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      04-15-2013, 10:04 AM   #1
sylonien
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Cool Clean Engine Bay - smoke after spraying with water??

Hello people,

I have always been super scared in cleaning my engine bay area. I just wiped it with water with my 3 year old 335i and thats it and left some grime around.

Anyway now that I've got my M3, the engine bay looks quite a bit more filthy so I finally got a autoglym engine cleaner, sprayed all over and brushed it and rinsed it with water, not from a power jet. Just gentle spray water from the main hose (but diffused).

Anyway all clean and all seems good the first time.

Did it again recently cause there was still some crap around.

HOWEVER, there was some fizzing, buzzing sound coming from the left front hand side and some smokes was coming up! Absolutely kacked myself, but luckily it stopped after a while and the buzzing sound went away.

I've searched and searched the forum before I went ahead and everyone seem to say its okay to rinse with water but that was a scary experience man.
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      04-15-2013, 11:43 AM   #2
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just wrap all electrical connectors with cling film and you should be fine .

Last edited by hugehead; 04-15-2013 at 04:22 PM..
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      04-15-2013, 12:10 PM   #3
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Quite a lot of connectors everywhere though and places that I can't get to or see. But that's the thing, some say its absolutely fine and yet I had this weird experience.
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      04-17-2013, 03:34 PM   #4
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I use the pressure washer on mine with no problems at all. Any 'smoke' is usually just because its hot and the water condensates (unless it was actual smoke, then I dont know what that would be)
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      04-17-2013, 08:04 PM   #5
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I will probably try it again sometime or next time I wash it and I'm going to film it!
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      04-19-2013, 02:12 AM   #6
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I have washed mine with a power washer numerous times. The condensation (smoke) is fine. My belt was really squeaky one time because it was wet, it went away after a few minutes. That is just the water evaporating into the air due to the engine heat. The engine is constantly in the enviroments, using a pressure washer on it is fine.

Here are some tips for you:

*Engine cool

*Cover the fuse box (if you feel its necessary) I don't

*Cover the intake (I just avoid it) A little water can get in there because there is a drain at the bottom before the intake portion.

*Spray the crap out of her! I spray everywhere!!!! You can spray a cleaner on prior to it for assistants.

*Let the car sit for 10 minutes or so after spraying to dry some of the water with the remaining engine heat.

*Let the engine run (idle) for 10 minutes or so to dry off the reamining water.

*I drive her very calm for a few hours to just make sure everything is gone.

This should get you cleaned up.
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      04-19-2013, 05:31 AM   #7
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Thank you STi_traitor!

I feel a bit more comfortable doing it again after what happened last time.

I will try and film it though in case anything like that happens again and you guys can see what happens.
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      05-06-2013, 01:42 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by STi_traitor View Post
I have washed mine with a power washer numerous times. The condensation (smoke) is fine. My belt was really squeaky one time because it was wet, it went away after a few minutes. That is just the water evaporating into the air due to the engine heat. The engine is constantly in the enviroments, using a pressure washer on it is fine.

Here are some tips for you:

*Engine cool

*Cover the fuse box (if you feel its necessary) I don't

*Cover the intake (I just avoid it) A little water can get in there because there is a drain at the bottom before the intake portion.

*Spray the crap out of her! I spray everywhere!!!! You can spray a cleaner on prior to it for assistants.

*Let the car sit for 10 minutes or so after spraying to dry some of the water with the remaining engine heat.

*Let the engine run (idle) for 10 minutes or so to dry off the reamining water.

*I drive her very calm for a few hours to just make sure everything is gone.

This should get you cleaned up.
Yup....I do the same thing....I've found that P21s Total Autowash and a boars hair brush does wonders...I make sure the car is pretty cooled off...we're not allowed to wash our cars in the driveways here in Germany so I've gotta take it to a "pay and spray" where the attendants let me bucket wash the car....fortuantely the car wash is only a 3 minute drive from the house...but I still do the engine completly last to let it cool and spray all I need to rinse off all the P21s.
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      05-06-2013, 01:51 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by STi_traitor View Post
I have washed mine with a power washer numerous times. The condensation (smoke) is fine. My belt was really squeaky one time because it was wet, it went away after a few minutes. That is just the water evaporating into the air due to the engine heat. The engine is constantly in the enviroments, using a pressure washer on it is fine.

Here are some tips for you:

*Engine cool

*Cover the fuse box (if you feel its necessary) I don't

*Cover the intake (I just avoid it) A little water can get in there because there is a drain at the bottom before the intake portion.

*Spray the crap out of her! I spray everywhere!!!! You can spray a cleaner on prior to it for assistants.

*Let the car sit for 10 minutes or so after spraying to dry some of the water with the remaining engine heat.

*Let the engine run (idle) for 10 minutes or so to dry off the reamining water.

*I drive her very calm for a few hours to just make sure everything is gone.

This should get you cleaned up.
Good tips. I will wash mine as part of my first very thorough car wash\clay\wax of the M this Friday. Can't wait!
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      05-07-2013, 07:29 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Genro757 View Post
Yup....I do the same thing....I've found that P21s Total Autowash and a boars hair brush does wonders...I make sure the car is pretty cooled off...we're not allowed to wash our cars in the driveways here in Germany so I've gotta take it to a "pay and spray" where the attendants let me bucket wash the car....fortuantely the car wash is only a 3 minute drive from the house...but I still do the engine completly last to let it cool and spray all I need to rinse off all the P21s.
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      05-07-2013, 07:35 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sylonien View Post
Thank you STi_traitor!

I feel a bit more comfortable doing it again after what happened last time.

I will try and film it though in case anything like that happens again and you guys can see what happens.
NP!

Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolDude196 View Post
That'd be good if you filmed it, always wondered how to clean an engine bay properly
There really is no special way to it. If an engine was so sensitive to water then they wouldn't be where they are today. Just avoid heavy spray on the intake portion, the fuse boxes are covered so you can wipe those down then do a light spray on them. I go as far as spraying down my EDC components, heavy spray below the plenum and I have yet to have an issue with my car. The key is allowing it to dry off before heavy driving. You help your car more than anything by spraying the engine bay down. This allows for the hoses and plastics to last longer preventing the dirt from breaking them down.
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      05-07-2013, 10:28 AM   #12
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That's what I thought.
Was scared to do it all this time (the past 3 years).

Done 2 times so far, first time no problem, second time, something was smoking and buzzing. Soon went anyway and nothing seem to have been wrecked by the water.

Car was cold and the weather was like 6C and not sunny so shouldn't be evaporation.

Will take up courage to do it again though!
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      05-07-2013, 03:59 PM   #13
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I did a time lapse shoot/film of washing the car....you can see me spray the P21S at the beginning of the film and around 2:00 you see me spraying down the engine bay.
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