How to clean up a gooey gross diesel engine

[JohnDeereJoey]

On my Dodge 5.9L diesel I will try hot water with
Dawn dish soap and a toilet bowl brush. If this
don't work I will try my pressure washer but I don't
have any hot water for it. I can let the sun hear the
water in the hose it gets so hot it will burn you.

willy

Hot water/Dawn/brush/garden hose rinse might do the trick. Slow.

Garden hose in the sun will not yield much volume.

Consider feeding the garden hose and/or pressure washer with your domestic hot water. No where as hot as a hot water pressure washer, but better than cold!

 

[RalphVa]

Do not use a pressure washer on an engine. No gasket surface can stand up to 1500-3000 psi.

 

[5030]

Do not use a pressure washer on an engine. No gasket surface can stand up to 1500-3000 psi.

Unless you use the low pressure wide fan nozzle, which is what I use. Been doing that for years with no issue.

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

Do not use a pressure washer on an engine. No gasket surface can stand up to 1500-3000 psi.

Many engines have been successfully pressure washed. With a little care, it is a viable way to clean.

Consider shielding or avoiding certain parts (alternator, radiator, carburetor if so equipped..,) from high pressure water. Use wide angle tips as 5030 mentioned. Turn down the pressure. (If pressure washer doesn't have that ability, use a nozzle chart and select a larger orifice.)

 

[rangerfredbob]

By pressure washer I mean my harbor freight $80 special electric unit, use it with care and it should be fine, won't be going after things full on with a needle tip (I do have the tip adapter) but yeah, not the average dumb guy just going willy nilly, care will be taken...

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My pressure washer I connect to garage hot water heater. Spray engine cleaner and the simple green and the purple on and let it "work" for 10 minutes. Then hot pressure wash.

 

[DK35vince]

Do not use a pressure washer on an engine. No gasket surface can stand up to 1500-3000 psi.

I've been pressure washing engines for decades. (My tractor and mowers, SxS. Also engines on company equipment I operate or maintain, tractor trailer engine, skid loaders, asphalt pavers, road chippers , Etc)
Never an issue

 

[5030]

Northern Hydraulics sells a dandy, diesel fired, add on hot water / wet steam heater than you can add to any cold water pressure washer. It's not a cheap date but it works well. Know someone that has one (not me) and it's hard to beat hot water or wet steam washdown.

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

...it's hard to beat hot water ...

Totally agree, hot water is WAY better than cold water on grease, oil...

It also seems to work well rinsing off car shampoo. Just don't run it too hot because it tends to remove car wax!

 

[rangerfredbob]

Stopped at the auto parts store tonight and picked up a gallon of Simple Green and Super Clean just to try both... probably try the super clean first... I don't remember if I have anything going on this weekend so maybe I'll work on cleaning it up, might go for a quick drive to get it a little warm first (and let it cool some to be nice to the turbo)