine. I will get a pic of it to show you. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about and I doubt that I could have caused it just from misting b/c I didn't even get the hose near it, but better to be safe than sorry, eh?

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

OK here it is, and I felt of it while the engine was running and I could feel a ticking vibration inside it.

 

[RedHeep]

OK well I've used the 'mist' setting on the hose nozzle, but the heat from the engine keeps evaporating the water

Hose it down. You can use plenty of water, it won't hurt anything. Just be careful around the throttle body and the distributor, like other folks mentioned.

The only thing the "mist" setting is going to do is piss you off.

 

[zeroforhire]

another vote for black magic

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

Hose it down. You can use plenty of water, it won't hurt anything. Just be careful around the throttle body and the distributor, like other folks mentioned.

The only thing the "mist" setting is going to do is piss you off.

That's what I'm concerned about--I don't know what's what under the hood...so I don't know where I need to be careful

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

Do you think it's safe to hose down the rest of the mud in my engine?

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

I'm glad they give that handy diagram showing where the throttle body is and the fuel pump, etc. that's great! I'd be lost without that!

 

[RichP]

I face mine south the nite before, open it in the morning around 7am, run it for 5 minutes to get the block a bit warm [not hot], then spray it down with Fantastic, 409, simple green, etc, whatever was on sale the day before when I planned on doing it next time. Then I take one of those round stiff parts cleaning brushes and start hitting the nooks and crannies. Then I have one of those lever type on/off things on the end of the hose. I use that to control the water and gently hose the area down, then I repeat the stubborn areas till I have it as clean as I want it, takes me about an hour to an hour and a half. I then leave it parked with the hood up and let the sun cook off all the water, that usually takes about 2-3 hours. If I was in a hurry I might bag the throttle body, remove the distributor cap and bag the distributor and bag the cap, bag the PDC then use a bit more pressure.
I'd love to see how a detailer does it for the car dealers.

 

[Shorty]

I'd love to see how a detailer does it for the car dealers.

monster-sized steam cleaner with a pressure attachment. It gives electrical items fits if you leave the battery hooked up and blast the wrong stuff.