Ive heard that too but I used to take my truck once or twice a year to the car wash and I never covered the distributor and I hosed everything down with the soap then rinsed. Did crank over a bit before firing but it wasnt too bad, I did make sure to let the truck idle and build up some heat to dry out any moisture in the electrical connectors before driving off.

But I quit doing that cause I just didnt have time. I started going out of town just about every weekend to tend to the ground I have, then I have lost a bunch of interest in working on my vehicles on the weekend after working on old cars at work all week, its even worse if the week was nothing but headaches with a old vehicle.

What I plan on doing is when I pull my engine out before I drop the engine im building now I am thinking of using some kind of degreaser under the hood on the chassis and maybe shoot some paint on the chassis. I just have to make sure what ever I use doesnt wash out the grease on my prothane urethane I beam bushings.

But the guy that is building my 306 short block sent me a few photos of my, what should be unpainted short block. Thats why I am spending extra money and got the Moroso (I thought it was Mr. Gasket) oil separator/breather for my Proform Ford Racing valve covers. Its also why I invested in Felpro rubber one piece oil pan gasket, oil pan rail stiffener, and the rubber valve cover gaskets. I dont want no leaks, I dealt with the engine in the truck now that was rebuilt in '92 when we got the truck and it didnt leak oil but it used oil from day one, 1 qt every 70 miles if using 10w30. Could get about 300 miles before a quart had to be added with 20w50. Didnt smoke, didnt foul out the plugs, I think it was just enough seepage around all the valve guides as the engine builder we used at work used to work at the engine builder that built my engine back in 92, he told me they knurled valve guides vs replacing them and that is where my oil was going.

 

Back about 4 weeks ago I power washed my engine bay after spraying it down with Awesome Cleaner from the dollar store.
I did not worry to much about the dist. cap & wires because if they were wet I was close to my garage to blow dry it.

Then last weekend I hit everything with the water hose only to get the pollen washed off.
This time I did not spray the dist. cap but also was not that careful.

Both times the motor started right up with no missing but the cap / rotor, plug & wires are new.

BTW the Awesome did not wash the grease off my poly bushing or they have not started making noise yet
Dave ----

 

This is only an issue with a Ford in if the ignition system has been poorly maintained, the carbon from the button in the center of the cap wears and spreads fine carbon dust inside the cap once it gets damp forget about starting the vehicle. it pays to spray off the inside of the cap at oil changes with some contact cleaner.

In a properly maintained unit a Ford will take far more of a soaking than either GM or a Mopar ever will , (especially the Mopar walk by one with an ice cream cone and they will not start) I never worry about spraying the engine down with the pressure washer, the only time I have issues is if I get actual standing water inside the dist.

 

Ill check into that stuff. I typically use the bleach white tire spray to clean under the hood of my vehicles but it doesnt do too good on build up. of grease/grime.

I also never tried to keep water off the dist on my truck at the car wash I did noticed the engine cranked over a few more revolutions before firing off than usual but it still fired up and ran fine. Just to be safe I sat for a moment and let some heat build up before I left.