Hey, all,

I did a search, but all I found was gas engine threads, and it seems like our 7.3 diesels have different likes / dislikes when it comes to washing off the engine.

Planning to use some Simple Green and/or Purple Power and hot water from the hose to wash off my engine and engine bay, in preparation to put in an AIS filter kit and some other stuff (I need to change the fuel filter and fix a leak in the fuel filter canister, etc.).

So:

Should the engine be hot, warm, or cold?

I know to keep water out of the alternator, but are there other areas I should cover or avoid getting water into?

Once all the degreaser is rinsed off, should I start up the engine to dry everything out?

Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks in advance.

 

Cold engine, cover the alternator and power steering fluid reservoir cap with a plastic bag. Soak with Simple Green for 15 minutes and rinse with low pressure water from hose. I prefer the "shower" setting on hose nozzle I have.

I prefer to let the excess water run out of the engine bay for about 15 minutes, then take it for a drying off run. If I feel it needs another bath, I do it again after the engine has cooled down, usually the next day. I ended up using Gunk on the under side when I first bought the truck, but now that I have it clean it only requires a shot of Simple Green and a short bath.

One more quick thing, I like to park the truck facing uphill just a bit to keep the drain in the valley working as intended instead of letting the water accumulate in the valley.

 

Thank you, Sous.

 

And that is one sweet looking engine bay. I gotta get to mine too.

 

Thanks for reminding me!

 

A warm engine cleans better. Been doing it for 40 years. See the other washing engine post. I never bag anything, but I don't spend time blasting the hell out of electrical items an any oil cap area.

 

Exactly what I've been doing for just about as long

 

Is there some reason that people aren't washing warm diesel 7.3 engines?

Is there some enclosed space that, when the warm air contracts as it cools, is going to suck up water, maybe in the valley or somewhere?

Because my instinct would always say that cleaning a warm engine should work better, since the oil/grease is softer and the chemical reactions (between grease and Simple Green or oven cleaner or detergent or whatever) are going to be faster at warmer temperatures...

Note that I'm not suggesting ice-cold water on a rip-roaring hot engine, and not talking about pressure washing, either...

Thanks again, guys.

 

I agree with the warm engine route in the summer and especially if I am cleaning it in the winter.

 

In my opinion washing a "warm" engine would not be a bad thing, but washing a "hot" engine is another. I had always been taught to wash the engine when cold in order to keep from damaging hot parts/equipment by cooling it rapidly with a cold spray of water.

Repeated washing with degreaser will get the grime and oil out. I think I washed my engine and undercarriage 10 times before I felt that it was at a point I was comfortable with.

 

Let the engine cool down to where You can hold Your hand on it,and go to low pressure washing,I always cover caps with vents & avoid electrical connectors/components.

 

I don't worry about water, I just shoot !. I even use my 3000PSI gas fired pressure washer. Nozzle setting on 20dgrees.. 0 being full strength, 40 being the softest) I am careful though not to get to close. Never had a problem in 9 years washing this diesel. Water gets under there in downpours and splashing around puddles anyways. I let the motor idle a bit to warm up, But not hot.
2 cans of gunk, let soak for 20 minutes if really nasty.

I do keep the connectors greased with dielectric grease. Every few years I go around and check

I am pretty fussy with the engine bays, in all my cars trucks. Got to be pretty, but not so fussy I need a tooth brush to clean things though.

My wife picks on me with me cleaning PSD.. I just tell her it is my baby, Got to keep it clean and ready to go !

 

I normally just go to local car wash, select the degreaser, spray on engine, close hood and wash rest of truck. Then when time to rinse, raise hood and while holding the wand up over my head and 3-4 ft away from the engine i hit with the high pressure rinse. At that distance its more of heavy misting fog than high intensity water stream. Rinse until all is clean. Close hood and drive home. Now this is all done with warm at temp engine, i dont cover anything but dont hit anything directly with high pressure water either. Never been a problem in all my driving years, about 30 yrs now. When at home pretty much the same except get hose nozzle to a spray instead of a stream and same procedure, no problems.

 

Yup . If getting things wet and having issues is a problem ! You have other problems and shouldn't drive in rain storms! I would rather find out I have a bad connector before heading out with the 5th wheel and be in the side of the road in a rain storm ! I don't bag anything. Point and shoot! My alternator and power steering pump is 15 years old this year ! Happy birthday ! We were in Virginia ! Massive rain storm ! I wasn't worried !

 

I know this is probably ok, but I'm good to power wash my unassembled turbo & pedestal? All sensors removed.