Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General anal or what?

Anybody on this board ever clean their engine? I mean with something like Gunk spray and a power washer----I want to do it, but I'm afraid of f***ing up one or more of the many sensors with H2o. I could spend HOURS with a can of WD-40, OR just give it a quick blast (very gently, of course) with the above mentioned method. Anybody have any suggestions? Or should I just go and brush my teeth some more and be happy with that?

GT Ross

Two or three times a year, I just open up the hood and power wash it at the carwash....doesn't seem to hurt anything and cleans off the accumulated crud.

I wouldn't recommend using a power washer. If you use high pressure water, its only going to increase the chance of water penetrating your sensors and/or harnesses. I wash engines on a regular basis, and I find just engine shampoo and regular hose pressure is enough. Don't forget to cover up and protect certain areas of the engine bay if possible, such as the alternator(really hard to do on our duratecs, I just avoid spraying in that area) and coil packs.

...after reading your title to this post, the last thing I thought this topic was about was washing engines... My mind is always in the gutter, so you'll have to excuse me!

The local car wash I go to has the power washers that have a stream even when you don't pull the trigger. The stream is enough for our needs. You only need the full blast when washing the car or the wheels.

Cheers .......

Thanks guys.
I figured on NOT pulling the trigger, or aiming it at sensitive areas. I was curious to know if someone else had done it. As for the title of this thread: I'm sure SOME people would think we were anal for cleaning our ENGINES, of all things. Besides, it caught your attetion, didn't it!

Cheers,
GT Ross

God all you guys go to the car wash. My car never gets washed by anyone but me in my drive way. Thats where the real detailing goes on

Every time I wash the car on the driveway, it ends up with streaks all over it. It looks like arse. Hence the car wash.

Here's what I do...

Cold hose the car ... wash the car with brush and Meguiar's car wash in lukewarm water ..... change the water and wash it again .... cold hose off.

It's great if you have the luxury of a driveway to wash your car in but not all car owners live in houses. I live in an apartment- tried running my own personal garden hose out to the car and was told by the owner that we were not allowed to do that. So now if I want my car clean I have to run it to the car wash or else drive 2 hours to my parents' house to wash it... but of course by the time I return to the apartment from my parents' house, the front is littered with bugs. The most practical option in my case is to take it to the car wash but it is still done by me... just another source of soap and water.