Any suggestions, or areas to avoid with the high pressure water? Ivwe got muck on the frame and on the block that Id like to clean off. Tis would be done engine cold. avoiding air intake(engine and cabin), and turbo. Pressure woudl be coming from a 1700psi electric pressure washer set the nozzle to medium pan. probably closer to 800psi and a foot or 2 away. 2006 frieghtliner 2500 - roadtrek conversion.
Power Wash engine & compartment
- Thread starter labudski
- Start date
sailquik
Well-known member
Why not take your Sprinter to one of the DIY car washes?
Get an insecticide sprayer and spray the areas with the most dirt build up with a 50/50 Gunk engine degreaser/water mix.
Drive to the DIY car wash, put the money in and turn it to the engine cleaner cycle.
Spray the engine (avoiding the places you've suggested and any electronic/electrical devices like the alternator) with the
degreaser/engine cleaner cycle then switch the DIY system to the regular hot wash cycle; then the rinse cycle.
Way less pressure, and way less mess for you to clean up.
Roger
Get an insecticide sprayer and spray the areas with the most dirt build up with a 50/50 Gunk engine degreaser/water mix.
Drive to the DIY car wash, put the money in and turn it to the engine cleaner cycle.
Spray the engine (avoiding the places you've suggested and any electronic/electrical devices like the alternator) with the
degreaser/engine cleaner cycle then switch the DIY system to the regular hot wash cycle; then the rinse cycle.
Way less pressure, and way less mess for you to clean up.
Roger
not sure if spraying a hot engine is a good idea?
Fixed it for you.
I agree with 312d. There are some pretty sensitive electronics in the engine compartment. Spraying around in there isn't the same as moving through even a torrential rain.
I recommend doing a search here. I know that there are some horror stories which began with cleaning an engine. If nothing else it may help you to avoid some of the critical areas.
Have fun. vic
lindenengineering
Well-known member
The modus operanti is not to get water into the engine especially the inlet tract.
Water in any quantity and diesel engines don't go too well together, it can cause some spectacular mechanical failures if it locks the engine--suddenly.
On the 2.7 engine there isn't too much where you can wreak havoc especially if you keep the engine injector cover on, but as Eduardo has recommended cover the connector(s) with cling film.
One thing to avoid is power washing directly with the nozzle the radiator and A/C condenser matrix's, it bends the fins! That in turn reduces the cooling efficiency.
As a side ditty in hot dusty countries like Iraq the locals power wash their fleets of trucks and buses quit regularly. The basic reason is that the engines and transmissions get coated in dust which mixes with oil vapors and oil leakage over time. Once caked on, the whole morass can reach a flash point and the entire powerpack becomes a glowing mass of smoldering oily dust.
It gives rise to my oft used expression of "glowed in the dark" when some fool has driven an overheating engine to destruction!
Like don't let the smoke out!
p.s Use Dawn dish liquid on the radiator . A/C matrices before gently washing them down (Fairy Liquid darlings if in the UK)
Dennis
Water in any quantity and diesel engines don't go too well together, it can cause some spectacular mechanical failures if it locks the engine--suddenly.
On the 2.7 engine there isn't too much where you can wreak havoc especially if you keep the engine injector cover on, but as Eduardo has recommended cover the connector(s) with cling film.
One thing to avoid is power washing directly with the nozzle the radiator and A/C condenser matrix's, it bends the fins! That in turn reduces the cooling efficiency.
As a side ditty in hot dusty countries like Iraq the locals power wash their fleets of trucks and buses quit regularly. The basic reason is that the engines and transmissions get coated in dust which mixes with oil vapors and oil leakage over time. Once caked on, the whole morass can reach a flash point and the entire powerpack becomes a glowing mass of smoldering oily dust.
It gives rise to my oft used expression of "glowed in the dark" when some fool has driven an overheating engine to destruction!
Like don't let the smoke out!
p.s Use Dawn dish liquid on the radiator . A/C matrices before gently washing them down (Fairy Liquid darlings if in the UK)
Dennis
There are a few spots of what appears to be mouse dropping; that id like to wash off. Im going to try compressed air to get most of it, then try toothbrush method. If i do wash with pressure - ill be extra, extra careful.
-oh am i right that we shouldnt spray a hot motor, especially with an aluminum head, iron block?
-oh am i right that we shouldnt spray a hot motor, especially with an aluminum head, iron block?
A "hot" engine wouldn't concern me except for maybe the exhaust manifold if not cooled for a few minutes. A properly running engine isn't really that hot externally.
vic
cahaak
New member
I have just sprayed my engine with degreaser, let it soak for a bit and then just washed everything off with my garden hose. You don't need high pressure to get the engine quite clean. I do this every few years so that I have a fairly clean engine. It really helps for diagnosis if I have any leaks or such. I actually like to do it when the engine is fairly warm because it dries off much faster then.
Chris
Chris