Safest way to wash motor

Petrol mate

I would be careful where to spray water (no electrics) and follow up letting it dry properly and then spray plugs and leads with WD40 before starting.

But essentially follow the same as for diesel. Spray the whole engine with a can of engine cleaner. and let it sit for a few minutes and then spray with the hose noting what I said at the start of this post.

I usually use some cheap stuff that supercheap sold. I got a bundle - I think it was 8 for $10.

I use a whole can each time. I also use the hose on full and spray everything except the fuse box corner, where I lower the pressure a whole lot before hosing there.

Let it dry and all done.

Phil

Do not wash the engine when it is warm otherwise you will cause condensation to develop especially between the spark plugs and the rubber sleeve on the plug end of the plug leads. If you blow all the water off with compressed air after washing the engine it may start OK but next morning it will very likely be misfiring on one or more cylinders until such time as the condensation has dried out. Driving the vehicle until the engine is hot will rarely cure this problem as the condensation will reappear overnight just as moisture in the head lamps and other lamps does until the globe is removed and the moisture dried out properly using a hair drier or heat gun. This was a big problem in the bad old days of distributor caps when moisture condensed under the cap. The only way to cure it was to remove the cap and all plug leads from the cap and the spark plugs and blow out with dry compressed air. Better solution is to wash the engine when cold then this problem will not occur unless water gets trapped during the washing process which then vaporises when the engine gets hot only to return when the engine cools down in the more humid night air. In short, wash cold and dry with compressed air before running the engine.

Nice to see someone worries about what they discharge, especially into the Murray.