Washing the engine

Tig · Nov 7, 2006

About ten tears ago I came across a recipe for an all natural bug killer. The main ingredients were water, amonia and dish soap. After I was done with the caterpillars on my bushes I sprayed down the Cavalier engine and later hosed it off. I'm not sure if this is too harsh for rubber etc but it works great and I have never had a problem. It worked great on the caterpillars too.

DieselPower · Nov 7, 2006

I'm a engine cleaner to. As a mechanic the last thing I want to work on is a gunked up engine. Another thing to think about is the fire risk with a dirty engine. All that built up petroleum on the engine is a fire waiting to happen and the last thing you want is a carbecue or a tractorbecue. I use Big Red concentrated cleaner mixed in a 1 gallon garden sprayer. Its biodegradeable, does not eat black top, paint or white metals and is safe to use anywhere you can use water.

chipsndust · Nov 7, 2006

Add me to the list of engine cleaners. I spray the whole tractor (including the engine and everything under the hood) with a garden hose before I put it in the shed. The radiator screen always needs cleaning, and like others said, it's much easier to do maintenance if it's kept clean.

KennethBrown · Nov 7, 2006

I'll take it a step further for ya'll. Do you want your engine to shine like it did when new? After washing, and while still wet LIGHTLY mist with ArmorAll. This will make it clean looking. Usually after you wash and dry a motor it has a dusty look to it. The AA will spiff it up.

Jimbrown · Nov 7, 2006

I wash all of my engines. If it can not take a good washing I sure would not want to drive it in the rain. I also wash all of the fender wells of my cars and trucks I am always amased at the cars trucks that got 20 lbs of mud in the fender wells.

john_bud · Nov 7, 2006

I use compressed air to blow the dust and debris off the engine and tractor. I don't like to water wash as it takes a long time, uses up a bunch of water and can get into places you really don't want it.

I do wash off the mud, but if just doing loader or field work - air works so much better.

jb