How do I wash my engine compartment safely?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Saturn_Fan

Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
2,512
Location
America's Dairyland
I want to rinse off the engine of my 08 Corolla with water to get rid of some salt crystals I noticed stuck on the block from winter here in WI. I am afraid to do so for fear of ruining something electrical.

Is there a safe way to do this without damaging the car? I won't be using a pressure washer, just a hose at home.
 
be sure to use plenty of salt water, and a high pressure hose.

grin2.gif



just kidding

I would use a small stream of water.
 
Soak the engine compartment with simple green and scrub it with a brush. Then use a garden hose to hose it off.

Just avoid any direct pressure on the spark plug wire connection points and/or the ignition coils. Or the fuse box. Or the ABS module.

When you're done, close the hood and go for a 20 minute highway drive immediately! Do not let the car sit at all, you MUST start it up and drive it right away or else the water will cause problems.
 
Simple green will etch aluminum. I noticed recently that "Spray Nine" (a very strong cleaner) now offers a PH balanced degreaser/cleaner that is gauranteed not to etch aluminum. I'd try to find some of that.

Also, put a ziplock bag over your alternator, and other electric parts. No high pressure under the hood.
 
I have been washing out engine bays for a while. I use low pressure and simply rinse the whole thing off. If you have aluminum exposed avoid simple green! It will etch aluminum parts. I always leave the engine running when I rince out the engine bay.
Dielectric grease is your friend so don't wash it off. Unless you have a specific grease or oil leak problem no suds or degreaser is neccessary. Just a stream of water to rinse the dust and salt out. (avoid the intake and a direct stream on electronics. ( a light mist is ok to knock contaminates off (it' mist is their when it rains anyway)

Drive the engine for a little while afterward to dry it out. Repeat occaosionally to keep the engine bay dust and crud free
 
+1
Getting the electronics under the hood wet is asking for problems.
The better cars have a splash pan preventing water from getting splashed up into the engine bay.
I couldn't care less what the engine compartment looks like.
 
I use the Simple Green. It won`t harm plastics or rubber like a chemical degreaser can. I always warm up the engine,then shut it down. Spray Simple Green on everything,then wash ot off with a garden sprayer on the fine mist/spray setting (the setting that gives the widest spraying pattern as opposed to the thin hard stream). I then spray Eagle One Nano Wax on everything. Then I gently towel dry. Lastly I spray Formula F2-1 on everythingf and wipe it off with a blue shop towel.

After your finished,do take that 20 min drive to get it all good and dry.

NOTE...........like the other poster said DO NOT saturate the spark plug areas/wires/etc with water.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: XCELERATIONRULES
+1
Getting the electronics under the hood wet is asking for problems.
The better cars have a splash pan preventing water from getting splashed up into the engine bay.
I couldn't care less what the engine compartment looks like.


I don't particularly care either as the car only has 18,000 on it and was bought new and babied by me, but there is literally salt crystals that dried on all over the engine block. I even put them to my mouth and it was quite salty alright.

I just don't want the engine rusting out on me.
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I use the Simple Green. It won`t harm plastics or rubber like a chemical degreaser can. I always warm up the engine,then shut it down. Spray Simple Green on everything,then wash ot off with a garden sprayer on the fine mist/spray setting (the setting that gives the widest spraying pattern as opposed to the thin hard stream). I then spray Eagle One Nano Wax on everything. Then I gently towel dry. Lastly I spray Formula F2-1 on everythingf and wipe it off with a blue shop towel.

After your finished,do take that 20 min drive to get it all good and dry.

NOTE...........like the other poster said DO NOT saturate the spark plug areas/wires/etc with water.


Thanks for the tips. There is a large plastic cover that 100% covers the spark plug and ignition coil towers (whatever those are called that spark plugs go into).

I'll do this with engine running and go for a nice spin afterwards!
 
Do NOT rinse the engine while it's running. You might accidentally spray water into the intake...and that wouldn't be a good thing. Maybe it's a personal preference, but to me it doesn't seem right to spray water onto "running" electronics.
 
There's a newish product called "Extreme Simple Green" that's specifically labeled as being safe for automotive applications.

I'm trying to work up the nerve to do this myself since my car's engine compartment is pretty dusty, but I just can't bring myself to take a hose to the engine bay. Irrational, I know. As far as the full scrub treatment, that would be quite a pain on a current gen Civic, with it's very cab-forward profile. Can't even see most of the intake manifold from above with the hood open.
 
Ive seen the etching due to salt on aluminum parts... annoying if nothing else. I typically have done nothing, but figure that alternators, etc. are likely designed to get at least some spray...

I just use a spray from a hose, trying to keep it off the electronics, and just on the bulk metal surfaces. spraying and scrubbing is probably smart, I have salt away and may try that sometime...

Im at a crossroads between not worrying and caring. I have taken Amsoil HDMP and sprayed stuff that is not aluminum and seems like it could be at risk for some rust... Not sure if I should care about and/or treat aluminum parts...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Ive seen the etching due to salt on aluminum parts... annoying if nothing else. I typically have done nothing, but figure that alternators, etc. are likely designed to get at least some spray...

I just use a spray from a hose, trying to keep it off the electronics, and just on the bulk metal surfaces. spraying and scrubbing is probably smart, I have salt away and may try that sometime...

Im at a crossroads between not worrying and caring. I have taken Amsoil HDMP and sprayed stuff that is not aluminum and seems like it could be at risk for some rust... Not sure if I should care about and/or treat aluminum parts...


Good points you have. I could possibly be overreacting on this issue. I mean the entire thing is probably 90% aluminum. I guess a little road salt on aluminium isn't going to rust like it would if it was steel.

I just cannot get the nerve to spray water on a practically brand new engine.
frown.gif
 
Our 06 Corolla takes engine washing like a champ... no problems "yet"... I use an electric pressure washer and wash it while it is running. I like to keep the parts moving so water can't work its way into stuff like the alternator etc. We got the car brand new and just use the car wash soap to keep the engine bay clean. If you never let it get nasty, car wash soap will keep it clean. After letting it dry, I apply Aerospace 303 to the parts that I can safely apply it to and even 3 years later it still looks brand new. Just personal preference I guess. I like everything on the car to be clean.
 
I just a use some shop towels, and some armor all. Spraying water into the engine compartment is just asking for avoidable trouble.

Plus the rinse water will be a filthy mess for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: JackFish
Perhaps try removing the engine first.


I went ahead and removed the entire engine from the Corolla. I washed it down and reinstalled the engine.

Am I supposed to have around 10 pounds of bolts, wires, and sensors left or did mess up somewhere?
crazy2.gif
crazy2.gif
 
I use Simple Green, but diluted to at least 1-1 or 2-1
I also only apply it to a cold engine and don't let it dry, rinse with plenty of water at garden hose pressure, after 3.5 years no etching on my aluminum engine.

I also found that kitchen aluminum foil is excellent for covering wiring harnesses, spark plug coils, belts and alternator
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
How often do you wash your car in an automatic car wash?
3 4 5
Replies
89
Views
4K
Patman
A
Purple Power NOT safe on aluminium!
2
Replies
21
Views
13K
Graham Piccinini
gregk24
I cleaned my engine bay today
2 3
Replies
46
Views
5K
ARCOgraphite
SammyChevelleTypeS3
How you feel about clean (and cleaning) your car engines??? Your best methods.
2 3
Replies
45
Views
5K
SammyChevelleTypeS3
B
Did I destroy my engine?
Replies
17
Views
4K
bluesriderdf
Back
Top