[rescue] Workers of the World, Unite!

[Tim H.]

On Mon, 22 Jul 2002 13:22:17 +0000 (GMT)
Kris Kirby <kris at catonic.net> wrote:

> Not trying to brag, but if my car has had another one, it was probably
> in warranty. The one we took off was manufactured by Hitachi. It died
> because the alternator got hit with water.

That's a litle surprising, since when I wash my car (every 2 years if I
feel like it) I open the hood and hose down everything with the car wash
high pressure hose.  The only thing I avoid is the distributor,
everything else gets clean. I have never had any problems with
alternators doing this. In fact, there isn't much in an engine
compartment that you can hurt with water, the important seals that you
could blow high pressure water through are all under pulleys/covers, and
all the susceptible electonic components are on the other side of the
firewall.  The worst symptom I ever got hosing down an engine was
squeaky belts until they dried off. 

Actually, even water down the intake won't hurt the engine, as long as
it doesn't get to sit there. I used to work with a guy who prepped his
boat for winter by winding it up and dumping a big glass of cold water
down the carb.  Then he pulled the plugs, top oiled the cylinders, and
changed the oil.  He claimed it cleaned carbon off the piston/cylinder
head.  I thought he was nuts, but it didn't seem to hurt the engine any.

Tim