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Alright I'm sick of this...how do I clean this???

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by tmat, Apr 2, 2010.

  1. Apr 3, 2010 at 5:29 AM
    #21
    Blackshirts

    Blackshirts Well-Known Member

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    Stuff

    That all depends on how far your driving to do it. Like me less then 2 min. The engine wont be hot and wont cook on. Now if driving across town then maybe.

    Everyone has there own way of doing this. Did a search and one thing that was consistant is covering up electric components with plastic bags and rubber bands so go that route just to be on the safe side. If you dont feel safe doing it take it to a car wash place and ask them what they charge. If you do one thing be carefull where you spray the engine cleaner. If you get it on the paint you will have to wax your taco afterwards.
     
  2. Apr 3, 2010 at 5:59 AM
    #22
    luni

    luni Resident Gun-toting Hippie

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  3. Apr 3, 2010 at 8:08 AM
    #23
    TRDKenE

    TRDKenE DAMN GOOD DEAL!!

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    right but water two dislike metals and electricity cause corrosion!
     
  4. Apr 3, 2010 at 8:19 AM
    #24
    08TRDOFFROAD

    08TRDOFFROAD Well-Known Member

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  5. Apr 3, 2010 at 8:39 AM
    #25
    BRP27

    BRP27 When I grow up I want to be just like Me

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    So far south in Texas my feet are in salt water
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    3 in Ultimate ToyTec, set @ 2.5 in. AAL PINCH Weld Mod ( beat the pinch weld over inside the fender) Painted the pinch weld on bottom of cab Black Hi Lift Knock off
    X2 but instead of using a garden hose I use a pump up sprayer ( like used for spraying Bug killer) with water in it. I like to use the pump up because I have had water get into connectors and make electrical stuff stop working. Like Air bag sensors. the pump up is very low pressure. The Simple Green does the work you just need to rinse it off after it does its thing.
     
  6. Apr 3, 2010 at 9:23 AM
    #26
    Project.paradigm

    Project.paradigm Well-Known Member

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    X3 on simple green, great stuff. I don't run the engine until i'm done. I'll use compressed air first, then turn it on. Running it isn't that important and i'd rather not take the chance of shorting something out. I also stay away from spraying the pullies directly with cleaner. If you wash the grease out of the brearings, they get noisy. I also won't spray the alt and brake fluid reservoir directly. Don't want water in the brake fluid. The more often you wash, the easier it is. I usually only rinse the engine every week or two and that keeps it from building up.
     
  7. Apr 3, 2010 at 9:34 AM
    #27
    SC4333

    SC4333 Well-Known Member

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    My buddy here in town in an Adam's dealer so its pretty much all I use. Their Engine Degreaser is great stuff. FWIW if all possible you should always wash your engine pay with low water pressure while the engine is COOL. Running the engine immediately after the wash will cause NO ILL EFFECTS. It is running cool water over a hot engine which can get you into a heap of trouble.

    Washing your engine bay with a power washer on high, low, whatever pressure is completely unnecessary and lazy. Get out your degreaser, wash rag, a good soft bristle brush, and start washing. Rinse periodicity as you go and you'll be good to go. You should pay attention to electrical connections, but you don't have to go all tin foil hat on it. What do you think happens to your engine bay when you drive in the rain?
     
  8. Apr 3, 2010 at 12:12 PM
    #28
    eskamo23

    eskamo23 Well-Known Member

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    this is how i do mine as well. then if ya wnat it shiny and new spray some tire shine on it. meguires hot shot spray works well.
     
  9. Apr 3, 2010 at 12:16 PM
    #29
    Jigzor

    Jigzor Well-Known Member

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    Hose the big stuff and fill a spray bottle with water for the more delicate spots.
     
  10. Jan 23, 2011 at 6:50 AM
    #30
    Fortech

    Fortech Well-Known Member

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    I leave my engine off, and have done so for years. Why spray water on a super hot engine?

    Some spray on cleaner and let it soak for 5 - 10 mins. Spray off with a pressure washer.

    It isn't complicated, but don't spend allot of time spraying in the vicinity of the electronics, alternator, etc.
     
  11. Jan 23, 2011 at 7:24 AM
    #31
    toyotatacomaTRD

    toyotatacomaTRD Senior Member

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    I see this is an old thread, however.. People are actually using pressure washers under the hood? This can create all kinds of problems.

    I typically do not use any Turtle Wax products, but they make an engine cleaner that works amazing. It is called CD-2 engine cleaner.

    The best way to keep your engine clean is to wipe it down every time you wash your vehicle. But if is really bad, use some engine cleaner and don't use a pressure washer!
     
  12. Jan 23, 2011 at 8:04 AM
    #32
    Fortech

    Fortech Well-Known Member

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    A pressure washer is fine as long as the individual using it has half a clue and a little common sense.
     
