Hi, new owner, first post.

I picked up an 86 PU, in not to bad shape, mostly needs a good cleaning.
I'll be hanging around here as I do my own repair work (not afraid to get my hands greasy or nails broken when I have to) and I hope to learn as I have never owned a Toyota before. I read these are great trucks.

back to the question...
the engine doesn't leak anywhere BUT the engine compartment is kinda dirty and dusty. I like a clean engine and car, er truck, when I work on it.

I want to CLEAN the whole inside of the hood area.. around the wire harnesses and all the electrical bits and the sheet metal.... mostly dust and dirt.
Will it harm anything to wrap a few things and spray it out at the car wash? or maybe just GENTLY spray it at home with the hose in a fine narrow spray?

or am I best doing it the slow hard way with a rag and a bucket?

it runs really good so I don't want to screw it up.
my other cars i always had a garage clean up the whole works, and just paid them, but hey, I can do this work why pay them?
I don't know how but they always get the whole engine compartment like new...

once I get this detail done, i can move on to the tune up, the oil change and some other tweaks and tunes.

whats the best way to clean it up and not screw up the electronics?

 

Welcome to the forum! You'll find loads of info here and the search option works like a charm.
Check out this recent thread about washing engines... https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/cleaning-washing-engine-62964/

 

Go to car wash and spray the crap out of it. If EFI or carb'd just don't spray directly at the air intake. I usually leave mine running and spray the engine cleaner/degreaser on it let set for a few minutes and spary the crap out of it. If the engine is running it will pretty much dry itself out before the water will hurt it. Just my .02 (Remember engines are steam cleaned all the time by professional car washers) All most forgot Welcome to the Forum and prepare to be broke if you hang around us for very long!

 

this thread was just started today...
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62964

 

Welcome to the forums!

I always wash my engine to keep it clean, the only way the block will crack is if it's hot and you doust it with freezing water. But if you just spray a hot block nothing will happen.

I usually just spray off the dirt from off-roading in my drive-way, start up the engine for 5 minutes to make sure everything is OK and then just let nature do the rest. Whenever it's oily, I spray it with some engine cleaner, high pressure it (be careful around electric components) and then use a steam cleaner (i personally have one of those scuencies) for the tough to reach spots (doorjambs, lift gate, etc.)

Good luck and have fun @ the forums, give us some pics too!

Marko

 

oh I am back in the woods in central PA...
thanks for the welcome!

No pictures yet, I have to go pick them up.
I got a two fer one deal, they had an identical truck in a barn nearby, and it runs! Is that cool or what? If it wasnt for the mice and the rusty rotors, I could drive that home too.

I'll have pictures and questions by the ton.. stay tuned.

thanks for the links!

leave it running and dont shoot the EFI parts.... I'll have to get the courage to try that.

How can you get water up in all those fuses and wires without something shorting out?
there is a box of fuses and relays, I will bag those before I spray.

Steam cleaners.... Ive watched them use those they look like fun.

 

Happy cleaning, and welcome to the best toyota forum on the planet. no place like it, the best info and the best people. have fun and hide your wallet, we can spend your money very quickly!

 

Someone is gonna have fun fixing up a truck .

Just to clarify, don't have the engine running when you spray it, you don't wanna short the alternator or something.

 

Welcome to the forum......Just do not spray into the intake or the elec relay box and you can spary it all day long. ..........................IF IT YOU WANT TO UPGRADE IT AND IT AINT BROKE....DRIVER HARDER.......

 

Do not leave it running! Buy a big bottle of "SimpleGreen" and after you spray the area down the first time let it sit a few minutes and spray everything you can with the Simple Green. If it's really bad you may want to get some engine cleaner like "Engine Bright". After about 5 minutes wash the area again. Start it up and let it dry that way. It may take you a few sessons to get it as clean as you want it but it can be done to a point.The day may come when you will want to paint the inside of the hood and the firewall and fender panels.
To do the inside get a good carpet scrubber that will suck up the dirty water when your done and do all of the seats and mats and over head. Pick a good hot day and it even helps to hook up a large fan and place it on a chair so it can blow through your truck. For the first time cleaning dash and all the plastic just use a mild dish soap and warm water mix with a sponge.After that you can use Armorall and anything like that ,It's your choice. That "Fabreez" really helps the old smell disaper.
Use a tooth brush on the hard to get at cracks and another great helper is to buy a 1" paint brush and then cut the bressels down so they are only about 1/2" long. It's really handy for cleaning out small corners and edges you can't reach with your sponge or cloth. They are also great for getting dried wax out of your emblems and so on after waxing your vehical. Hope this helps and have fun, Mike

 

my last car stunk so bad i couldn't stand it... smoke, and just dirt,
yuck.
I found an upholstery cleaner machine filed with really really hot water, a few teaspoons of clorox and and enough dawn dish soap to make just a wee bit of suds removed all traces of odors.
it smells like clorox for a day but that evaporates. I used the potpourri scented dawn so the nice light smell that was left was at least pleasant.

and that was by far the worst smelling car I have ever come across... owned by a chain smoker who sweat to much.
BLECH!

this truck smells like stale beer.... its getting the hot clorox/dawn treatment.
maybe twice.

ok, turn it off first.. gotcha.
its mostly DUST so simple green and a light spritz most likely will do the trick.

tomorrow I am going to buy myself a present;
a pressure washer.
A friend of mine has one of those cheapo CH ones that are like, 1750? and it just blows the dirt out of everywhere.
I was having so much fun I almost stole it.
lol
thats better than a car wash I can play at home and save my quarters.

oh I picked up the titles today, they are 88s, not 86s.
I dont know if thats better or worse.

 

Yay! 2 years less filth and dirt!

 

I use Simple Green and a pressure washer all the time under the hood. Does a great job. Don't be afraid to use it under the hood. Makes it easier to find problems and work on the engine. After I do that then I spray the engine with tire dressing. Does a great job at keeping it pretty and shedding dirt.

 

thats cool you just bought TWO project trucks...have fun letting everyone spend your $$ x2...You could probably do pretty well if you parted out or sold one of the trucks on this board and used the funds to build up the other...Just an idea

 

Am I to understand correctly that you are a female? If so, I will have to make sure to offer helpful advice more than usual.

 

Nice.

Welcome to Yotatech. lots of friendlies around here.

 

Oh great.

 

"Am I to understand correctly that you are a female? "

you know any men named allyia?

lol

 

Hey, never know these days who’s afraid or not afraid to break a nail.

 

Sounds like you've gotten all the advice that you need...and then some!

All I have to say is Welcome Aboard!

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