Proper way to clean engine bay
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 511
Likes: 0
From: Schenectady, NY
Here's two more data points for you guys who still believe you can use a pressure washer under the hood.
Point #1: My dealer - whom I've really grown to trust over the past ten years - no longer allows his doll up guys to pressure / steam wash under the hood. Too many (expensive) problems were being caused.
Point #2: Two very competent Ford dealer technician friends of mine have another watch out. According to them, even if you actually get away with a pressure wash and the truck still runs, you're not out of the woods. They claim to be seeing way too many instances of electrical problems - mostly corroded connections - down the road a bit after folks have hosed their engines. As you might guess, these problems can be time consuming (translation: expensive) to trace and fix.
So, how lucky do you guys feel now? I now use to theories. First, I keep the darn hood shut except for maintenance. Second, when I do get the urge to clean under there, I use the RockPick method.
Point #1: My dealer - whom I've really grown to trust over the past ten years - no longer allows his doll up guys to pressure / steam wash under the hood. Too many (expensive) problems were being caused.
Point #2: Two very competent Ford dealer technician friends of mine have another watch out. According to them, even if you actually get away with a pressure wash and the truck still runs, you're not out of the woods. They claim to be seeing way too many instances of electrical problems - mostly corroded connections - down the road a bit after folks have hosed their engines. As you might guess, these problems can be time consuming (translation: expensive) to trace and fix.
So, how lucky do you guys feel now? I now use to theories. First, I keep the darn hood shut except for maintenance. Second, when I do get the urge to clean under there, I use the RockPick method.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,742
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, FL
I have pressure washed mine a few times with decent luck. No problems as of yet but the water has got to be better or the truck than the layers of caked mud on the top. I agree it isn't good to do all of the time but the mud could not have been any better, keeping all of that dirt and crud trapped and caked onto the motor keeping heat in and such.
