Recovery - Cleaning my Car Engine?!

mizshan · Post by **mizshan** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:22 pm

OK, I'm replenished in so many ways after Burning Man, and my body has recovered....but my car has not!! Being an urban sort who only drives her car occasionally, I've just left it sitting all dusty, but I guess I'm gonna finally have to clean it.

My question is this: How important is it to clean my engine to prevent damage to gaskets, etc. from the dust? Does anyone actually do this? Can I do it easily myself (and if so how) or do I really have to pay 50-100 smackers for a pro?

Now we're talking about a $1000 car from '92 with 136K miles....on one hand, that's all the more reason not to push it over the edge into oblivion! But on the other hand, 10% of the car's value just to clean the engine (not to speak of the outside & inside) seems kinda steep.

Still, if you know a B Man friendly car wash in or near SF, let me know also....

shanona

PS The only wisdom I found searching the site was this rather general item from the Gazette '01:
"Clean your car as soon as you can. Some people recommend power-washing your engine. Playa dust is invasive, so it gets inside engine compartments and upholstery as easily as closed tents and body cavities. Like any alkaline dust, it is corrosive,attacking seals, gaskets, and finishes.".

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 5:17 pm

Take it to a service station and have the engine compartment blown out with compressed air. Same with any heater/AC air inlets. After the dust settles, replace the air filter. I don't care what it looks like, take it out and throw it away and put in a new one. Change the engine oil and filter. Take it to a local drive-through car-rinse and you should be about as okay as you need to get for a $1000 car.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 5:19 pm

Change

all

of

your

filters.

NOW.