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Cleaning the Toad Engine, Accessories, and Compartment Area

Yahoo Message Number: 63664
Hi Folks. Our 2002 Chevy Tracker Toad now has around 75,000 RV toad miles and a very dirty engine area.
To those of you who are neat, and clean your toad's engine area . . .
I'd love to hear your cleaning routine and do's/don'ts.

Lee
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Lee Zaborowski

07 Intrigue 12153, Cat C-13

Re: Cleaning the Toad Engine, Accessories, and Compartment Area

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 63666
Spray it down real good with Simple Green, let it soak for 10 min, then hose it off.

Jim

07 Allure #31570

Re: Cleaning the Toad Engine, Accessories, and Compartment Area

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 63668
As an avid off roader, my procedure is something like this on my 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser. It is not recommended as a tow vehicle by the factory, but works just fine, and has for several years.
Be sure that any oil leaks are squelched, as that can make a little mess a big one. Avoid using high pressure washers, as they can force water into places it can do harm, and may not evaporate from, especially around the multitude of electrical connections on a modern engine. You might want to pack any electrical connection with a dielectric grease to help keep water out.
If my engine is REAL dirty and oily, I will spray it good with a foam degreaser like Gunk and leave it for a few hours, then get in there with a moderate sprayer and scrub brush.
My particular engine has deep wells that the spark plugs fit into, and you do not want to get too frisky with water and fill those up. My distributor has (had) an atmospheric vent on it, and I often had to take that apart to dry it out. Vent is now completely sealed, with no ill effects I can see.
I had a MAJOR electrical connector between the engine computer and transmission go bad, and had to replace a couple of corroded pins in a tight place between the firewall and engine bell housing. Not fun. I am sure the damage was caused by high pressure hoses and lack of sealing grease.
I learned to live with a bit of grease on the engine, and do not completely clean everything up any more. At 227,000 miles, I do not want to give it an excuse to have a problem.
Jack Nichols, 2003 Intrigue 11527

Cleaning the Toad Engine, Accessories, and Compartment Area

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 63696
We also have a Tracker (1996 vintage) that we've been using for off-road and dragging around behind us for the past 14-1/2 years of full-timing and periodically I just raise the hood and give the whole engine compartment a good hosing with just plain hose water. That has kept it reasonably clean and the water has never caused a problem. Apparently everything under there must be pretty well sealed.

Steve B

2002 Intrigue

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Lee wrote: "Hi Folks. Our 2002 Chevy Tracker Toad now has around 75,000 RV toad miles and a very dirty engine area.
To those of you who are neat, and clean your toad's engine area . . . I'd love to hear your cleaning routine and do's/don'ts."
 

Re: Cleaning the Toad Engine, Accessories, and Compartment Area

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 63779
Great Tip as I do the same thing with simple green! In the spring I lift up the Bed and Spray the Cummins and all the engine components and after washing down with a low pressure power washer use compressesd dry air to dry. Both Car and rig look like new and love the clean smell too. I Idle the engine's to heat off any water left. Use a shop light and check Hoses, Oil or fuel leaks! BTW on my 12vdc coolant pump I installed a cut off switch and the dash air is colder and with the pump off The heater still works! Just my case with our type of rig. Ken 99 Allure 30356 back in Yuma for the winter.