Everything inthe engine compartment is not waterproof.. and one of the best ways to cause problems on an old electrolytically fuel injected engine is to get it very wet. However...spraying down thoroughly with WD-40 immediately hot washing works wonders. About the onlyplace I don't spray is inside the alternator. . Everything else ..right on the coil and coil wires, spark plug wires, distributor.. allthat loves WD-40. Of course others may have strong opinions otherwise! I have been doing this for at least 3 decades on countless cars with always excellent results. about washing grease ontogravel . I would expect the gravel to turn dark after a while..and the oily junk to penetrate the ground under the gravel .. and also, there is a slight, very slow affect, of oily gook evaporating away. I hate the look of greasy gravel - lol. The car wash Igo to hasEngine Degreaser as one of the choices.. so it looks like they expect people to spray oil off engines there. Another one nearby is adamant that there is no cleaning of dirty parts or enginesever.
On 6/22/2013 11:28 AM, Karl Wolz wrote: > Frank, dunno bout Kanadia, but the car washes down here recycle and filter the water. Many, if not all, have a degrease cycle that pumps out foaming degreaser. Let it set; spray it off. > > Karl Wolz > Sent from my electronic umbilicus > > On Jun 22, 2013, at 2:46 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote: > >> John, first off in most localities I have visited this is illegal. The run off is a pollutant ! Use a Pressure washer at your home and make sure the run off goes somewhere nice, good luck with that ! I do this all the time here at my shop out on my gravel drive in front, gravel catches most of the grease. As far as what needs to be protected, nothing, if all is as it was designed to be everything in the engine compartment is water proof and not affected by water. Always start the engine immediately afterward to see "if" it starts and to warm up the engine to dry it off. If the engine does not start then you need to find and fix the problem. You can use any one of the numerous engine degreasers available at your FLAPS. Afterwards, I Krown oil the entire engine compartment, this does two things, loosens crusty stuff the degreaser did not get at so the next time you pressure wash, it will get cleaner, and it protects all the components, rust and corrosion inhibitor for metal parts and adds life to rubber and plastic components. >> >> >> On 2013-06-21, at 1:34 PM, Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> wrote: >> >>> I need to degrease my engine and was thinking of taking it to one of >>> those car wash places with the pressure wands. Just wondering what I >>> need to protect from the wash. >> >> >> Cheers, >> >> Frank Condelli >> Almonte, Ontario, Canada >> '87 VW Westy, '00 Kawasaki 250 Sherpa, "98 Ducati 750 Monster & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale) >> Frank Condelli & Associates - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley >> BusFusion a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 06 ~ 09, 2013 |
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