MetKiss316

What is the proper way to wash out the engine...I just want to spray some water to get all that damn dirt and crap off of it. Should I wash it and let dry...wash it while it runs, crank and then turn off?

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1987 Camaro Sport Coupe 305 V8 LG4-rebuilt-All Stock.

Future Mods: Flowmaster American Thunder 3 in. Cat-back, Catco High Flow Catalytic Converter, Hooker Super Comp Shorty Headers Jet Hot coated, K&N Air Cleaner, CompCam 264H, White Paint, IROC wheels, Alpine CDM-7871 CD player, Polk Audio speakers, Grant GT Rally Steering wheel,New Fuel Pump, Ground Effects, B&M Megashifter

mystikkal_69

iTrader: (2)

well what i do is start up the car in the morning (cold). i hurry up to get to the car wash place. i go ahead and pop the hood. start off by washing the the whole car(allowing time for the engine to cool off slighty, even though it's not even above 100* mark). MAKE SURE THE ENGINE IS COLD. then i go ahead and wash the engine with the motor off, of course. when i'm done close the hood start it up and drive home.

[This message has been edited by mystikkal_69 (edited December 03, 2001).]

Mark A Shields

Don't spray cool water on a block that isn't running and is still warm, you run the risk of cracking the block. What I do, is my some GUNK spray or Engine Brite, let it soak and then rinse off with just running water no pressure. I just tried using laundry detergent that was recommended by Vader, worked good. I find the mountain fresh workds really well.

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2 Tickets to game= $250
Gas= $20
Sitting 20ft. from MJ= Priceless
'86 IROC T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK HEADERS Hooker CatBack
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi Rebuilt 700R4
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blue91rs

I prefer the spring morning scent, its magical. LOL!
Yeah, laundry detergent works great, the hard part is explaining it to other people, they just kinda look at you. After a while though they admit they tried it, and it worked.

Hg

So what kinda laudry detergent? The powder kind or the liquid? Where can I get 'GUNK spray' or 'Engine Brite', at a Pep Boys or something?

hy-po-ny

engine gunk? save your cash and just use a good ole scrub brush and warm water

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1976 mustang
4 cylinder 4 speed
soon to be twin turbo 351 cleveland.

Mark A Shields

You'd be surprised at the grease the GUNK will get loose, makes it easier. It's only a couple bucks, you can get it from Wal-mart.

calypso

Another great product to get at Walmart is Castro Superclean. I just spray it on my engine, let it sit and just rinse it off. You can use this stuff to clean just about anything.

a73camaro

Just goto a carwash and hose it off. I have done this 100's of times with no ill effect.

What happens when you drive you car in the rain and splash in a puddle. Cold water splashes on an engine and that doesn't crack it.

Leave your engine running and try to avoid spraying water directly at the distributor and air intake.

Happy washing....

Mark A Shields

Of course, because with the engine running it won't crack, it's when you turn it off and it's still warm and you spray it.

a73camaro

BULL$HIT

There have been 6-8 times where I have sprayed the distributor a little to directly and killed the engine. Then I proceeded to wash the stalled engine for a couple of more minutes. NO CRACKS.

An engine block is a little more robust than a piece of glass.

[This message has been edited by a73camaro (edited December 04, 2001).]

MetKiss316

So nothing will hurt it if I drive it about 50-100 feet to the sprinkler hose and hose it off, right? I'll wash the whole car first and then the engine.

Can I crank the car if the engine compartment is still wet?

I hand wash my car, so i don't take it to the car wash.

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1987 Camaro Sport Coupe 305 V8 LG4-rebuilt-All Stock.

Future Mods: Flowmaster American Thunder 3 in. Cat-back, Catco High Flow Catalytic Converter, Hooker Super Comp Shorty Headers Jet Hot coated, K&N Air Cleaner, CompCam 264H, White Paint, IROC wheels, Alpine CDM-7871 CD player, Polk Audio speakers, Grant GT Rally Steering wheel,New Fuel Pump, Ground Effects, B&M Megashifter

Mark A Shields

I don't mean the block will crack in half or anything, but go ahead run the risk of getting a cracked block.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Be VERY careful with Castrol SuperClean. I'm used to using Simple Green. Castrol Super Clean is VERY strong. It removes paint redily if used full strength. I prefer Simple Green. I clean mine at home. Having access to compressed air to blow out the engine compartment, both before (to remove most leaves, pine needles, etc.) and after (to remove the excess water and help dry any connectors that arent as waterproof as they should be). The more frequently you detail the engine compartment, the less drastic you have to be when you do clean it. It also makes working on the car a LOT nicer.



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90 RS Convertible
Owner: Top-Down Solutions
(626)369-0040

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RB83L69

I use the Engine Bright and quarter car wash method, with no special precautions of any kind; just drive over to the car wash, stop at Auto Zone or wherever on the way to pick up the diesel fuel in a spray can, and have at it. Been doing this now for ... on second thought let's not go there, let's just say it's been since long before F cars reached their third generation. I haven't broken any castings yet, although I did kill a distributor once (points type) and had to dry it out before I could go home.

I wash all my engines this way regularly, and of course right before major work whenever possible.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

a73camaro

Then don't drive the car. You could stall the engine and hit a puddle or a rain storm and crack you block from splashing water.

Have you ever see a cracked block from washing it while it was warm?!?!?!

Mark A Shields

Sorry, guess I was wrong, it's something I heard from a reliable source, so I figured it was true.

75/92 Birdman

iTrader: (4)

Castrol Superclean is the best product I have ever used. I buy it in the gallon jugs. When I was tearing down a 400 Pontiac for my 75 Firebird, I used a big bucket filled with the stuff. It took the gunk off of parts that had sat in grease and gunk since 1972 in a matter of minutes. One word of advice though, WEAR GLOVES! I made the mistake of not doing that when I washed the parts and got bad chemical burns on my hands.

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1975 Firebird - Pontiac 350, TH350, 27k original miles, rustbucket, ongoing resto project

1992 Firebird - 305 TBI, 700R4, sport appearance package, t-tops, flaming red, 89k miles, Weiand 360 air cleaner assembly, CAT Power Engine Parts race underdrive pulleys, more to come....

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