Any tips for washing/spraying engine clean? I've heard of guys using regular car wash wands, but seems like too much pressure to me.

Thanks

 

I would advise against it.
I tried to wash off just the front of my engine before I replaced the ac compressor and somf idler pulleys/ belt but enough water splashed up and ran down into the spark plug wells that it gave me misfires on multiple cylinders. the boots on the ignition coils are loose enough water can get in but then it can't dry out very easily either so ended up having to pull all the coils and blast air into the holes and dry them out.

 

You're gonna hear a lot of opinions on this saying you can and you shouldn't. I've never washed my whole engine and bay, but I paid a stiff price years ago with a Mazda 626. They had to replace a bunch of stuff that got wet.

 

Hmmmmmm well damp rags, shop vac and air compressor it is then lol. Weather's going to be decent this weekend so wanting to get as much work done on my trucks before the negative day temps return.

Thanks

 

it can be done (I’d never use high pressure though), but need to be careful due to factors already discussed. With care and some rags over coils, I’ve not had an issue.

If you are ever planning to do your boots/springs, do the wash before that (and you can blow / vac the wells as you go before installing new boots).

 

I've been doing this for all the vehicles in the household since watching the first video with excellent results and no issues.

VIDEO

UPDATED VIDEO

 

Ok now THAT'S just pure fuc#ing genius wow!

Thank you for this

 

I have been washing engine on many of my cars with garden hose spray, and underneath it too, from Japanese to German and American cars (specially my toy cars, or old/dirty). I heard some bad stories of doing this but I like the cleanliness of it after wash. Most of the time, if not all, I start it up right away and go for a drive or at least idle it for some time. I read someone think washing while idling is better, because it will dry up quicker/easier if water accidentally get into spots which we don't want too. This F-150 is the only one which acted up a bit after starting up for me, then it run normal after a couple mins.
This is not the first time I hear problems such as what needsmoarturbo's encountered. I probably stop doing it ... but I remember I told myself that after almost every time I hear/read stories like this
Good luck.