Who cleans their diesel engine? How do you do it and what do you use?
Keeping your engine clean September 16, 2011, 08:37:17 pm Who cleans their diesel engine? How do you do it and what do you use? Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #1 – September 17, 2011, 01:28:38 pm I don't actually "clean" mine, but I do dust it before each trip. This is just my way of having a look at things to see if there are any leaks or anything odd about the engine. Some dust in the engine bay is actually good.... can see tracks of critters that have been looking around for a place to do damage. But I have never really cleaned the engine with degreaser and water. Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #2 – September 17, 2011, 01:46:26 pm George,When my service people cleaned engines they used to blast away with a big pressure washer. Worked great. Then man discovered electronics!Cummings recommend steam cleaning in my manual. The thing you need to remember is to keep the water and cleaning solution out of the alternator, intakes, breathers and any unsealed components, seal them with tape. Use a non corrosive chemical if needs be, simple green diluted is good so is Dawn dish soap, rinse well. This prevents corrosion on terminals in the connection boxes etc. Corrosion problems by their nature are a pain to diagnose as they show up months and years later. DO NOT use a high pressure spray unless you know what you are doing.DO NOT wash a hot engine. I spot clean any oily areas first with degreaser and then just wash the rest with detergent and a hose. Engines might look indestructible it's all the bits on them that will cause you problems.Keith Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #3 – September 17, 2011, 03:10:27 pm Don't pressure wash your engine while it's running. Hey, not kidding. A lot of people do it. If using a pressure washer, follow above posts and don't use the straight stream if wand has it. Pressure washers can also peel the clear coat off paint jobs and Foretravel decals especially older decals. Engine compartment insulation does not like them either. Know the difference between the homeowner 1300 psi washer and the wash bay 3000 psi plus washers. Pressure washers on the old Cadillac and Olds diesels could cause the injection pump shaft to seize and break when restarting. Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #4 – October 01, 2011, 09:03:42 pm IMHO, best thing you can do is keep the water out of your engine compartment and life will be good Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #5 – October 03, 2011, 11:23:35 am Saw a DP up north that tried to put his boat in at a fairly steep boat ramp. Ended up washing his engine with lake water. Take note: Class A DPs do not float, even with the four big tires on the rear. Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #6 – October 03, 2011, 12:00:45 pm Quote from: nitehawk – October 03, 2011, 11:23:35 amSaw a DP up north that tried to put his boat in at a fairly steep boat ramp. Ended up washing his engine with lake water. Take note: Class A DPs do not float, even with the four big tires on the rear.D'oh!!! MOST class A DPs do not float. RV Today Archive- The Terra WindThat's interesting. There are enough challenges and enjoyment for me with the combination of house and highway vehicle. I don't need to add a marine vehicle to the mix! Quote Selected
Re: Keeping your engine clean Reply #7 – October 03, 2011, 09:49:14 pm Very carefully and keep water away from any electrical componets. I usually use a squirt bottle with a degreaser mixed with water and start from the top and work down. Takes a while but good when done. Quote Selected
Topic: Keeping your engine clean