No Engine Degrease on Coin-Self-Car Wash Stations

[MAD King]

Can any one please tell me why I can not degrease or clean my engine on coin operated self-car wash stations here in Florida? No matter what coin station I drive, they have signs on it saying "No Engine Degrease" and I do not like to clean my car outsite those stations because it is really bad for the environment.

Thx

[MagicRat]

My guess is that the oil/grease runoff from the wash is harmful for the environment, too. Even if the car-wash waste water is treated by the municipal sewer treatment plant, petroleum products can still pollute the rivers and ocean.

[MAD King]

You think the coin operated self car wash systems are only there to make money? They are not drain the wash water like in Europe but going direct into the sewer?

[MagicRat]

Car wash systems are supposed to drain water into the sewer systems, but even a modern sewer treatment plant cannot remove or neutralise petroleum products entirely. They still will pollute to some degree.

[MAD King]

But where can I clean my engine then?

[serge_saati]

Originally Posted by MAD King

But where can I clean my engine then?

Don't do it. If you degrease your engine, it'll rust faster and don't last as long.
Grease protects engine against rust and don't affect performance/consumption.

[MAD King]

Really? Why do they write all over the internet you should clean and degrease the engine

[serge_saati]

Originally Posted by MAD King

Really? Why do they write all over the internet you should clean and degrease the engine

To improve the look. Not to improve quality. Grease and dirt don't enter in the engine.

Actually, I put grease on my engine, trans, pumps... and it's called "rust treatment".

[MAD King]

OK so I leave it like it is.

[akboss]

This is an interesting thread, just joined in and glad to learn this as well. It's kind of a gross comparison, but it's the same reason we have earwax - it's there to protect your ear canals. However, unlike an engine, you should probably keep that cleaned up once in a while

One thing I wish they did have here in Canada is air dryers at the wash stations for winter washing. The coin-ops are a great place to clean off the salt after a week's worth of driving, but on a cold January day the water freezes and jams everything up. If they had like a leaf blower on an arm, it'd be great.

[MAD King]

Originally Posted by akboss

It's kind of a gross comparison, but it's the same reason we have earwax - it's there to protect your ear canals. However, unlike an engine, you should probably keep that cleaned up once in a while

I do.

[Jim D.]

They don't want you to make a mess -- it's simple. Plus it probably gunks up their filters.

[MAD King]

Originally Posted by Jim D.

They don't want you to make a mess -- it's simple. Plus it probably gunks up their filters.

OK. That is a goo explanation. So they do want make money but with no service. lol

[Jngrbrdman]

Originally Posted by serge_saati

Don't do it. If you degrease your engine, it'll rust faster and don't last as long.
Grease protects engine against rust and don't affect performance/consumption.

Are you serious? I found this thread while googleing something else for someone. This is probably one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. If a dirty engine was good for your car, then engines would arrive at the dealership covered in it. Cleaning your engine is not going to make it rust out. If water were bad for it then it would be in a waterproof sealed compartment and wouldn't ever get dirty anyway. The fact is that all that grease and crap is insulating the engine and causing it to run hotter which is far worse than anything you are going to do by cleaning it off. In fact, if you think water is going to make the engine fall out of the car, what do you think all the slush filled with salt when you drive around in the winter is going to do to it? Cleaning the engine is more than just something you do for appearance. If you think water will corrode your engine, just wait till you see what the crap the road puts on it will do. Not cleaning it because the dirt is good for it is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard...

[serge_saati]

Originally Posted by Jngrbrdman

Are you serious? I found this thread while googleing something else for someone. This is probably one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. If a dirty engine was good for your car, then engines would arrive at the dealership covered in it. Cleaning your engine is not going to make it rust out. If water were bad for it then it would be in a waterproof sealed compartment and wouldn't ever get dirty anyway. The fact is that all that grease and crap is insulating the engine and causing it to run hotter which is far worse than anything you are going to do by cleaning it off. In fact, if you think water is going to make the engine fall out of the car, what do you think all the slush filled with salt when you drive around in the winter is going to do to it? Cleaning the engine is more than just something you do for appearance. If you think water will corrode your engine, just wait till you see what the crap the road puts on it will do. Not cleaning it because the dirt is good for it is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard...

Hahaha ok ok, there's a misunderstood here. My explanation wasn't accurate and was bad, I assume it. Let's make it clear:

1st, I live in a wet area (>110% humidity) in damn Canada, so my engine's accessory parts (pumps, pulleys, alternator cat converter..) rust very fast if they're clean. This may not apply to Florida.

2nd, I don't mean that I want dirty crap all around my engine but grease at most steel engine parts like pumps, oil pan, A/C and coolant hose,

3rd, I never expected that my engine will fall apart while cruising in the highway at 70 mph if I don't put grease .

I just expected that my pulleys, pumps, hoses, oil pan will break and need to be replaced. Furthermore, rust under hood disgusts me. Grease don't . Actually grease is attractive on mechanics parts, it makes me feel that my car is better quality and will last longer. Dry and clean parts make me feel that my car will fail soon.

4th, you're right about cleaning salt with water. But I personally prefer to flush underneath with oil to remove salt then protect against humidity. Under hood, I just put grease or oil at some place that will not harm (not alternator, gaskets, intake manifold...) and I don't do it each year, only if it dry up or to remove salt with a WD-40 sprayer.

5th, I agree that engine will run hotter, it's why I don't want grease at intake manifold and engine block cause head and intake manifold can break and engine will run hot. And smell burnt grease. I put only at cool parts. Especially at bolt. I hate more than hell when a bolt became rusty and I cannot remove that damn bolt!

6th, when there's a snow storm, sometime snow trucks remove the salty snow away and salty snow goes inside the engine compartment trying to rust my engine, it's when grease protect it.

My cutlass Supreme 95 engine compartment was mostly covered with grease and had never been rusted. I'm happy of that!