Engine washes. Good, bad, ugly?

Spent more than my fair share of time in the wash bay washing everything from D10 dozers, loaders, excavators, trucks, forklifts etc and never had any issues caused by it. As long as you use a little common sense when washing there's no issue.

Personally I'd rather see a nice, clean engine, makes it easier to spot leaks when you get it up to tempetature. With a filthy engine you can't tell what's a leak, what's spilled oil and what's leftover from a repair a few days prior.

 

I never let the Truck washes do it. They will spray to much on the electronics and not care at all. Got the truck washed at a mom and pop place a few days ago and they washed some of the steering box and made my Power steering have a fault. Had to get the water out of it and it worked fine.

I will wash it myself or it does not get washed. All low pressure and keep away from the electronics.

 

I’ve always washed mine. Never had a problem. Especially if road salt or the chloride crap they use now is on everything. That stuff corrodes stainless steel.

 

Wash it all the time. Either BB or myself.

On the rare occasion the lights come on. They usually go off after things dry out. And that don't take long with a hot motor.

BB actually rescued a problem I once I had.

Imagine spending a few thousand dollars at various shops. Then getting the truck washed and it won't start. Boy finds problem. Tapes it up and problem is solved. And it didn't cost a darn penny.

 

A overzealous truck washer at a streaking beacon cracked a sight glass on a trailer hub and didn't want to fix it.
That's fine.
I ain't moving and you can deal with all the irate drivers behind me.
I was rolling in 15 minutes.

 

I carry a spare one of those in the cold, if you even look at them funny they will crack

 

It’s a hit or miss type of thing when my old man owned his truck he hasn’t washed the engine over the course of owning it, I have an old school rig I don’t plan on washing the engine cause I don’t wanna get any water in places where it isn’t suppose to be and tear stuff up.

Recently watched a guy get his 12.7 Detroit washed and messed up his ecm and throwing money into things that weren’t causing his problem. I wash my own equipment I never took to someone to get an job that I can do myself, if I ever were to clean my engine I’ll get a cleaning jug and do it by hand in my opinion.

 

Mine gets washed every week just so I can keep an eye on the hoses and everything else