Accumulator
Well-known member
Ah, OK...*now* I get it! Yeah, that looks pretty good all right.
cleaning undercarriage?
- Thread starter sahiwal007
- Start date
Saintlysins
New member
Just coming back after several months (family tragedies – one after the other) and jumped into this thread after replying to the Acronym List copy request and I want to thank you all for posting the websites and specific links to find the parts! VERY HELPFUL!
I acquired an undercarriage spray wand (came with the shop when I bought it) which was a modified power washer water-broom attachment the crew had taken apart and turned the nozzle-bar upside down. It was the best thing ever! Like mentioned earlier, you certainly wanted to ‘fill the engine bay gaps’ before blasting or the mess would coat the inside of the hood and upper engine parts ... including ooze out of the grill on pick-ups. Two or three passes and the job was done. Unfortunately ... like DAVID FERMANI, we lost the only one we had to a neglectful employee who ran it over :hairpull
Since then I’ve taken a power washer extension pole to my plumber and had him do a tight radius 90 degree bend on the end. (Plumbers have tools bend pipe without kinks). I’ve installed a wide angle tip and have been doing it that way for two years or more. It works great, but it takes a LOT longer as there are so many more passes to make to get the whole undercarriage and as you can imagine, I’m wearing through the bend where it drags on the ground ... but for all its use, I’ve only replaced it 3 times.
BUT ... thanks to you guys I’ll be able to find/build/remodel a new one!
Without trying to sounding like my chick ... I missed you guys!
Thanks again! :heelclick
I acquired an undercarriage spray wand (came with the shop when I bought it) which was a modified power washer water-broom attachment the crew had taken apart and turned the nozzle-bar upside down. It was the best thing ever! Like mentioned earlier, you certainly wanted to ‘fill the engine bay gaps’ before blasting or the mess would coat the inside of the hood and upper engine parts ... including ooze out of the grill on pick-ups. Two or three passes and the job was done. Unfortunately ... like DAVID FERMANI, we lost the only one we had to a neglectful employee who ran it over :hairpull
Since then I’ve taken a power washer extension pole to my plumber and had him do a tight radius 90 degree bend on the end. (Plumbers have tools bend pipe without kinks). I’ve installed a wide angle tip and have been doing it that way for two years or more. It works great, but it takes a LOT longer as there are so many more passes to make to get the whole undercarriage and as you can imagine, I’m wearing through the bend where it drags on the ground ... but for all its use, I’ve only replaced it 3 times.
BUT ... thanks to you guys I’ll be able to find/build/remodel a new one!
Without trying to sounding like my chick ... I missed you guys!
Thanks again! :heelclick
cajunfirehawk said:
Similar, some simple green or the like works too...it's an undercarriage so it's exposed to all sorts of stuff. While I wouldn't spray it down with Acetone, it can take pretty strong degreasers.
I spray it on, let it sit a bit then power wash it off (normal jet nozzle/city pressure)...
For the suspension bits I hit them with a brush and some rags...once I am done I re-lube everything.
Accumulator
Well-known member
The more I think about it the more I think I'm gonna stick with the hose (non-PW) one, at least for now. Strong enough for what I do, no worries about stuff getting out of hand (that stuff about "engine bay gaps" makes me a little :nervous: ).
Another thing that I shy away from is using strong cleaning agents. I don't want SG/degreasers/etc. sprayed everywhere and I'm pretty careful about how I use my undercarriage cleaner of choice (diluted EF HI) and I do the good cars with just a sorta-strong shampoo mix as their undercarraiges are prepped with stuff I don't want to wash off. That might not be relevent for some people, I realize that my vehicles are sorta pampered.
Also, I suppose there's a big difference between an undercarriage regimen you do every week and one that's done less frequently. I sure don't want to relube anything on a weekly basis
SaintlySins- I've been wondering where you've been :wavey Sorry to hear things've been rough for your family.
You guys talking about employees wrecking your wands makes me think that maybe the guys (well, a guy, singular, in particular) I had weren't all that bad after all. Or else the way I'd go ballistic if the wand wasn't hanging on its wall hooks was worth the ranting
Another thing that I shy away from is using strong cleaning agents. I don't want SG/degreasers/etc. sprayed everywhere and I'm pretty careful about how I use my undercarriage cleaner of choice (diluted EF HI) and I do the good cars with just a sorta-strong shampoo mix as their undercarraiges are prepped with stuff I don't want to wash off. That might not be relevent for some people, I realize that my vehicles are sorta pampered.
