Is it a good idea to keep the engine clean? If so what procedure do you guys recommend to clean the engine?


I have always cleaned my gas engines cold, and used simple green or 409. Do you need to be more careful with the electronics of the diesel engine?

Yes it is a good idea to keep them clean. I recommend GM Engine Shampoo.


All the electronics are sealed so you shouldn't have any problems.


Wash it with the motor cold.

BE carefull if you use a pressure washer. It will also rip labels off.

Don't spray heavy pressure near the Bosch EDU on the passenger side bank ...

I use plain ole soapy water sponge and garden hose .... Keep on it and it's not a chore ... I'll use some Gunk occassionaly on the under belly of engine tranny to remove road grime .....

Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

I just hosed off the dust and dirt yesterday as a matter of fact. Stayed away from spraying water directly on the EDU, but hosed off everything else. Wiped down what I could get to. Looks better, but needs something more.

I just hosed off the dust and dirt yesterday as a matter of fact. Stayed away from spraying water directly on the EDU, but hosed off everything else. Wiped down what I could get to. Looks better, but needs something more.







Gunk it, low pressure rinse ,blow dry ,style ,WD-40 hair spray .....
Shake it high, shake it dry ,thank Mac on the way by ( Iheard that by a bathroom attendent in Jersey at a race ,still funny today ).... I accept tips also !!!!

Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif Edited by: Mackin

I would only add to be cautious with water around the altenator. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Nuke.gif

I just cleaned mine and used Gunk engine cleaner,sprayed it on, let it set for 5 minutes and hosed it off. Pretty simple to do and it looks great!

I usually leave the engine running when I hose it off

hello all

Are all of you for real.. We tryed this on our PSD and WOW
it cost me 1200 bucks down the road.. Are you telling us
its ok to hose down a Dmax

From stevehttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Disapprove.gif Edited by: smartfix

I use dish detergent. It's good at removing oil and grease. I use a washcloth to wipe it on so as not to saturate everything. Then crack, just a little, the valve that connects the hose to the house. This way there is not much pressure and the water does not spray all over the place.

Then chamois every thing dry. As a real nice final touch, use Eagle One Spray and Wax (or equivalent). This gives everything a nice shine and a wax coating without buffing. It gets wax into all those real tight spots that you would never be able to buff out. It does a real nice job on the bare metal like the alternator. It gets rid of and stops the oxidation.Edited by: JohnnyO

Smartfix,

Could you elaborate a little. What happened when you washed your PSD to cause $1200 worth of damage?

TC

You guys make me nervous, I constantly use a commercial degreaser on a hot engine and rinse with a pressure washer, not close, but a pressure washer, the hot engine helps the degreaser cut the dirt and the pressure washer, well, it works good.
Eric

Smartfix said enough, PSD. (P hone S ervicemanager D aily)Edited by: Bowhunter

$1200? I wash the motor on every vehicle I have ever owned around once a month. I have never, ever, ever had any problems. I have never ever, ever owned a ford though http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif

You guys make me nervous, I constantly use a commercial degreaser on a hot engine and rinse with a pressure washer, not close, but a pressure washer, the hot engine helps the degreaser cut the dirt and the pressure washer, well, it works good.
Eric


I guess we dont have to worry about how we wash the engine... It seems everyone does it different with no problems.....


My worry with a hot engine has always been the steam getting places and causing trouble.... Evidently not the case... thanks

I would not advise pressure washing. Except maybe if you are carefull to keep the jet away from electrical connectors and especially the EDU unit mounted on the valve cover (paasenger side) It has a water warning label affixed. It has an air vent.

I rinse mine with a hose... and hot dishsoap water. I probably do that twice a year. All you have to do is keep the accumulating dirt down and it's easy to clean with minimal risk.

Never when the engine is hot.... maybe warm but not hot.

Good soap, hot water, power washer not to close where power will hurt, on hot engine, like the Tech says the heat in the engine helps with the cleaning. Company truck (2001 d/a crew cab dually) has close to 200k miles and gets it like this at least once a month. No problems so far.


Smoooooothie

Used to be the detail manager at a new car dealer and we always cranked the engine, sprayed degreaser where it needed and then sprayed it down with a hot water pressure washer while it was running. Never hurt anything but you have to stand back so that you are only spraying the engine indirectly and never spray any electronic parts. After spraying it off we would let it run for a few minutes to help dry everything off and if any water did get where it wasn't supposed to be it would try out before doing any damage.

Sprayed a 86 Mustang GT and put it out of commission.

Also had trouble with my 97 6.5 TD after pressure washing. Low power and smoke for a couple of days.

S100


That's what both BMW and Harley Davidson dealers/riders use on their engines. I have washed engines for more than a decade with S100. Spray on cold, light rinse and things dry with few water spots.


S100...pricy but works.

Gunk on warm/hot engine then rinse with the garden hose or pressure washer that is hooked up to my hot water faucet. Crank immediately to dry up. Wait a day or so then spray the entire engine with a good clear electrical sealer (CRC works well) This makes it shinny and black like new and seals everything good untill the next time. Also makes it easy to rinse off and won't collect dust as easily as products that stay oily.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Smile.gif

Smartfix,
Could you elaborate a little. What happened when you washed your PSD to cause $1200 worth of damage? TC


It's a bit late on this but he never replied so I'll throw in what I know about a similar situation. A guy I work with has a 99 PSD. Teh PSD has an exhaust backpressure sensor tube. They will, over time, ecome plugged with carbon. His had the normal carbon build up and somehow got water inside. The water shorted the sensor which took out the PCM. The wait to start light would not come on, engine would not start. They did normal trouble shooting and found a few minor things wrong. Glow plug relay was changed, cam positioning sensor was changed and one other sensor. No codes showing on teh test equipment so the were confident they had curred the problem and put in a new PCM. Before they put in the second new PCM the traced every wired coming to/going from the PCM. That's when they found the tube full of water and the bad sensor. The shop gave him a huge break on the number of hours of labor/troubleshooting, and did not chanrge him for the second PCM. 10 days, $1200.00. Sure wish I owned a ford!!!