Washing engines

Polish

Polish

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Howsit,

I was just wondering how important is it to wash you car's engine. I never wash mine, the car stays clean but the only time the engine is washed is during a service which is like once a year.

Is it a must to wash the engine, if i don't am i doing any parts real harm ? If yes whats the best home method and how often ?
 
The best is to remove the oil cap once every two months or so, and just flush the engine out with your garden hose... Oh, no... wait...

Dude, how siff must your car's engine bay look after a year? Don't you take pride in your car? Pop past a car wash with high-pressure washers once a month, spend R10 and spray that mofo down! :p
 
Just like the outside, you're not doing any harm if you don't wash, but really, wash your car, and inside, people who care and look after their cars clean them regularly.
 
Polish said:
I feel bad now.

:(:(:(

Will personally wash today.
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Glad to hear that :D

You have always been able to eat your breakfast off my engines, but I don't allow it as it tends to make a mess! :p

Cleaning and keeping engines clean is actually very easy, and easy to maintain once they are clean. Also helps you to spot any oil leaks and so on, before they become a problem...pretty sure a clean engine actually runs cooler as well without all the residual dirt hanging on to it!
 
Cover the alternator and computer and any other important/sensitive bits. You can spray on soap mixed with all purpose cleaner, agitate a bit with a brush then spray down with a pressure washer.
 
enigma243 said:
...which will at least give you an early opportunity to trace any hassles, before a midnight splash through a puddle leaves you stranded next to Diepkloof. :p
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Both my Ikon and Bantam do it (cannot start for an hour) when cleaned with high pressure hoses but don't give any problems with rain/puddle engine-soaking splashes...

How would I go about preventing that?
 
supersunbird said:
Both my Ikon and Bantam do it (cannot start for an hour) when cleaned with high pressure hoses but don't give any problems with rain/puddle engine-soaking splashes...
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Aaah, but you're overlooking the common denominator. And no, it's not the water - they're both F(j)ords. :p
 
enigma243 said:
Aaah, but you're overlooking the common denominator. And no, it's not the water - they're both F(j)ords. :p
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LOL, you took the words straight out of my mouth! :p

The only other motor that throws a hissy fit when it sees water is the Opel engine setup found in the Boss and T Car range. My Golfs and Polos can handle a full on burst from a pressure washer, on their electrics, and treat it like water off a duck's back.
 
I washed my focus engine with full pressure from a pressure washer without covering anything before and worked fine. Tried same on gf's renault clio, wasn't so fine...

Edit: ooooh, 1001 posts, now a "grandmaster". Do I get free MyBB swag now??
 
Fazda said:
LOL, you took the words straight out of my mouth! :p

The only other motor that throws a hissy fit when it sees water is the Opel engine setup found in the Boss and T Car range. My Golfs and Polos can handle a full on burst from a pressure washer, on their electrics, and treat it like water off a duck's back.
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One thing with the VeeDubs, though... the FSI's injectors ain't fond of pressure washers. At all.
 
Do not wash a Renault engine ever. Dont even touch it with a damp cloth.

The wiring connectors get messed up.:twisted:
 
Washing an engine is bad in a lot of cases, especially if it's done with a high pressure cleaner.
Water is often forced past seals and into places it shouldn't go causing corrosion problems.

An unwashed engine is just as healthy as a washed one unless you're talking about a serious layer of dirt that is blocking the radiator, air intake, shorting wires, etc.
 
Paul_S said:
Washing an engine is bad in a lot of cases, especially if it's done with a high pressure cleaner.
Water is often forced past seals and into places it shouldn't go causing corrosion problems.

An unwashed engine is just as healthy as a washed one unless you're talking about a serious layer of dirt that is blocking the radiator, air intake, shorting wires, etc.
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If an engine is allowing water IN via seals, then you have a major problem!! BEST to wash it and see why it's leaking!!

Come on there is NO excuse for a filthy engine! This is like saying that bathing is bad for you because your skin is porous! :p
 
During the last service under warranty, VW Menlyn messed up the engine of the Polo of my wife with at least a half a tin of oil.

When I confronted them about the mess, they told me the dealerships are not allowed to wash engines after a service as electrical problems could occur.
After a hefty argument they took some paper towels to try to clean up. With an unsatisfactory end-result and the remark "take it as it is and wash it yourself but they would take no responsibility for damages" we left for good as the car is now out of warranty.

If they don't know how to clean an engine, how must Joe Soap know how to do it?

No one takes responsibility for anything these days.
 
That is incredibly bad Stokkies.

If you are nervous about wet electrics, get a plastic bag and cover the distributor and coil. I have been washing engines since I was a kid, and using high pressure washers since the 80's, when I had to in my rally cars. As I said earlier, the ONLY car to ever mess me around was our Rally Opel Boss...

There is NO excuse for a dealer to avoid steam cleaning. At Lindsay Saker, that was the first thing we did before a service, with a final touch up at the end.
 
Fazda said:
If an engine is allowing water IN via seals, then you have a major problem!! BEST to wash it and see why it's leaking!!

Come on there is NO excuse for a filthy engine! This is like saying that bathing is bad for you because your skin is porous! :p
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A lot of things in an engine bay are not meant to be blasted with a high pressure jet of water.
There doesn't have to be anything wrong with the seals.
The worst an engine bay is going to be subject to while driving is some splash from the wheels, some rain through the front grill and maybe being submerged if you've been driving near Benoni recently.
None of these try to force water at 100+ PSI pressures past seals, rubber dust covers, etc.

Your analogy about bathing is not a good one.
Take a high pressure spray, stick it in your mouth or ears and pull the trigger and see what happens. Like an engine bay your body won't come to much harm if you sprinkle it with water but we're talking high pressure here.
 
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