Engine wash down ?

Ok this weekend Im going to be powerwashing my engine. Im just going to be using water becuse it is mostly just mud. What do I need to cover or protect? I know the distributorand that pile of electronics on the passenger side. Any other suggestions?

DO NOT hit the TPS on the throttle body. It fries it on most people's Jeeps after it gets touched by water. :hang: Thats the only thing I can think of besides the distributor.

Cover the TPS, or if you want to, just buy another one just in case. I never cover the distributer. I usually take it off when i'm done and dry it out myself with some WD-40 and a paper towel.
Aftre you blast off the heavy grime, just spray some degreaser like Purple Power or Simple green on the motor undilluted. Let it sit for 15 minutes and power wash off again. If you're going to get the motor wet, you may as well do it right. Then after the motor dries, spray some armor all or other vinyl stuff on all the hoses and plastic parts. Really details the engine compartment. I just spray it everywhere on every single thing. Looks SUPER!
One other thing, do it with the engine cold. Not having ran it at all.
I have cracked a head before by powerwashing a warm engine with cold water. Tough lesson.

CollinM said:

DO NOT hit the TPS on the throttle body. It fries it on most people's Jeeps after it gets touched by water. :hang: Thats the only thing I can think of besides the distributor.

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Thanks, I would have never even thought about that.

Try Greased Lightning if you can find it. Most hardware stores, big grocery stores, Loew's, carry it. Incredible cleaner.

Warm the engine up, not hot, just warm, wet down what you want to clean with low pressure water, spray with simple green or other spray cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes. It also helps to have one of the stiff round parts brushes to get at the stuff that wont move. Rinse off the same way and then restart the engine to heat dry it. What you can do is unplug the sensors on the throttle body then bag the throttle body, also bag the connector ends. I don't think high pressure water is a good idea, it gets into too many places it does not belong. I also use hot water, generally hook the hose up to my hot water heater, hot water cleans better and it also allows me to flush the sedement out of the heater....though when I'm moving that much water I usually wear gloves... but for just a slow intermittant rinsing stream a 100ft of hose does not get that hot..
When I do it during the summer I get the engine warm and facing the sun, wet and spray down the areas I want to clean then agitate with a brush, spray again and then rinse. I've even gone so far as to remove electronic components that I don't want to take a chance with and I have also disconnected the battery, some of those circuits in there are live 24/7 even when turned off. There are just so many places in the factor service manual where almost all the steps start off with 'disconnect the battery terminals' just like all firearms manuals start off with 'ensure the weapon is unloaded before proceeding with disassembly'

jeeppowermj said:

Thanks, I would have never even thought about that.

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Before I knew anything about cars I would just spray everything equally distributor, throttle body, everything and it never hurt mine, but it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry. And at 70 bucks a TPS sorry kinda sucks.

LOW pressure (hot, if possible) water is best, + a good degreaser

i wouldnt use high pressure, it isnt necessary. low pressure is safer, it just takes a little longer for thick gobs of mud

Churchlady said:

Try Greased Lightning if you can find it. Most hardware stores, big grocery stores, Loew's, carry it. Incredible cleaner.

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I second that.