Do not clean engine?

M

madazskunk

New member
A couple of mounths ago I was reading an article like a question answer type article like dear abby from these mechanics called the car guys, click and clack. I guess they are pretty popular as they have a syndicated radio show back east i think. Anyways, someone wrote in about cleaning their engine and these guys wrote that you should never clean your engine, just let it get dirty like it is supposed to. Their main reasoning was that you could damage your cars computer which would cost thousands to replace. Although they did admit it was a slight chance but an unnecessary risk. Has anybody ever damaged a computer or anything else? What do you guys think of this?
 
I clean my block weekly by spraying it with high-pressure hoses at the local wash, I have an open cone and when I say I spray it down, I really spray the whole thing down... and guess what, I'm going to keep doing that!





:xyxthumbs
 
Cleaning an engine is not a problem as long as precautions are taken to protect sensitive items. Modern engines are well protected from normal wet driving but are not designed to withstand high pressure hoses without some protection.



The previous owner of my car did not protect the engine and as a result lots of weird problems occurred. All of these were fixed by replacing most of the connectors and some of the wiring. It cost a of money to fix everything but it has not stopped me cleaning the engine
 
Using that kind of logic then wheels / tyres are also supposed to be dirty.



I clean my car engine bays by covering sensitive electrical components with silver foil and using a garden type pressure spray (but I’ve also used a HP hose) without any problems.



Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect
 
I always keep my engine clean.



A good reason to keep it clean is so you can tell where the problems are if one accures. If you have a leak or something in a clean engine you know excatly where it is coming from. A dirty engine you play swap the parts until you hit it right. It also makes working on the car 100% better. The guy that works on my car, when I can not, always gives me great deals cause "my engine bays are always so nice and cleana dn easy to work on."



Just some things to keep in mind.
 
A friend once told me to clean the engines because the dirt works as insulation and could make the engine run hotter. Not good!



:xyxthumbs
 
After some reasearch on this subject (and a scare when my father washed the engine of an old Pontiac and it wouldn't start for a half an hour) I decided that it was okay to go ahead. Plenty of people are pretty careless about this stuff, but if you're careful it's pretty safe.



- Use LOW PRESSURE water to avoid getting water into sensitive areas.



- COVER sensitive items such as your air filter if it's exposed, the battery, relay boxes and the alternator. SVTHorsnake says he washes his cone filter...BAD idea for a million reasons....not the least of which taht you are washing the oil that you're supposed to use when you clean the cone out...you are reducing the effectiveness of your air filter...not to mention the fact that sucking water into the intake is a bad scene.



- Don't use Simple Green as a cleaner...it stains your hoses. I like Meguiars Citri-Gel Multi-Cleaner...works good on wheels too.



- If you have access to a cmopressor, it's nice to blow the water out of any electrical connectors you may have gotten wet. It's a little risky not to cover all the connectors but it would just take prohibitively long to do so, so I blow them out with air to be safe.





@ fidelfs - The engine regualtes it's own tmeperature and will not run hotter or colder based on how much dirt there is in the engine.
 
madazskunk said:
these guys wrote that you should never clean your engine, just let it get dirty like it is supposed to. Their main reasoning was that you could damage your cars computer which would cost thousands to replace.
Click to expand...



As you can see, I NEVER clean my engine. "It's supposed to be dirty!!!!"



:cool: :cool: :cool: (ha/ha/ha)



BTW a brand new PCM for a Grand Prix is $295.



6491p1010011.jpg
 
I have always cleaned the engine compartment. My mechanic loves the fact that he doesn't have to go through crud to repair anything!
 
I always clean the engine underhood and underbody. I belive the word is moderation- spray only a mist of water underhood and know were you are directing it. I have never had any problems.



I have had the 96 minivan in for some recall work ( free ) and the mechanic did note that the engine area looked brand new.
 
Full Strenght Simply Green



1.jpg




4.jpg




Simply Green dilluted 1:4



0.jpg




4.jpg




no spotting problems with Simply green here.



