Thread: Pressure washers

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Does anyone out there have experience using pressure washers to clean really grungy engines? I bought a 1986 Pontiac Bonneville, complete car with a small block 305 and turbo 350 in it for $250. The engine runs well, the car was actually driven to my house from about 40 miles away---no knocks, leaks, or smoke that I could detect. This engine is destined for use in the roadster pickup I am building, and no, I,m not going to tear it down, nor modify it. However, Oh My God, its dirty. This thing is now out of the car, setting on my engine stand, and I am sure it has never been cleaned since 1986. We are talking grime built up 2" thick in some places. I have removed the HEI distributor and carburater, and sprayed the engine with Gunk degreaser, then wrapped the whole thing in (don't laugh) saran wrap, to keep the Gunk from evaporating. I called the local rentall place, and it seems they have 2 sizes of pressure washer, the 1000 PSI model, and the 2500PSI model (which they tell me is used for stripping paint). I have rented the 2500 PSI model for this coming Saturday, and I'm just wondering if there is anything in particuler I should know, other than "don't look down the barrel and pull the trigger". I have removed the alternator, there is currently no wiring harness, and I will probably pull the starter off just to get good accesss to the side of the block. Is this going to work O.K. or am I going to damage something? I plan on putting on a chrome oilpan, valve covers, timing cover,with new gaskets, and repainting the engine to match the body colour. (Chev SSR "slingshot yellow")

2500 #?!?!?! Thankfully they have a regulator on them so you can tone it down some! Also it should come with a selection of nozzles, you don't want the finest or broadest. Experiment with the other one or two. It should also have a siphon attachment so that you can mix detergent with the water stream for extra cleaning ability. Usually a good rental yard sells the detergent too.

Make sure you plug the holes (dist, intake, etc) REAL well, because the high pressure will surely blow out anything you put in that's not secured. Regardless, when you're done, make sure to drain the pan again to let out any water that might get in. Again, after you're done, pull the plugs and rotate the engine to drain the cylinders just in case, then oil them down, turn the crank by hand several times to get the oil on all the cylinder wall surface and into the rings.

Oh, and wear clothes and shoes you don't care about, and don't bother showering before hand.........................the blast back is gonna get ya VERY dirty.

I have a I think it's a 3500 PSI one (biggest ones they make) and even that wouldn't work. I recommend steam cleaning man. A pressure washer will clean it up pretty nicely but not as good as a steam cleaner.

Personally, trying to save cash at most turns, I prefer the hands on approach. Especially seeing you have it on an engine stand allready. I would scratch and chip away at it for a long time removing all the large chunks, then I will wet it all down with a good quality degreaser and scrub away with a good stiff brush, then usually a garden hose with a fairly strong nozzle will remove the rest. This has worked on many an occasion for me to get an engine really clean. You will also find that afterwards the plug you used to block the dizzy port isn't "in" the block backed up with a load of water and some of that 20 year old crap you mentioned. Sometimes the slow cheap way is the best IMHO. Good luck