Washing tractor engine yes/no

[crashz]

I've been cleaning my tractor after every job. Blow off with leaf blower then wash with soap and garden hose. Its still new, so it doesn't leak, but there is a fair amount of mud, chaff and bugs that get strewn around the engine compartment. One area of note is the "spray area" on the underside of the hood. It was matted with bugs!

I'm a wash everything guy and never had a problem.

 

[DieselBound]

I suppose I'm jealous of those that have the time to hose stuff down after every use. I've got so much stuff to do, and so much equipment, that I'd never have time to sleep (or eat). Not a single engine issue (or anything under the hood) with any of my equipment. But, I've only got a combined 1,400 hrs on my tractors, so I'm a bit of a newbie compared to a lot of folks.

Time is money. Everything is a trade-off. Individual assessment and choice is a good thing!:thumbsup:

 

[Ritothebull]

I suppose I'm jealous of those that have the time to hose stuff down after every use. I've got so much stuff to do, and so much equipment, that I'd never have time to sleep (or eat). Not a single engine issue (or anything under the hood) with any of my equipment. But, I've only got a combined 1,400 hrs on my tractors, so I'm a bit of a newbie compared to a lot of folks.

Time is money. Everything is a trade-off. Individual assessment and choice is a good thing!:thumbsup:

Well look at it this way, at least your saving alot of water. :dolphin:

 

[clarky711]

I keep saying I need to give mine a good washing, but after three years it still hasn稚 happened yet. Maybe this summer. A rag and some degreaser cleans up oily spots (there are tractors in this world that don稚 leak?) and doing your own maintenance you notice things.

 

[PILOON]

You might appreciate a bit of oily leakage.

I once owned a Chevy who's engine was so clean that corrosion from the salty roads rotted out the oil pan from the outside.
I discovered that when one day I noticed a huge oil stain in my parking spot at work.

The combination of much winter salt and gravel blasted oil pan from dirt roads done did her in.
______________________________________________________________________________________

Now if U want real squeaky clean, try using oven cleaner in a spray can, that will clean down to bare metal!

 

[DieselBound]

Well look at it this way, at least your saving alot of water. :dolphin:

At over 60" of annual rainfall here I can tell you that I have no shortage of water. This is one reason why I don't spend much time washing things- I don't have a lot of dry days (hours) to work with: the days/hours I have are used to their max.

 

[skipmarcy]

What do people think an engine gets when driving 70 - 80 mph down the interstate in a driving rainstorm ? Or even at lower speeds with the radiator fan(s) sucking rain right thru straight at the engine for sometimes hours & hours at a time ? Most altenators get a solid drowning during all of this, as well as all those electrical switches & sensors. They were all designed to operate in these conditions (although some better than others !).

I still don't direct a washer or hose at my altenator etc. when washing an engine compartment but I'm not afraid to get them wet. A tractor is very similar to an automobile or truck in design & construction so I feel the same issues apply to them. Most gas stations used to have steam cleaning services when I was young, only had to worry about getting the distributor wet inside and an air blowgun would usually fix that real quick.

 

[Ford850]

At over 60" of annual rainfall here I can tell you that I have no shortage of water. This is one reason why I don't spend much time washing things- I don't have a lot of dry days (hours) to work with: the days/hours I have are used to their max.

You should start a thread titled "Drying tractor engine yes/no".

 

[DieselBound]

What do people think an engine gets when driving 70 - 80 mph down the interstate in a driving rainstorm ? Or even at lower speeds with the radiator fan(s) sucking rain right thru straight at the engine for sometimes hours & hours at a time ? Most altenators get a solid drowning during all of this, as well as all those electrical switches & sensors. They were all designed to operate in these conditions (although some better than others !).

I still don't direct a washer or hose at my altenator etc. when washing an engine compartment but I'm not afraid to get them wet. A tractor is very similar to an automobile or truck in design & construction so I feel the same issues apply to them. Most gas stations used to have steam cleaning services when I was young, only had to worry about getting the distributor wet inside and an air blowgun would usually fix that real quick.

Don't know what kind of on-road vehicles you're operating with but mine don't see anything like what you suggest for water incursion into the engine compartment. I'm not exactly operating in a dry climate either. There are no reports of electrical issues from rain incursion in the engine compartment with the cars I have* (MKIV VW TDIs) UNLESS someone submerges them or washes them (car wash or pressure washing).

* IF you still have a splash shield under the car. Folks that ditch their splash shields (lazy mechanics will discard them) expose their alternators to water and road debris/grime.

Alternators on my tractors sit up high and are, up until now (about 1,400 hrs of combined run time), free if any troubles.

I defer to the professionals on this. And my professional equipment rental guy say to now pressure wash: and he doesn't appear to do engine washing either- equipment is pretty much leak free; I will blow off the dust when I'm done.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Use something like a 1500 psi 1 gal/min electric pressure washer. If really greasy, hit grease with pump sprayer and simple green at lunch and just before quitting time and let sit . Pressure wash. Electric leaf blower dry. Let sit over night if you need to work on something.