Safe way to clean the engine?

[SHO_ROLLER]

How do you keep your Yamaha clean? Is it safe to use water and Castrol cleaner? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

Anthony shrug headbang

 

[shojuan]

Castrol cleaner is a little harsh on aluminum. Plus spraying that crap is really risky for your eyes (sodium hydroxide is really difficult to neutralize if it gets in your eyes. Sodium hydroxide is an active ingredient of castrol cleanup. Bad for aluminum, BAD BAD BAD for eyes!)

There seems to be a 50/50 split here about using a hose on your engine. If you go the hose route, don't use a pressure washer. Just regular garden hose pressure and inspect your plug wells afterwards and dry them out if water gets in there. Use a good quality engine degreaser. My favorite is Gumout/Pennzoil Steam Premium. It does a great job and it smells good too.

The camp that denounces using a hose on the engine tends to use Simple Green and rags by hand.

 

[SHO_ROLLER]

Is there anything I should cover up before I use a hose?

Anthony

 

[sdpatt]

Safe is not using water.

 

[Dave Kegel]

I've used water for years and never had any problems. Depending on how bad it is under there, Simple Green works really well. Spray Simple Green on everything, wait a bit, then hose it off. Then take a towel and dry what you can. The only thing I would cover is the alternator.

Dave Kegel

 

[SuperG]

I had my engine cleaned and shined up at a local car wash...before I knew it, they were high pressure washing the entire engine!

Well, for some reason...nothing bad happened.

Now I simply keep it clean by hand cleaning it every few weeks...

 

[GreenBird]

Using a hose is as damaging as driving your SHO is the rain.

If you want to use a pressure washer, just cover the alternator, and don't spray directly at your battery, coil packs, or plug wells.

If you do have a problem, it would probably just happen the next time you drive in the rain anyway.

 

[rendyx]

Just spray the water gently around electrical stuff. I used to not believe in hosing the engine bay down, and I did it by hand, until Jason (yamahasho) presented his technique to me. It worked beautifully. I also put bags over the battery, belts, air filter, and alternator.

 

[Off Road SHO]

SHO_ROLLER:
Is there anything I should cover up before I use a hose?

Anthony

The engine compartment.

Take it from someone who has disassembled two SHO's and other computerized cars, DO NOT SPRAY WATER OR CLEANER ON ENGINE. I know it's easier but a lot of the engines sensors report back to the computer over aluminun shielded (and twisted) wires. The aluminum is just a thin foil with a bare drain wire inside to bleed off all of the electromagnetic charges that the shield intercepts. And there is a lot to intercept.

ANY electricity going down a wire causes a magnetic field around that wire. Anything else that is metallic that is near that field picks up some of that field and converts it to electricity that wants to go back to ground. The aluminum shield intercepts the magnetic field before it can reach the wires.

On the cars that have had really clean, power washed engine compartments, the foil and the drain wires were almost completely corroded away. On the filthy oil and dirt covered engines, the foil was like brand new.

Take this information any way you see fit, but I will never again wash off an electronic engine (or electronic anything for that matter).

Tom

<small>[ May 29, 2003, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: ThomasDooley ]</small>

 

[SHO_ROLLER]

Well, I used water and cleaner today but only on the FILTHY valve cover. I did the intake ect. by hand and everything seems to be fine. Thanks for all the advice thumb !

Anthony

 

[yamahaSHO]

sdpatt:
Safe is not using water.

I totally disagree... but I have already expressed my opinion. In 6 years of doing this on every motor I have ever cleaned, I have never had a problem.

 

[fred79]

I would like to point out that my jeep suggested cleaning the engine with a garden hose and just stated to cover the alternator, cap and wire loom with plastic or aluminum foil just to stop direct strike with water that could cause water to get in water tight cases. the engine is made to sustain some contact with water. other wise your car would die during rain storms

 

[FOSHO94]

I simply spray degreaser and then hose off my engine. have not had a problem with the SHO, or my previous car.

 

[shojuan]

sdpatt:
Safe is not using water.

Scott, maybe you should start a class action case against all the manufacturers of spray on, hose off engine degreasers. Oh yeah, you would never be able to make a case that would get anywhere in court. Lol, like I say there's a 50/50 split on this issue and it's pointless for one side to try to sway the other.

<small>[ May 30, 2003, 09:07 AM: Message edited by: shojuan ]</small>

 

[bigpappy]

The way I see it, although the SHO is a blast to drive, it is a tool that I use to get me from point A to point B. Washing the engine compartment? Why? Did you go four wheeling with the hood open? lol
The only thing I would suggest is to squirt something like a degreaser on a rag, wipe down the dirty area, being careful not to push excess dirt into hard to reach places.

If you want your engine to look "factory new", depending on the current condition of the engine in question, you're going to spend more time disassemblying your engine and painting it than driving it. Just my opinion, but leave the dirt in there. It might be the only thing that is hoding your car together.