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Engine pressure washing?

W

Wow

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Over there!
My engine has been neglected for a few years....as you can imagine it is very, very dirty. I want to pressure wash it, but as usual I'm worried about breaking something that ain't broke.

Are there specific areas I should avoid? Obviously the dist. cap, what about the intake manifold with all the fuel injectors and sensors on it...can I spray that? Also, can I do it while the engine is running...as long as it's cold?

Edit - '96 4.0, if that matters....
 
Wow said:
My engine has been neglected for a few years....as you can imagine it is very, very dirty. I want to pressure wash it, but as usual I'm worried about breaking something that ain't broke.

Are there specific areas I should avoid? Obviously the dist. cap, what about the intake manifold with all the fuel injectors and sensors on it...can I spray that? Also, can I do it while the engine is running...as long as it's cold?

Edit - '96 4.0, if that matters....
Click to expand...

watch the dizzy cap and tps, neither like water
 
Ayuh - avoid the dizzy cap and throttle body in general, spot-clean those.

NB - you may have better results if you use a good commercial solvent (I like LPS PrecisionClean) to soak the crud off, and then apply some good old-fashioned elbow grease. Rinse with a hose. Again - avoid the dizzy and throttle body, as the TPS really doesn't like to get wet.
 
I just did this, I used simple green and soaked everything then just rinsed it off, I personally wouldn't use a pressure washer under there, but that's just me.
 
I used Dollar Store MEAN GREEN.

It worked very well looks brand new. Took all the old grime away. (89)
 
x3 on the simple green. i use it along with an old toothbrush, rag and trickling garden hose to wash my engine about every month. it has great results.

since yours is very dirty, i may suggest a bucket full of water and dish soap. thats how i started out with mine. it was a lot cheaper because i was changing out the soapy water quite frequently. it took me a good year to get my engine clean to my liking, but mine was very bad from a very neglectful po.
 
stewie said:
x3 on the simple green. i use it along with an old toothbrush, rag and trickling garden hose to wash my engine about every month. it has great results.

since yours is very dirty, i may suggest a bucket full of water and dish soap. thats how i started out with mine. it was a lot cheaper because i was changing out the soapy water quite frequently. it took me a good year to get my engine clean to my liking, but mine was very bad from a very neglectful po.
Click to expand...

You know what works better than dish soap? Tide. If you're not quite bad enough to need a heavy industrial solvent, but more than soapy water, use some Tide.

I try to keep a couple of small (coin-op) boxes on hand - one in a mop bucket full of water is about right.

Tide also works well on driveway stains if they're reasonably fresh - sprinkle the stuff on, wet just enough to make a paste, and let it sit for a bit. Rinse in about ten minutes.
 
5-90 said:
You know what works better than dish soap? Tide. If you're not quite bad enough to need a heavy industrial solvent, but more than soapy water, use some Tide.

I try to keep a couple of small (coin-op) boxes on hand - one in a mop bucket full of water is about right.

Tide also works well on driveway stains if they're reasonably fresh - sprinkle the stuff on, wet just enough to make a paste, and let it sit for a bit. Rinse in about ten minutes.
Click to expand...

That's a good Idea, I'll have to give that one a try!
 
5-90 said:
Tide also works well on driveway stains if they're reasonably fresh - sprinkle the stuff on, wet just enough to make a paste, and let it sit for a bit. Rinse in about ten minutes.
Click to expand...
Tide or any powder laundry detergent works well for this, if you can get to the spot quick enough like you said. I've always just sprinkled some on a stain and let it sit till mother nature did her thing to get rid of it, or it got washed away when washing one of the vehicles. Doesn't completely remove the stain, but sure does take a good bit of it away.

As for the engine, i've always used Simple Green, Purple Power, Greased Lightning (basically whatever degreaser I have on the shelf at the time). Spray it on, let it sit a couple of minutes, and hose off with a light to moderate stream from the garden hose. I've always done it to a cold engine, then cranked the engine up and let it get up to operating temp to burn off any extra water. I wouldn't recommend using a pressure washer on it....too big of a risk of forcing water into places where it shouldn't be if you ask me.
 
I do not use a pressure washer. I always use "engine bright" that is only a few bucks a can and just rinse it off with a low pressure hose.

I do this with a luke warm engine, seems to do better.
 
I've always cleaned any engine when it's just luke warm, seems to help shift the grease better. As for what I use, bucket of warm soapy water and a whole heap of o'l elbow grease does the trick. The bottom of the engine I use degreaser with slight garden hose pressure (keeping water away from 02 sensor and top of engine). For the rest, including the engine bay, it's just plain elbow grease with rags and my preferred soapy water is Meguire's car wash. Depending on how much crud is in there, don't become too disillusioned with the time and work it will take. Plan on 2-3 washes till it's done.:woohoo:

Keep away from washing up solution, it will strip away the greases which are vital to protecting your paint work from the elements:nono:
 
A 1500 psi washer is an great way to drive water into the weatherpak connections, throw codes, create corrosion, and experience a no start right in the carwash bay on a busy Saturday.

Aside from a TPS failure - which can be caused by light snow fall, in my experience - it creates a lot of problems. Very little underhood was engineered to withstand it, and lots of forums are filled with "Oh Help!" posts by newbies as a direct result.

I can't recommend it at all. Use safe detergents and a nozzleless water hose.
 
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