Under-car washing.

[CoopaCoopaCoopa]

Previous owner lived on a dirt road and didn't run a belly pan.. I'm trying to track down a oil leak but the bottom side of the engine is a nightmare of dirt and grime. I'm thinking about taking spray bottle of simple green and set of ramps to get under it with a pressure washer. As far as electronics and sensors go do I really have to worry about much on the bottom side of the engine? How does everyone clean their bays without messing up sensors, coilpacks, etc?

[reb55]

I did the top side of mine about a couple months ago at a local car wash.

I used plastic bags and duct tape on the coil pack and the spark plug wire ends and also plastic bagged the area by the alternator (couldn't get to it without the front end off so just tried to cover area around it). I sprayed everything with gunk engine degreaser and rinsed most areas then used the pressure washer setting on the car wash hose for dirty areas that weren't near any sensors. Just try your best to not hit any sensors but if they get a little wet it's not that bad. After all anything on the bottom of the car would get wet from rain anyways so just watch the alternator coilpack and plug wires IMO

[LeeHech]

You can wash pretty much everyhting under the hood save for shooting water directly into the snorkel- if you look under your car after a drive on a rainy day everything gets wet, even if you have a properly installed plastic belly pan cover. Try to not hit your turbo (or cat) too badly if it is hot from driving either.