I was able to notice that the cam gear seal is gone on the teg after I cleaned the motor. . .



david
 
Luster said:
As you can see, I NEVER clean my engine. "It's supposed to be dirty!!!!"



:cool: :cool: :cool: (ha/ha/ha)



BTW a brand new PCM for a Grand Prix is $295.
Click to expand...





ALRIGHT! I THINK WE HAVE HEARD JUST ABOUTANUFF FROM YOU, LUSTER!





jk! love ya man, AND that engine!

:xyxthumbs
 
Right... Detail the rest of your car and leave the engine dirty. I guess your teeth are supposed to be dirty too, eh? I think I drew the comarison once that the rationalization for not detailing under the engine is similar to the one for not wiping your butt. Hey, nobody ever sees it anyway, so what difference does it make? Just clean it. Don't be a moron and spray high pressure at everything under the hood. Avoid the electronics. Just because your engine didn't blow up doesn't mean that it never will. Its not a smart thing to do. What on earth could possibly make you think that spraying high pressure at wires and fuses is a good idea? Why not take some time and do it right? Its detailing tactics like that which will always cause engines like Luster's to place first at car shows and cause you to lose points.
 
Sounds like they're just trying to cover their butt against

litigation if someone where to fry their computer while

following their advice. Most radio/tv shows are this way.

If you want the straight scoop, sites like this one are

your best source of real world info.



I wash my whole engine bay about 3x year with no

problems. Just wipe dry what you can and run the

motor for 10 minutes or so to dry the rest.
 
Gonzo0903 said:
I have always cleaned the engine compartment. My mechanic loves the fact that he doesn't have to go through crud to repair anything!
Click to expand...



Same with my mechanic. Plus, like 2001civicex pointed out, it is easier to spot problems like leaks if the engine and bay are clean.



My ECU is in the passenger compartment so the only things I protect are my distributer and I wrap some plastic around my TPS, plus I don't use heavy spray near the alternator. As long as you use the proper precautions for your engine bay, you should be fine.



After more than a quarter of a million miles, my engine bay is still real clean.



1099Accord_engine_9_2003.jpg
 
I certainly agree that a clean engine compartment is a thing of beauty. Click & Clack have to assume that their readers and listeners know absolutely nothing about cars for liability reasons. Just be careful spraying water around anything electrical under the hood and you should be OK.

Their show is the greatest however, and I seldom miss it.
 
I am a fan of Click & Clack on NPR (You can even catch it on the Dallas public-radio station, madazskunk). But I agree with what others have said: They're broadcasting to the hoi polloi, and are just being ultra-conservative.



Why do I clean my engine bays? Just 'cause it looks so dang good, and folks are amazed when I open my 30-yr-old or 10-yr-old cars' bonnets and see the shocked faces. :D Maybe (and I'm really NOT sure) it has some direct or subliminal effect on mechanics ... but mostly it's just about personal pride.



However, as others have said, you must exercise precautions. My first Autopian engine-detailing resulted in a tow-truck ride to the mechanic because I didn't cover electricals sufficiently and used high-pressure wash. Second one resulted in a great conflagration, since I used brake-parts cleaner and started the engine. :eek: Since then, I've gotten smarter. Now, I just use Orange Blast and towels, sometimes (but not always) followed by a gentle water-rinse.



Yes, clean the engine if you're a typical (a.k.a. anal/compulsive) Autopia. But take appropriate precautions. :up
 
Yep, Scottwax, I prefer Orange Blast for effectiveness. And, besides, the chemically smell of Simple Green makes me want to gag, whereas Orange Blast smell clean and fresh.
 
Lynn said:
I am a fan of Click & Clack on NPR (You can even catch it on the Dallas public-radio station, madazskunk). But I agree with what others have said: They're broadcasting to the hoi polloi, and are just being ultra-conservative.
Click to expand...









Hey I like these guys too. Although I have never heard their radio show I do look forward to their column that comes out twice a week in my local paper. I respect their opinions/advice that's why I questioned this response.



By the way I am an anal/compulsive autopian but I have never cleaned an engine in my life. But I do need to start and have been meaning to for some time now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top