V8_DatZun Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 just a quick question about cleaning the engine. i know i need to cover the distributor with a plastic bag or something... but what else should i do? is it safe to pressure wash? or should i spray on engine cleaner and then wash it off with the waterhose? any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COZY Z COLE Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 I really like using simple green ( aval. at any auto store ), brush and a water hose. Just follow the directions on the bottle. For NA Z's make sure you cover the TPS switch. Don't know how many posts on why their car won't rev past 3,000 rpms because they washed the engine bay and water got to that switch. LARRY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 What I do is spray the solvent on the motor cold and let it soak for a while. Dont spray on the connectors and electrics too much. It's not really a big deal on the Z as long as you disconnect the connectors, dry them, and add some dielectric grease to keep the moisture out of them. To rinse it, I start the motor from dead cold and hose it off quickly while it's running. The trick is to rinse it all before it gets too hot. The reason I run it, is because if it stalls, I know I sprayed water in a bad place. Also, while running, the alternator just spits the water back out of itself. I have never had a problem doing it this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Don't pressure wash the top end of the motor or the electrics--not a good idea. I have used engine cleaner/degreaser, but like Cozy said, Simple Green works pretty well too. If the engine is caked with gunk or old crusty dirt mixed with oil and grease, you can use oven cleaner on the steel areas of the motor, but understand you may hurt the painted parts. I used oven cleaner on the used V8 I bought from GM Sports Salvage, just to clean off the 10 year old crud. After spraying and soaking over 3 mil plastic sheeting, I used a putty knife to scrape it all off and then bundled up the mess and tossed it. After that, I used Simple Green to get rid of the rest and then wiped it all down with 3M product before shooting with new paint. Hopefully you just have a little dirt that can be pressure washed off. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8_DatZun Posted March 21, 2007 Author Share Posted March 21, 2007 yeah its just a little grungy looking... no real grease etc.. its a new engine.. my alum intake is turning a little ugly.. lol i guess thats a given though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Ah the dreaded aluminum oxide...yuck. For cheap protection, I sprayed aluminum flake paint over all my cast aluminum parts. It looks great and holds up well. It's basically cheap brake paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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