Power Steering Mess

(you can skip the story if you'd like...my real question is below)

Ok. So my power steering was leaking because of the pressure hose not being connected tightly enough at the steering box. Ok. So I got it tightened, and, it was fine. However, I was going out of town and wasn't gonna need my XJ, so, I let him borrow it since he doesn't have a car. I told him to keep an eye on the fluid. So, I left.

I came back, there are several gigantic puddles in my driveway. I can see something sticky all over the side mirrors, windshield, and paint. I open the hood. This stuff is EVERYWHERE. The top of the hood is soaked. All the stuff under the pump is dripping wet. This was about 4am after I'd just been on the road for 10 hours, so, I just figured I'd mess with it tomorrow. When I get inside my dad tells me about the leak and how many bottles he's had to put in there to keep it full.

So in the morning, I get up, and he's been out looking at it. "You know...the cap on that was really, really loose. I think that was it." He must not have thought to tighten it...

I drove it around for awhile, and it was dripping all over the place, and I couldn't tell if it was leaking, or it was just the stuff that was left all over the engine bay. But, the fluid level is staying constant now, and I'm not hearing the awful noises the thing makes when it's low on fluid. But, this stuff is all over the engine, and it's burning up. Smoke's pouring from the hood every time I park it.

** The Actual Question **

So I have a pressure washer. Is it safe to clean out the engine bay with this? Is there anything I need to cover up or avoid spraying? Or should I just use a hose, or what?

A pressure washer is a possibility - but watch the alternator, the ECU (if HO - the RENIX is under the dash) and the throttle body (on all.)

I usually just use LPS PrecisionClean and a hose, and use a brush if it's very bad.

This demonstrates why I don't loan out my vehicles - if you need my truck, you get me with it.

5-90

Simple Green, a rag/brush and a hose. You can substitute a can or two of Engine DeGunk/Cleaner instead of Simple Green.

I hose out my engine compartment on my vehicles regularly, it does help keep the motor running more trouble free by keeping the motor, linkages, hoses and wiring clean and free of dirt, grime, chemicals and contaminates that can accumulate and soften, dry out, crack, wear or damage things under the hood.

Out of 100's of cleanings, I think I got water in the distributor once and the motor ran like crap for a couple of hours until it dried out. If that happens just spray some WD-40 under the distrubitor cap, it usually fixes it right away.

The items 5-90 listed, avoided drowning those items with water, but I never masked anything off, I sprayed everything with the hose, I just avoided really drenching the critical items, like 5-90 mentioned and very very rarely ran into any problem. The one problem fixed itself in hours.

As well, its a good a idea to thoroughly hose out the underside of the car a couple of times a year. I've never had a vehicle rust out, that I've owned since it was new or realatively young, most likely because of this simple, easy measure. I wish the prevous owner of my XJ did the same thing, there wouldn't be all these rust holes in the floor pan that I'm repairing now.

On the bright side - my engine never looked nicer than it did after I had to clean up a power steering fluid incident.