ENGINE COMPARTMENT

[daniel cauchon]

OK I want to see some pics of engine compartment ! mind is always very clean ! I see some pretty neat clean Ex on the outside but some guys spend too much time on the body not enough on the engine compartment ! so come on now show me some...

 

[Howard]

Ok here is mine.

More on my site check sig

 

[daniel cauchon]

yaeh not too bad but mine is better !! ahahaha! but I cant post my pic !!

 

[pagz]

I heard that if you wash your engine too often and spray all that stuff to make it shiny, it can cause a lot of the rubber pieces to crack...is that true?

 

[Howard]

Ok dan e-mail me the pic and I'll post it for you. He says as he lays down the gauntlet

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by pagz
I heard that if you wash your engine too often and spray all that stuff to make it shiny, it can cause a lot of the rubber pieces to crack...is that true?

How often is too often?

I think that the primary reason that the rubber pieces crack is because of age and exposure to heat and sunlight.

Heat is a problem because it causes the plasticizers (chemicals that make the rubber soft) to be driven out faster than when cool. The heat accelerates the normal aging process. This is probably the major problem under the hood (especially in Sacramento) .

Sunlight is a problem because the UV energy from sunlight will break down the bonds in rubber and plastic pieces over time. UV also accelerates the aging process. Not the main problem for underhood pieces though.

If you have a dirty, greasy engine, it will tend to run hotter and so may cause the rubber pieces to age faster. Because of this, I think that you should try to keep the engine relatively clean, but try to avoid using any harsh chemicals that may attack the rubber and plastic pieces. You can't completely avoid the aging process of the rubber pieces, but you may be able to slow it down by keeping the engine clean.

 

[Texan01]

Not to mention a clean engine is so much easier to work on. don't have to spend as much time cleaning up hands, tools, work area, interior.

Mine's just dusty at the moment, haven't cleaned it in about 6 months. Course the whole car needs a good bath, drove it to Austin and back last night in the rain so it's now a uniform shade of grey instead of red.

 

[BigDave]

I still have dirt from the badlands in my engine compartment...(I haven't been there for two years) ...

I'm about due to take the pressure washer to it the next time I wash it.

Dave

 

[Robert]

Hey Howard ...

Your A/C crap is on the wrong side

 

[Crankcase]

This shot was quite awhile ago, but it is usually still that dirty under there anyways LOL

 

[Howard]

Robert
It's on the right side for me as it's Right Hand Drive. So they had to move quite a lot of things around to move the brakes to the right side. It makes reading the haynes manual interesting as things are not where they say including the coil pack,power distribution box and various other not so obvious bits. Hunt the part (good game).

 

[section525]

I think mine takes the cake for being most easily accessable!

 

[Crankcase]

Hey Section 525, leave the fenders and clip off, and make the first ever Explorer Roadster!...

 

[DarkFox1]

hey is that a 5.0 w/o the body in the way? got any more pics of that? I'd love to see em, it'd be good for research.

as far as the engine bay.. my truck is driven daily, I could care less what the inside of the bay LOOKS like.. so long as its safe and not bad for the engine. I dont/have never cleaned my engine bay because of the electrical components therein, and do not feel that it is worth the severley expensive risk of killing the most important electronics in my vehicle, just so you can feel better about my engine

given.. it is a pain to work on when its dirty.. but at least it isn't sparking or throwing codes because of cleaners and moisture inside the electronics

 

[daniel cauchon]

ok yo guys I never preesur wash it just clean up every part that I can reach.. thank s to Howard I will be able to show it to you soon.

 

[daniel cauchon]

Hey crankcase you could do better then that !! ahaha!clean this poor baby !

 

[Howard]

Ok Dan waiting for the pics

 

[daniel cauchon]

Howard send me a email at dcauchon@mobility.com I will reply with the pics.. thank`s

 

[DarkFox1]

whats with your engine bay fetsih? it seems to me you started this post to tell everyone how much better your car is than theirs...

 

[daniel cauchon]

no no just curious !! you have something to hide Darkbox !!! ahahah!