  13. Aug 23, 2011 at 10:32 AM
    #33
    wanderingwayne

    wanderingwayne Active Member

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    I once cracked an exhaust manifold and I am pretty sure it was from large quantities of cold water splashing onto it when I blasted though a large (1' deep) puddle. Lots of cold water on a hot manifold.

    I have a friend who is a pretty sharp electrician. He said if you have a power tool that gets left out in the rain to long and gets really soaked the worst think you can do is start it up wet because it will short out. If you dry it good first it will usually go on working for you for many years. It's kind of like dropping a cell phone in the toilet. Turn it off and don't power up until it's dry.

    That said, I have never heard of anyone ruining a starter or alternator by getting it to wet except me. I borrowed a friends car and was driving in a flood. I killed the engine and when I tried to restart it with the starter under water the starter went out. The started was already about gone and I think the water just ended it a little quicker than it's already short life expectancy.

    I've never put cold water on a hot engine but I sounds like trouble to me. Sounds like others have done it without problems though. An engine is an expensive part to replace so I'm being careful.
     
  14. Aug 23, 2011 at 10:39 AM
    #34
    colder

    colder Well-Known Member

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    Tell me if I'm being dumb here, but my truck's engine bay is not closed on the underside - so conceivably, water can get anywhere in the engine bay if it's raining. Yet the truck survives.
     
  15. Aug 23, 2011 at 11:00 AM
    #35
    Chris(NJ)

    Chris(NJ) Well-Known Member

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    Right, but the rain from the road usually isnt under the same pressure that the hose (or pressure washer) puts out.
     
  16. Aug 23, 2011 at 11:23 AM
    #36
    Fightnfire

    Fightnfire Recklessly tired

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    Ok, first off stop calling the self wash sprayers "pressure washers." They are ... but that word "pressure washer" means a lot of different things.

    If you take a pressure washer used to clean a driveway or anything a contractor would use and put that in your engine compartment there's a good chance you're going to get water in places you don't want it. The ones at car washers are, for the most part, pretty harmless but still keep them several feet back. In all of the ones around my area I can put my hand in them with no issues ... I would never do that with the ones I grew up using to clean around the house.

    This is what I do:

    1) Buy some engine compartment cleaner
    2) Drive to the car wash place and spray it down with water to get the obvious easy to remove stuff off. Use either the low pressure rinse or normal rinse. Keep it back from the engine 3' plus (I do this from home with my hose, but some people can't so a carwash will work fine)
    3) Spray it down with the engine cleaner, or use the engine cleaner spray from the car wash
    4) Let it sit for 5-10 minutes
    5) Use a very soft brush or mitt to wipe down and work the cleaner into the dirt. Be careful around electrical connections. But on the fenders, engine cover etc. give it hell. I always have 2-3 mitts for washing. One for the body and one for the wheels/tires/engine etc.
    6) Spray it off with the same technique used in step 2.
    7) Repeat if necessary

    If you stay on top of it you'll just need to hose it off when you wash it occasionally using the same soapy water you used on the truck itself.

    Also, forget leaving it running. If you were to get water into something that caused a problem and the truck wouldn't start because of it .... do you really want that water in the engine when it's running?

    In all the years I've been doing it this way I only caused a car to not start once. That was a 1974 Chevy Nova and I got water into the distributor cap. Popped the cap off and dried it with a towel and it started right up. I also sprayed it at full pressure within a foot using my dad's pressure washer... but I was 16 and dumb.
     
  17. Aug 23, 2011 at 2:19 PM
    #37
    06SR5canada

    06SR5canada Well-Known Member

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    ya why leave it running? LOL just avoid the alt. and other major electrical

    i like a garden hose better, less pressure and more accurate
     
  18. Aug 25, 2011 at 8:52 AM
    #38
    wanderingwayne

    wanderingwayne Active Member

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    This is what I read about Simple Green. It is a very good engine cleaner. Don't leave it on bare aluminum for more than 10 min and make sure to get it out of all the cracks and crevices. Use something like Black Magic engine shine after to put a protective coating back on the aluminum.
     
  19. Aug 25, 2011 at 10:00 AM
    #39
    Leer

    Leer Well-Known Member

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    Agree, then cleaner has a better chance of working if the engine is cool otherwise is just evaporate or cook on.

    I just did this last week. I use either Castrol Super Clean or Purple Power they both work waaaaaay better than any engine cleaner when it come to degreasing. Spray it on your cool engine, let it sit for about 5 minutes and use a gentle flow of water from a hose to rinse. No need for too much pressure at all.

    If you have an exposed cone filter, cover it with a plasitc bag, you can do the alterrnator too if you want. I did not cover anything and mines turned out just fine!
     
  20. Aug 25, 2011 at 10:01 AM
    #40
    hookedontronics

    hookedontronics Well-Known Member

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    spray it with a hose, get it all wet and soak it in simple green. let it sit 5 minutes or so and wash it all off. it will look brand new. Very simple and quick
     

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