Hey Guys!

Well after having my car for about 3 months and me being sick of my engine bay looking like crap... ive decided that i want to wash it all out...

Is there anything in my engine bay that i shouldn't get wet for example the distributor...

and if i take it to one of those car wash places will that do the trick?

Cheers
Whippy

I've done my engine bay a couple of times at self-serve car washes. Just going over it with the soap + rinse will get all the loose dust and crap off, although going over everything with the tyre/engine cleaner gets things pretty clean. I just did my best not to deliberately wet the alternator and around the battery. Haven't had a drama yet.

Whippy, I've done it craploads of times, not caring what I wet. Always left the car running, just blasted everything with the tyre/engine stuff at the carwash followed by a rinse. Never had an issue. I reckon theres not too much damage you can do.

I think the engine is basically waterproof, apart from the air intake of course, but it would be hard to get the water into the intake anyway...

i wash mine also when ever i wash my car.
water, tire and engine cleaner, wash off. high power so you dont leave anything behind, but i dont stick the nozzel 2cm away from the engine i kinda stand back abit.
im always careful the engine isn't too hot and that when im doing the tires the brakes aren't too hot. i let it sit for abit :)

Yeah i wash mine on a regular basis. The only problem i have ever had is water getting into the transmission plug. Its the electrical plug on top of the transmission next to/near the transmission dipstick. Just put glad wrap or a rag over it. If you do get water in it, you cant saelect gears. Just take the plug off and blow it out and its all better.

did mine yesterday, covered the alternator with some foil, rinsed it down with the garden hose, sprayed almost a full can of degreaser all over, hosed it off well, and then wiped down what I could with a rag, come up like new :D

I posted something similar a month ago. The responses were to avoid the alternator but everything else should be fine.

Well i had a real bad experience a couple of years ago,when i washed my engine,seems there was a leak or water got into the auto selector and boom....no drive..wtf....a week off the road,before pulling the auto selector apart..(this is the white electrical thingo under the gear selector ) so i would aviod spraying water down there...

ok. i think i might clean mine soon. My engine bay hasn't seen water in like 5 years. hehehehehe

i used to be concerned about this, and then one day i fully submerged the bonnet of my 4wd in a river. Since then, i know its ok. Just dont suck any water in ;)

Hey Mick.

Dounds exactly like what i was talking about with mine.
Ended up being that electrical plug i mentioned. Just cover it and it is then fine.

Yeah nothing too much to worry about, but keep water right away from your new horns.

ahhaahhahhahahha forgot about the horns... but they all face down/ forward at a 45 degree angle so its okay..

Anyone who has seen my engine bay will attest that it looks like a new car under the bonnet, pity about the rest of the car though

You can wash it no worries, just try not to have the engine too hot as thermal shock can do bad things.

I was mine about 5 times a year, dont need to wash it often as I have 0 oil leaks anyway

I do give a quick rinse when I wash it but that is only to get off the dust

Cleaner than my KH Mal?
Gee, would be a very close call.

Cleaner than my KH Mal?
Gee, would be a very close call.

Lets agree that they are equal lol, you know me mate, I am as bad as you when it comes to that lol

i used to be a detailer and i did it to every mitsubishi never had a prob with it. i did mine the other day as well nothing went wrong

mate i used to work at a car yard and they always washed the engine bay after doing the service. dont quote me on this but from memory they used kero as the degreaser then just a pressure hose with the motor running.