Do You Wash Your Engine?

[Dutch]

That was probably your momma telling you to wash your butt and you weren’t paying attention.

[fishinwrench]

16 hours ago, oneshot said:

So I’m not to wash my Engine?

I was always told to wash it so I have.

oneshot

Here's the techy answer, if you're interested.....    

The engine block can be washed if it isn't hot.   No you won't crack the block by hitting hot steel with cold water, but you can cause gaskets to fail if the engine has aluminum heads or an aluminum intake manifold because the aluminum will cool off too fast and can warp.  Same with valve cover gaskets and the oil pan gasket.  You can also crack hot spark plug insulators by hitting them with a blast of cold water.   

All engines are designed to heat up and cool off uniformly. This is why you on have "heat shields" over certain components. 

So basically, if you're gonna wash the engine with WATER...then do it when the engine is well below operating temperature.    Once done, and the engine is dry, hit all the moving parts and electrical connectors with WD-40, then blow off with compressed air,  and after that drys hit them all with silicone spray. 

[oneshot]

Ok lot of it deals with Aluminum Parts which I have found to not really be the best.

Washing my Engine goes back over 50 years. Things change.

Wife did a good Job on my car.

oneshot