Do any of you routinely keep the Ole Cummins engine washed clean? I don't mean a pressure washer. I'm talking about a little mild soap and rinsed with a garden hose. Too keep the bugs, dust, etc washed off the engine. I just want to keep it looking new under the hood.

I called the Cummins tech line (18003437357), couple dealers and a few clean up shops. They all said that it would not hurt it for the most part... Most of them said to not spray the PCM, injection pump, alternator directly. The Cummins guy said that all the eletrical connections are water proof.....?

 

I do keep mine very clean, but I never pressure wash it. Mine doesn't get that dirty, so I usually just wipe it down. On the bottom, I go over it with a rag and WD-40. This seems to work well. Up top I do the same, but hose and fan shroud and all other plastic parts get wiped clean and then a dose of armor all or something comparable. They take very little time once they are well cleaned, mainly dust and a little oil film. The WD-40 works very well on the axles, transmission,skid plates it cleans and sort of protects. Also taking the time to wash and clean the under side of the hoods painted areas looks nice.
The power washing thing is a little to much for me, there are just to many items that should not been blasted with water, under the hood. The PCM,4Wheel ABS controller,alternator,starter,various replays,ect are all water sensitive and very expensive to replace. I think the elbow grease method is much safer and does a better job. On a few gassers we have, once a year or so after the winter weather has moved on, I will use GUNK engine cleaner and rise it off with water. But it is all low pressure,and selective in it's placement. This get them in great shape so that just a little final wiping is needed.

 

I wash mine on occasion (on the rare occasion that I wash the truck that is). I usually just open the hood and give it a good once over to knock the dust off. Every once in a while I'll take that round cap on top off (the one that says "710") and shoot some water down in there to clean that out. Usually blows a lot of black junk out. I don't know what's in there, but I figure if I'm blowing that black junk out then I must be doing something good.

 

Hoss....Are you blonde? and female? LOL, Mike

 

What do you mean? Is it bad to wash the engine?

 

I use Orange clean, or Simple Green, and a brush. Then wash it off with a garden hose. Since I live and work on dirt roads it never stays clean long....

 

so whats the 710 thing hoss, ?

 

Oil

 

OIL/71O Upside down...An old dumb blonde joke...Sorry Hoss, not that old.

 

I use Simple Green, and some elbow grease. Works wonders.

 

You guys do it the hard way

Every time I was it at the self serve car was I open the hood and letter have it with the high pressure soap, does a great jod. I have always done all of my vehicles this way and they stay looking nice and new under the hood and never a problem.

 

710... That's cute!

I've always been told never to wash a mechanical fuel injector pump when it's hot. I don't know if there is anything to it, but I hose mine off when it's cold.

If you do it a couple of times a year with a garden hose and simple green, there won't be any reason to use a pressure washer. I do hit the battery clamps with the wax setting if I use a pressure car wash, however.

In addition to looking better, I feel keeping the engine clean makes it easier to see if you have a leak, and if you have to take something apart, there is less chance of getting grit/grime in the engine.

 

Yeah...Hoss is a funny guy! I thought he was serious the first time through...I thought, what the...this guy must be nuts! Or a blond chick

Anyway, bout once a year or so, I'll grab a couple cans of Wally World SuperTech foam engine cleaner ($0.78/can), spray the engine and compartment down while the engine is cold (at least no more than slightly warm). After it sits for 10 or 15 minutes, I'll hose it off real good (using a nozzle for a little more pressure)...works great.

 

Serious about what??