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cleaning your underbody

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:17 pm
by Dee
Just wondering what some of you do to clean the underside/engine bay of your vehicles and how often you do it?

I see a few vehicles in 4WD magazines with very clean underbody's (unlike mine).

Im going to get mine up on some chassis stands this weekend and truckwash/degrease, pressure wash and WD40 it all. But I don't know what to do about my engine bay. It is full of mud/dust. I dont want to get water in any electrics etc.

Very soon im going to look at getting my rust proofing re-done too.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:42 pm
by Tiny

tricky

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:34 pm
by known 2
when i clean the landcruisers engine of i use a high presure water blater and some truck degreaser but thast on a deisel just be carefull if u do this cos some degreasers will eat away ur rust proofing on ur firewall if u have any. other than that just don't concentrate on the sensitive bits to much, ie alternater, battery.

tricky

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:35 pm
by known 2
when i clean the landcruisers engine of i use a high presure water blaster and some truck degreaser but thast on a deisel, just be carefull if u do this cos some degreasers will eat away ur rust proofing on ur firewall if u have any. other than that just don't concentrate on the sensitive bits to much, ie alternater, battery.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:35 pm
by Dee
tiny, funny you should post that. I was just looking at their website.

known2, I have a 3.0 turbo diesel patrol. I usually get underneath the engine bay, but am worried about spraying from up top, where all the elecs are. Things like fuse box? alt, battery, etc etc... or should i just not worry about it and hit it with the pressure washer?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:39 pm
by saigo
Throw a lawn sprinkler under your 4by.
Park on top of a fire hydrant (DON'T)(':shock:')

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 5:04 pm
by nicbeer
saigo wrote:Throw a lawn sprinkler under your 4by.
Park on top of a fire hydrant (DON'T)(':shock:')
Done this but used the council sprinklers :lol: - the high pressure ones. works ok but need to drive the 4b in different positions to clean all bits,

cheers

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 6:55 pm
by GUJohnno
I've never had a problem with using the pressure cleaner in the engine bay. I try not to concentrate on areas with lots of electrics, but I'm not overly fussy if they get a bit wet.
Firstly i get most of the dust off. Then use degreaser. Then a strong mix of truck wash on parts that need it. Then sometimes use a tyre foam to bring up the hoses etc.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:46 pm
by Dee
this is why i ask...

Image

And you've yet to see my engine bay :shock:

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:53 pm
by HotFourOk
Hey thats pretty clean man lol... springs look brand new :cool:
wat tyres r u running?? they look chunky as

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:01 pm
by munga
ramps, goggles and a pile of two dollar coins does the trick.

i remember seeing underbody car washes at the coal mines out west, which were pretty cool. half a dozen water pipes with various squirty devices, running side to side under a gridmesh bridge. drive forward, drive back, drive forward again, all clean. not much help to you, but still kinda on topic.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:15 pm
by Dee
2 dollar coins??? :?

actually they have one of those drive thru underbody washers situated up here, as you leave the beach after a weekend camping/fishing/surfing you just pull of the road on the way back and there is a drive through one up there. It uses some sort of oil in the water to provide a coat... But i think the water is recycled :?

anyway, it does nothing to dried up mud/dust/grime stains. Just gets some of the salt and sand off.

shocks and springs are clean because they are fairly new. Tyres are mickey thompson baja claws.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:33 pm
by -Mick-
I climb under the thing on ramps with a hose.... not fun but at least I'm sure those tricky spots that catch sand and mud won't start getting cancer :) Used to use the sprinkler thing but it misses sooooo much

Gotta get dirty if you want a clean car :cool:

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:40 pm
by Dee
im gettin it up on chassis stands and going under there with a full body suit and a sh!t load of truckwash on the weekend :twisted:

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:58 pm
by -Mick-
DEEV8 wrote:im gettin it up on chassis stands and going under there with a full body suit and a sh!t load of truckwash on the weekend :twisted:
then give the missus a big hug. Once they stop yelling its really funny ;)

Get some goggles on btw :cool:

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 10:26 pm
by Sportage
If you need to put it up on stands or ramps to get under it, you aint got a high enuf lift. :lol: :lol: