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Powerwashing my motor?

1K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  FScarjunkie 
#1 ·
I don't know about you guys, but I'd love to get the initial larger amounts of build up/AZ dirt out of my engine compartment real quick haha. Is it safe to powerwash the motor especially since I still have the stock airbox/snorkel? On my 01 f150 with the 5.4, when I washed it I know it ran terrible afterwards because I guess the water gets in the plug boots or coils or somethin and messes with them for a little bit, which it did and then stopped after driving for a while. Somebody told me the best way to do it is to cool down your motor, then start it up again while washing the motor. Any suggestions or is this a no-no as a whole?
 
#2 ·
Please Do Not Power Wash Your Eng.you Can Buy A Good Engine Cleaner,spray On.or Buy Say Large Bottle,then Use Your Own Hand Spray.you Can Use A Long Handle,narrow Paint Brush To Spray And Brush.i Then Use Very Low Controled Preasure To Wash Off.
You May Need To Repeat,on Real Bad Eng.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Bigger mistake, on my end ...

I had it powerwashed last September. It blew a coil pack and cost me another $200 in labor and parts.
I drove it for a week, hoping it would dry/go away/get better, which it didn't ... nothing but pure panic the entire week.

Damn thing was clean though ... :(

I will NEVER EVER do it again.

(The thing was, though, I spent 4-6 hours the day before trying to clean the engine compartment myself --- and I just couldn't get it clean enough (and trust me, I AM NOT a CLEAN FREAK -- it's my daily driver and I just wanted it to not be SO STINKING DIRTY for a car show I was going to). (A good reminder of why my daily driver should NOT be a SHOW car)

Anyway ... I seriously don't recommend it.
 
#5 ·
I never ever power washed my Bullitt's engine, or compartment. The archieves have a how to clean you engine compartment that was done up years ago. Probably more for an engine that is fairly clean already. I do know that at last years Friends of Steve McQueen car show there was one young fellow that had just bought his Bullitt and was doing the clean up right there on the show line. I was amazed at how well it cleaned up in just a couple hours using some microfiber towels, detailer and some serious rubbing. When he was done, it actually ran better! So bottom line, do it by hand. Takes some time, but you will get to know your car better.

I also do not power wash my pickup either. I do use some spray on cleaner, but on an iron block six with grey paint job the spray on and garden hose does a pretty good job and it doesn't get into the electronics, or fuel injection parts. One happy and clean engine for over 190K miles. :D
 
#10 ·
I don't know about you guys, but when I think of water on an engine with all of the electronics under the hood an alarm goes off in my head. I guess back in the 60's and 70's you could do that, but not now.
 
#11 ·
I guess I am the bad guy. I was the engine on both Bullits. Never had a problem. Try not to get the high power spray on the alternator etc but it sure gets the grime off. Usually the engine is warm but not hot. Still takes a lot of elbow grease to get it clean but the soap and water helps.
 
#12 ·
wildman said:
I guess I am the bad guy. I was the engine on both Bullits. Never had a problem. Try not to get the high power spray on the alternator etc but it sure gets the grime off. Usually the engine is warm but not hot. Still takes a lot of elbow grease to get it clean but the soap and water helps.

According to Scott Hoag in his Mustang Times column this month he says it's OK to wash your engine because everything is rated for wet locations. I work in the lighting industry and there are different degrees of ingress protection, and just because you can splash water on something doesn't mean you can blast it with high pressure water. The same probably goes for things under the hood. If you use a cleaner and use low pressure water from a garden hose that would probably be OK, but don't use a pressure washer.
 
#13 ·
Big Stig said:
According to Scott Hoag in his Mustang Times column this month he says it's OK to wash your engine because everything is rated for wet locations. I work in the lighting industry and there are different degrees of ingress protection, and just because you can splash water on something doesn't mean you can blast it with high pressure water. The same probably goes for things under the hood. If you use a cleaner and use low pressure water from a garden hose that would probably be OK, but don't use a pressure washer.
I agree if you use a cleaner, only use a light spray or a garden hose to rinse. You don't want that cleaner to get all over the front of your car. You may end up with some faded paint.
 
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