Can the TDV6 handle a hose down (wash)?

[twr7cx]

Any issues with hosing off my TDV6 with the top plastic cover removed to clean the last 6 years of dust off? Anything particularly worth covering or avoiding?

[Red90]

It would be really sad if it couldn’t.

[Ean Austral]

My understanding is you need to be careful of pressure washing around the ECUs that are on the bulkhead behind the main battery, I have not had any issues washing mine but I just use a hose and not a lot of pressure .

Cheers Ean

[101RRS]

NO dont do it - wipe down only. The ECUs are designed to deflect water from under but not from the top.

If you wash/pressure wash your engine as a minimum you will have major transfer case issues as the ECU behind the battery is not water proof.

You have been warned - all LR forums had threads about neebies (including from me a few years back) washing their engines and suffering the consequenses. It took me a week for my ECU to dry out and it is a pain driving home with your tfr case stuck in low range - the wet ECU not me put it there.

Garry

[loanrangie]

Plenty of posts on the facebook page with tales of woe from people pressure washing the engine bay, normal hose should be fine.

[DiscoMick]

Might be better to spray degreaser on the dirty bits (avoiding the ECU) and then hand wash it with warm water.

[PerthDisco]

My understanding is you need to be careful of pressure washing around the ECUs that are on the bulkhead behind the main battery, I have not had any issues washing mine but I just use a hose and not a lot of pressure .

Cheers Ean

I clean the engine bay as follows;

Pop out headlights and grill for a mega job

1:10 or weaker CT18 mix sprayed by pump bottle lightly over all surfaces in nooks and crannies.

Engine cover left on as with all covers.

Leave to dissolve red dirt for 15 minutes.

With the hose crimped, lightly wash (splash) off CT18 - no pressure whatsoever especially to the back edge of the battery box

Chamois off excess from airbox and engine cover around oil cap.

Engine bay will be spotless. The CT18 wash does the work.

I don’t try and remove dust or wash under engine cover.

[Graeme]

A D4's transfer case ecu is somewhat protected inside the RH box but a D3's TC ecu is unprotected over the back of the battery box.

[justinc]

I don't do it anymore, no need to ask me why...🤬😯😯

[twr7cx]

Ok, glad I asked. It’s only a tad dusty under the cover so a brush off and wipe with a dry cloth will be good enough.

[ATH]

Gawd! I never knew vehicle ownership could be so complicated. I really really should stop buying Land Rovers........[bighmmm] For a minute I thought it was a No No to wash the damn thing with a hose at all until I read on a bit.
Luckily the people I've used for servicing (Aztech4x4) seem to have used a silicone spray over the top of the engine/battery cover etc. and the dust doesn't stick much.
How can people think up so many problems to confound the rest of us and make us worry?
AlanH.

[DiscoMick]

Try using a blower on it first. That might remove much of the dust. Or vacuum it.

[fredd63]

One would think that a vehicle such as a land rover would be immune to water, but it is sneaky stuff, and will find its way into electrical connections to provide hours of amusement trying to track the cause of strange problems. Best not to tempt fate.

[loanrangie]

It's not so much as water being an issue but the pressure its delivered at. It can dislodge connectors, force its way into electronic items and seals.

[PerthDisco]

It's not so much as water being an issue but the pressure its delivered at. It can dislodge connectors, force its way into electronic items and seals.

Agree, all problems stem from using high pressure. Big no no.

By using the CT18 mix sprayed on first you don’t need pressure only a dribble of water to wash it off.

I don’t care how dusty it is under the cover so long as engine bay is clean.

[Judo]

It’s funny, as I don’t care how dirty the outside of the engine is, as long as it’s clean on the inside. ;)

[twr7cx]

It’s funny, as I don’t care how dirty the outside of the engine is, as long as it’s clean on the inside. ;)

The vehicle was heading off to have RWC and I have a theory that the better the presentation the less they look past the key mandated areas...

[Bigbjorn]

Like Justinc I learnt not to wash down the engine bay of an all electronic singing and dancing automobile. My Falcon ute was absolutely filthy under the bonnet when I returned from a few thousand k's around Winton and the Channel Country. I did what I had been doing for over 40 years. A spray and brush down with kerosene and then hosed it off. Engine started and ran for a couple of seconds and just stopped. Water in the connector where the module plugs in. Module fritzed. Got one from the parts shop at Galloways Hill for a third what the Ford dealer quoted. Told local repair guy who said never do that. He doesn't wash engine bays on new cars just blows them down with an air nozzle. The electronic bits don't like water.

[PeterJ]

In another life as a manager in the vehicle engineering division in a vehicle manufacuring company (what are they this country now asks) part of my role and responsibility was vehicle durability testing. The vehicles would go out on long daily drives and as part of the testing the technician was required to open the bonnet and pressure wash the engine for 10 minutes. This happened every day for the 3 odd months of the test. It failed if it did not start, and guess what, a 700mm wading depth was never in the vehicle profle.
Seems to me we accept poor design all too readily and are ever ready with excuses for it and the marque. I looked at my car when I first bought it and was appaled at what is known as "piping and wiring" on my D4. Electrical connectors, especially those outside the passenger compartment can be and are designed and manufactured to withstand this type of activity, just not on Discovery's apparantly.[bigsad]

But to answer the OP, I go with the CT18 and low pressure water approach, with covers on, not had any problems so far, may be with my new found insight into how fragile these things seemingly are I may tone it down a bit.

[DiscoMick]

Interesting reflections, thanks for sharing.
I would agree, but use a blower on it before spraying anything wet on it.

[DiscoMick]

Looking at my Puma Defender the engine bay looks pretty good, with only one exposed electrical connector, high on the drivers side. I would think by the time it got wet water would already be in the electricals under the seats.
But Defenders are simple compared with D4s.