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Words of caution Posted by Ari [Email] (#2847) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Ari) on Wed, 21 Mar 2001 13:11:04 In Reply to: Cleaning / Washing the engine?, NewSaab, Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:40:31 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
There are more electronics under the hood of modern cars than in the original Apollo capsule. And electronics don't like water!
Yes, things are sealed, but only to a point. Believe it or not, things are actually better now because of GM, because they have some pretty decent seals on their electrical connectors. As an example:
In the early NG900 (94, 95), there was a water leakage problem in the ABS controller. The ABS controller sends pulses to the electronic speedometer/odometer. Folks would clean their engine compartments with a hose, and when the started the car, the speedometer would be pegged, and the odometer would be clicking over like a demon. Folks would rack up a few thousand miles just getting it to the dealer, and those odometers CAN'T be set back. In some cases, the ABS controller would need to be replaced.
It's less of a problem with the newer cars. But I would NEVER play a high pressure hose in the engine compartment. To clean the engine, apply degreasing cleaner only to those spots that require it, and rinse it off by applying water from above in a gentle stream - let it flow down. Use some elbow (de)grease and remove goop with paper towels. Never apply water from the side or bottom. Avoid any electrical connectors or relay boxes.
Can you get away with a high pressure hose in the engine compartment? Sure - plenty of people do. But if you've got a connector boot that doesn't fit perfectly, you could be looking at a thousand dollars for a new controller. Jus' ain't worth it in my opinion.
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