What should I cover under the hood before pressure washing?
I am going to completely cover the distributor / spark plug wires, but is there anything else that I should cover before I spray things down?
The alternator, and don’t spray the starter either. If it is an older vehicle, take it easy on the wires. The insulation can get brittle with age, and you don’t want to have to rewire everything!
The alternator, and don’t spray the starter either. If it is an older vehicle, take it easy on the wires. The insulation can get brittle with age, and you don’t want to have to rewire everything!
References :
ASE mechanic…
Yes cover,- or plug air intake to engine! You don’t want it to get water in it,- as it may make hard to clear out to run (or if extreme enough give you "hydrolock" if it gets down in one or more cylinders (water doesn’t compress)!
If you have the engine "warmed up" before you "wash",– the heat from engine will evaporate and dry out water quicker (in essential places)!
As for ignition , I woud only worry about the distributer, as the wires themselves will dry out quickly, (if now clean)! Engine may miss a little when first started, but as long as it runs, it will "clear out" very rapidly as water "blows" away, – and drys out around sparkplugs etc! If water should get in distributer, remove cap and turn with inside pointing up, — (if engine was heated up)- distributer will dry out, and cap will dry out fairly rapidly! if it continues to "miss",– when engine warmed up a little do same thing again, — you now have more heat coming up through distributer "frame and bowl" to evaporate water out,– (could wipe out cap with paper towel) to speed up drying there too!
PS don’t forget to pull "plug" or cover off intake system!
References :
old mechainc
I wouldn’t recommend doing it while the engine is too hot, or you could crack an exhaust manifold.
Cover Alternator, and Distributor Cap if you have one. Don’t worry about plug wires or coil packs if so equipped.
Watch out that you don’t shoot up Air Filter intake, but shouldn’t be necessary to cover it, if it’s all intact.
Also, stay away from directly spraying Power Distribution Center if so equipped, and take it easy on other wiring and fluid-fill points.
Push the car out of the wash bay if possible, to let it dry a little first, or if it home, leave outside for a little while. Leave the hood open, facing the sun if possible.
References :
ASE Certified Tech