Can we pressure wash engine safely?

[gorillaa]

I asked dealer to clean engine bay few days ago.

The tech power washed the engine bay and used air connector to dry it... all in 10 minutes while car was running, battery connected.... not impressed

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[Romeoridgee]

I asked dealer to clean engine bay few days ago.

The tech power washed the engine bay and used air connector to dry it... all in 10 minutes while car was running, battery connected.... not impressed

If you require a complete engine bay cleaning, I recommend paying a detailer to professionally clean your engine bay. that tech probably didnt get paid to clean it and probably did their best as he/she fixes cars instead of cleans them. honda makes electrical components water resistant in engine bay, it is safe to do so with engine running. I do so to mine, even with an aftermarket cold air intake. im just not an idiot and wont spray directly on the filter or battery.

 

[Nessism]

I use an old 4" wide paint brush and Simple Green to clean things like the engine compartment. The brush gets into all the nooks and crannies nicely. Allow the water to drip off, 15 minutes or so, then go out for a nice drive to further dry the engine out.

BTW, an earlier poster recommended Purple Power, but I'd like to caution against that stuff because it's killer aggressive. It's a good degreaser, but it's just too damn strong for delicate materials and such, like the engine compartment.

 

[steemed.beans]

I use an old 4" wide paint brush and Simple Green to clean things like the engine compartment. The brush gets into all the nooks and crannies nicely. Allow the water to drip off, 15 minutes or so, then go out for a nice drive to further dry the engine out.

This is a direct quote from simple greens website, dilution can help minimize risk but please keep this in mind when using simple green on soft metals:
“When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser, and Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process.

Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product.”

 

[Ducota]

Been steam cleaning/pressure washing for 40 years never ever had a problem. Alway start the car when I'm done and let her run for 5 minutes to aid in drying. I use a diluted degreaser solution with a brush. My goal isn't to detail just a quick cleaning.

 

[steemed.beans]

Been steam cleaning/pressure washing for 40 years never ever had a problem. Alway start the car when I'm done and let her run for 5 minutes to aid in drying. I use a diluted degreaser solution with a brush. My goal isn't to detail just a quick cleaning.

Depends on the vehicle design really.

When I worked at Volvo I learned that their Yamaha V8 has an area in the bay that allows water to pool in an inaccessible area after a engine wash and get sucked into the motor. Not long before I got there a detailer hydro locked a motor and part of my training included no engine washes on the V8, only quick detail and wipe down the bay.

I’d say risk varies from car to car.

 

[Nessism]

This is a direct quote from simple greens website, dilution can help minimize risk but please keep this in mind when using simple green on soft metals:
“When used with caution and according to the instructions, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been safely and successfully used to clean aluminum. Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, Crystal Simple Green Industrial Cleaner & Degreaser, and Simple Green Pressure Washer Concentrates have been used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process.

Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product.”

The Simple Green website has this recommendation for cleaning a car engine...
https://simplegreen.com/cleaning-tips/automotive/engines/

Basically, use the regular SG, brush, rinse.

I wonder if the Simple Green Pro would be better? That's what they recommend for cleaning motorcycles.

Either way, dilute well (weaker than recommended works fine unless you have a lot of grease to deal with.)

 

[Ap1 George]

Use a wide nozzle, disconnect the battery and don't spray too close and directly to wiring and connections. I never had problems pressure washing and detailing my engine bay, just use common sense.

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