engine cleaning

[scott13]

Is it a good practice to hose your engine off when it gets dusty? I don't really feel good about spraying a lot of water in the engine compartment

[hillndale]

Mine is probably the ONLY clean thing on my coach right now (excluding interior) and i usually spray it with the air hose and then wipe down everything i can reach sometimes using a little degreaser spray. it comes pretty clean. Maybe its just me but i don't want to take a chance on getting that big bad beast mad at me where she might do something spiteful after we get way out on the road.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

DO NOT WET THE FIRE ALARM OR FAN CLUTCH ASSEMBLY!


JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I have flushed the exterior of the engine often using a gentle hose spray. But I avoid using powerful sprays and I try to keep the water spray away from the electrical connections, and specifically the DDEC connectors. If I need to use more than water I will use something like Simple Green, with the aircraft type being my choice because it is safe to use on or around aluminum.

I dry the engine as good as I can. If I have stubborn dirt such as you accumulate over time from running in the rain I spray the Simple Green on the engine and loosen the dirt with a 2" or 3" paint brush by brushing lightly. To help reach I just tape a stick on the paintbrush. Then I rinse everything off.

Do not blast the radiator with anything more than a gentle flow. The fins are very fragile. As Jim points out avoid hitting the fire alarm sensors on the ceiling of the engine compartment, but if you do, until they dry out you are going to hear an alarm under your dash up front.

It may not seem so, but the engine gets covered with an amazing amount of crud from the road. Over time especially due to driving in the rain it gets not only dust, but it gets a coating of dried on dirt, oil film, rubber dust and whatever else your drive and tag tires have in the spray they kick up. It is a pain keeping it clean and a bigger pain keeping it bright and shiny, but the benefit is if you develop any leaks of oil or coolant or fuel you will see them and be able to find the source a lot easier than if your engine is not cleaned routinely.

[scott13]

Thanks so much for the replies. Sounds like only a garden hose if any water at all. The only leaks I see are the head which the previous owner said has always leaked and the alternator seems to have a leak in the front. If it sits a week it has a spot about two inches in diameter under it. I bought it in Dec. and just got it home to Iowa three weeks ago so I haven't had much time with it.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Depending on how pesky the alternator leak is you will likely find there is a kit available to replace the seal. The alternator is lubed with oil from the engine. I'm assuming the alternator is the Delco 50DN.

http://www.elreg.com/category/83.aspx

[truk4u]

Scott,

Add a signature line so we know what bus you have and that will help as maintenance questions come up.