Cleaning Engine Bay?, Can I hose it down? Options

[simonyak]

I am trying to clean up my '71 and was wondering about cleaning the engine bay. Is it OK to spray it with a hose if I cover the distributor and relay box?

[Rrrockhound]

Have you thought about steam cleaning? Quick, cheap, no mess.

[simonyak]

I live in a small town and usually have to do things myself. Good idea, I'll have to see if I can get done around here. Doing my own work on the 914 and the two triumph motorcycles I have .... I usually learn things the hard way!

[Pat Garvey]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer3.gif)
I hope you're not talking about steam cleaning the engine compartment with the motor in!

Do you realize how many sensitive electronic parts are in there? No, no, no - don't do it!

Best way is with the motor out. Not a difficult job & only takes (at most) 2 hours out & 2 more in. And watch out for the brain. Also watch out for blistered paint because you'll just open it up with high pressure.

If you can't remove the motor (and even if you do), just use cleaners & elbow grease to clean with. And be sure to put a coat of wax on all the areas you've cleaned to protect the paint & make it easier to keep clean in the future.

Remeber....914's don't have water in them for very good reason!

[Allan]

QUOTE (Pat Garvey @ Apr 3 2006, 06:21 PM)

I hope you're not talking about steam cleaning the engine compartment with the motor in! Do you realize how many sensitive electronic parts are in there? No, no, no - don't do it!

Let's see the opinions on this one...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/popcorn[1].gif)

[Rrrockhound]

QUOTE (Pat Garvey @ Apr 3 2006, 08:21 PM)

Remeber....914's don't have water in them for very good reason!

Exactly why I'd rather steam it. I've had far more complex cars steamed cleaned with no troubles. I'm talking ABS, EFI, ECUs, you name it. Granted, maybe there's some intricacy about the 914 I'm overlooking, but I can't see steaming being any worse than blasting it with a hose. Either way, you're going to cover the sensitive parts with plastic. You could even remove the ECU and relay board before you do it, if you're really concerned.

BTW, I meant having it done at a detailing shop. They seem to have better equipment and expertise. I would NOT use the kind of machine you'd steam clean your driveway with.

[Pat Garvey]

QUOTE (Rrrockhound @ Apr 3 2006, 05:45 PM)

QUOTE (Pat Garvey @ Apr 3 2006, 08:21 PM) Remeber....914's don't have water in them for very good reason! Exactly why I'd rather steam it. I've had far more complex cars steamed cleaned with no troubles. I'm talking ABS, EFI, ECUs, you name it. Granted, maybe there's some intricacy about the 914 I'm overlooking, but I can't see steaming being any worse than blasting it with a hose, assuming that you're going to cover the sensitive parts either way.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dead horse.gif)

My point is that there is no way you can protect electronic parts from the 70's (they arent exactly tightly sealed) from a high pressure washing. My opinion of course....

No water has touched my '72 914 since 1974 - none.

Could be that's the reason I have no rust - none.

What will you do about factory applied labels in the compartment? I know they're few, but absolutely irreplaceable & will be blasted off by high pressure. Excuse me, but I am a purist. I also think you're asking for problems from things like not-so-new injector boots, etc. Any significant moisture under these things will wreack havoc.

[bd1308]

im a realist--I drive my 914 every day and its only let me down a few times.

Its a car--if rust starts developing, fix it.

I wouldn't put water in there though, i'd use brake cleaner (I *HATE* using that though, its real bad for the enviro)

b

[mcbain77]

You can pressure wash with the engine out. Engine still in then use elbow grease and take your time. Much better result. I pressure washed mine with the engine out and the oil breather was so badly rusted on the inside it knocked all sorts of crap onto the shelf below the assembly. If I had it to do again then i would do it all by hand even with the engine out. I know you are trying to save time by using a pressure washer but you will get the same result with minimal complications NOT using high pressure in the engine bay. It takes longer but you will be happier with the result.

DON"T DO IT!!!!!

Having said that: (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/popcorn[1].gif)

[Rrrockhound]

QUOTE (Pat Garvey @ Apr 3 2006, 09:16 PM)

QUOTE (Rrrockhound @ Apr 3 2006, 05:45 PM) QUOTE (Pat Garvey @ Apr 3 2006, 08:21 PM) Remeber....914's don't have water in them for very good reason! Exactly why I'd rather steam it. I've had far more complex cars steamed cleaned with no troubles. I'm talking ABS, EFI, ECUs, you name it. Granted, maybe there's some intricacy about the 914 I'm overlooking, but I can't see steaming being any worse than blasting it with a hose, assuming that you're going to cover the sensitive parts either way. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dead horse.gif) My point is that there is no way you can protect electronic parts from the 70's (they arent exactly tightly sealed) from a high pressure washing. My opinion of course.... No water has touched my '72 914 since 1974 - none. Could be that's the reason I have no rust - none. What will you do about factory applied labels in the compartment? I know they're few, but absolutely irreplaceable & will be blasted off by high pressure. Excuse me, but I am a purist. I also think you're asking for problems from things like not-so-new injector boots, etc. Any significant moisture under these things will wreack havoc.

Factory applied labels? I wish my car were that mint! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) If it was, I'd prolly think twice about the steam cleaning, too. (Although I have to say, the labels on my 2000 Ram are all present and accounted for, and it gets done twice a year). You have a point about the electronics not being really tightly sealed, but they're not hard to remove beforehand.

I'm sorry, tho...I don't believe no water has ever touched your 914. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[Rrrockhound]

FWIW, this post at the bird board explains how one person details their engine compartment with steam. I guess what's good for a 911 is good for a teener. Of course, it doesn't have EFI.

detailing

[Porsche Rescue]

I have cleaned dozens of Porsche engines and engine bays over the years with no problems. I use a spray-on degreaser, then hose the engine off with a pressure spray at a coin-op car wash. Avoid a direct spray on the distributor. I like to use the car wash because it leaves the mess there instead of on my driveway. However, a garden hose/nozzle at home would work too.
I often take a jack with me and degrease/rinse the underside of the engine and tranny as well.

[Brian Mifsud]

It's hard to beat a paint brush and some cleaning solvent/ paint thinner. Just put a drip pan under it all and get dirty. After you've spent an hour scrubbing everything, take a squirt bottle with clean solvent and rinse it all down (again into the drip-pan).

Pour the solvent into a bottle and let it sit. In a few days you can pour off the clean solvent and dump the sludge.

"Engine-Bright" and other cleaners are basically diesel oil with detergent mixed in. Most people flush this down into the gutter, but you decide if you want to dump oil into the rivers/ lakes or whereever your storm drains run to.

If your really anxious about the compartment being clean, follow up the solvent wash with detergent and scrub brush.

You're fine gunning down the inside of the engine compartment with a hose. Just don't aim at the ECU or the distributor. If it get's wet, its really no big deal.. the've been ruggedized. Just dry them off and fire up the engine. Run it awhile and it will bake all the moisture out.

[tod914]

Be carefull with your selection of engine cleaners.. they can tarnish the caseing of the engine and transmission. Gunk I would not use.