Hosing engine?

[aaronon]

I got an autoglym car care kit (though I use collinite wax but will be using the engine cleaner and interior cleaner from the kit).

Anyway a car washing guide came with it and it shows the guy hosing the engine.

This confused me somewhat as I though water ruined the engine? There's a battery and wires and all that stuff so how can they recommend hosing it? Are the wires / connectors and battery waterproof?

The engine cleaner says it all must be washed away with water but I'm afraid to do this incase I ruin my engine or battery and stuff.

Anyone got advice?

[david burton]

Water isn't good for an engine, you're right. But you can lightly hose down an engine if you're careful not to point it directly at the electrics. A lot of people power-wash engine bays and that's just asking for trouble regarding the electrical system.

[aaronon]

Hmm. Sounds quite scary. I'm surprised the book shows it. . .just shows a man fully hosing his engine downwards :O

How do other users clean their engine and keep it clean. . I have the product to do it. . .but I don't know how to rinse it away without hosing.

[Gillen]

I just spray an all purpose cleaner (apc) everywhere and agitate with a brush. Then I wash off using my pressure washer on a 'light' setting which is just like a mist, then I dry it with a microfibre. I also have the engine running for 5 mins after I sprayed it down. Then I dress the bay with aerospace.

I cover the battery with cling film lol

[david burton]

I find just a rag does a good job, and you can use wd40 as a degreaser for nasty bits. Even oil works quite well on the black stuff

[aaronon]

OK , Thanks guys.

I might just use a window cleaner spray bottle (filled with water) to rinse the product off along with microfibre.

Someone else told me that it's fine to power hose even the battery. . water only damages the engine if the engine sucks up water while it's on (as it has a suction pipe coming out the bottom and thats why you can't go in rivers as it sucks it up into the insides. . with the engine off you can hose anywhere.)

Needless to say I'll go by what you guys have said!

[david burton]

not true, you will inevitably get water where it shouldn't and it will play HELL with your electrical sensors and system.