Also, I suppose there's a big difference between an undercarriage regimen you do every week and one that's done less frequently. I sure don't want to relube anything on a weekly basis
SaintlySins- I've been wondering where you've been :wavey Sorry to hear things've been rough for your family.
You guys talking about employees wrecking your wands makes me think that maybe the guys (well, a guy, singular, in particular) I had weren't all that bad after all. Or else the way I'd go ballistic if the wand wasn't hanging on its wall hooks was worth the ranting
Read the whole thread -- I never spray undercarriages, although I do wash and wax/polish areas of paint no one would see aside from a mechanic 
--
Interests me.. but I live in the south where salt never hits the road,.. so it isn't of 'huge' importance to me. However it would be nice just to know its nice and clean'er' under there. However, with uncoated/protected parts I would be a little leary of spraying blindly... and electrical connections that do exist underneath the vehicle. (Though I suppose it should be designed for going through a deep puddle anyhow occaisionally in normal driving) --
No to take this offtopic -- but on engine bay (top of engine) cleaning, do any of you pro's pressure wash the entire area? That is a huge no no imo,.. but I know there are some people and 'pro's' who do it.
--Interests me.. but I live in the south where salt never hits the road,.. so it isn't of 'huge' importance to me. However it would be nice just to know its nice and clean'er' under there. However, with uncoated/protected parts I would be a little leary of spraying blindly... and electrical connections that do exist underneath the vehicle. (Though I suppose it should be designed for going through a deep puddle anyhow occaisionally in normal driving) --
No to take this offtopic -- but on engine bay (top of engine) cleaning, do any of you pro's pressure wash the entire area? That is a huge no no imo,.. but I know there are some people and 'pro's' who do it.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Neofate- Even on vehicles that never see bad weather, I do a lot of undercarriage detailing(used Souveran on the undercarriage of the Mallett 'vette I used to have). If nothing else, it's easier to see if something needs attention (leaks/etc.) and well-protected stuff sheds dirt/etc. better. I can't count the number of times I've discovered problems that were *just* starting, stuff I never woulda seen had I not been a) under there detailing and b) able to see the slightest evidence of something being amiss.
Part of the undercarriage detailing is cleaning/protecting those electrical connections
Not a pro, but I never pressure wash in the engine compartment. I generally don't mind getting things wet in there, but I don't want to blast liquids around that area under pressure.
Part of the undercarriage detailing is cleaning/protecting those electrical connections
Not a pro, but I never pressure wash in the engine compartment. I generally don't mind getting things wet in there, but I don't want to blast liquids around that area under pressure.
Gotcha -- I was just curious how prevalent it was. If people are taking the time to cover up electrical components (underneath) a vehicle then that really is going the extra mile. Just blindly spraying for speed/convenience is the way I would see most detail shops going on the undercarriage because lifting it up and covering sensitive materials underneath the car is somewhat time consuming.
Though like I said, from the upper U joint to the rear is generally fairly safe to get good and wet without having to worry about damage. Directly underneath the engine from say, O2 sensors forward is where I would get a little concerned on my personal vehicle.
But like I said, car manufacturers have to design these things to withstand the elements so spraying underneath shouldn't impose any more threat than a good downpour one is driving through.
The preventative 'eye' maintenance is a good measure -- I bet alot of people would be very appreciative of being aware of minor leak(s) that would ultimately save them big money in the long haul.
Though like I said, from the upper U joint to the rear is generally fairly safe to get good and wet without having to worry about damage. Directly underneath the engine from say, O2 sensors forward is where I would get a little concerned on my personal vehicle.
But like I said, car manufacturers have to design these things to withstand the elements so spraying underneath shouldn't impose any more threat than a good downpour one is driving through.
The preventative 'eye' maintenance is a good measure -- I bet alot of people would be very appreciative of being aware of minor leak(s) that would ultimately save them big money in the long haul.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Neofate- Gotta admit I don't cover the electrical stuff 
But I don't direct aggressive water spray at it either. Yeah, if it can handle daily driving I figure it can handle clean-ups; never had a problem even with vehicles that are supposedly sensitive in this regard. Not like I advocate taking a PW to engine compartments/etc. though
But I don't direct aggressive water spray at it either. Yeah, if it can handle daily driving I figure it can handle clean-ups; never had a problem even with vehicles that are supposedly sensitive in this regard. Not like I advocate taking a PW to engine compartments/etc. though