best way to protect opti ?

Discussion in 'General Station Wagon Discussions' started by RoadmasterWB4, Jan 6, 2013.

  1. RoadmasterWB4

    RoadmasterWB4 Well-Known Member

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    i'm back form my northern road trip (3800 miles) and working on getting all the salt off my roadmaster. I actually stopped at a car wash in VA after I was thru the slop, but now I'm trying to do a more thorough job in the driveway - I think its aboout 85F here today. I've got a lawn sprinkler running underneath the car, which I move about every 20 minutes.

    My uestion is, when I get to the front, what the best way to protect the opti? Cover with rags? plastic? Or just don't wash around there ?

    Also, anything I could add to the sprinkler stream that would help wash/protect? detergent? wax? ?

    Thanks in advance.

    P.S. My dog did pretty good in the cold until it got down near zero
     

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  2. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    I'd bag it, use zip-ties or electrical tape
     
  3. Fat Tedy

    Fat Tedy Island Red Neck

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    Awesome....:).
    [​IMG]:clap::rofl2::biglaugh:




    I do have a serious question for once......


    Is this Opti that dang sensative, you can't just open the hood and have at it with a garden hose etc? I've allwready ( a few times) took the car wash wand to the engine on my honey's Escape, not to mention ALL of our cars, start engine and drive away and not once have had a thought of.... "if that gets wet". Not being a smart @zz, but what do you do if you come across a big puddle, it's heavy rain..... not drive the car?
     
  4. Eagle Freek

    Eagle Freek Well-Known Member

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    Just take it to the Auto Wash Bowl.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Fat Tedy

    Fat Tedy Island Red Neck

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    That is EPIC!....but by the sound of things, Opti would be stalled dead in the water, in there!:biglaugh:


    Ya have to admit, back in the day you could....... now with modern tech, youd need a tow!
     
  6. jrwscout

    jrwscout New Member

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    I had a couple of Corvettes with Opti-Spark distributor. As long as you don't have the engine running you should be OK. There is a drain hole at the bottom where water can get it but it's got to be a pretty direct and consistent blast of water to kill it. I know this from experience - I was eager to wash my first Vette after buying it in Kentucky and driving home and left the engine running while washing it off. Live and learn.
     
  7. RoadmasterWB4

    RoadmasterWB4 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that info. I would have expected the exact opposite - that it would be better to keep it running while washing.

    As you say, live and learn.

    I finished cleaning up my RM without any problems. Hopefully, I got all the salt out.
     
  8. jrwscout

    jrwscout New Member

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    Yeah, I thought leaving it running was the way to go but apparently the steam gets in there and condensates. Good luck!
     
  9. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

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    I used to put plastic bags over distributors, generator/alternators and anything I was worried about. But lately I've driven in very heavy rains and deep puddles with no ill effects. And the days of washing my engine bay are long gone. Sometimes I have to spend considerable time just searching and remembering where the hood latch is on my truck.
     
  10. marcar1993

    marcar1993 Well-Known Member

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    Well I'm glad to hear your wash went well. I know I have driven through hood deep water with my 95 dakota before, even soaked the computer (NOT advisable) off roading and no problems to report.
     
  11. dennis

    dennis Well-Known Member

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    Lifes good as Cat said if in doubt bag it with plastic works a treat other than that i gess dont drive in salt if you have a choice
     
  12. 81X11

    81X11 Well-Known Member

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    I did a big cleaning under the hood of my '96 Roadmaster soon after buying it. Gunk followed by a garden hose. I then started the car and it ran rough and tripped the Check Engine light. I let it run about 5-mins and it cleared out and the light went off. From then on I was really careful about getting the Opti soaked, but that was at 76K miles and the car now has 130K with the same Opti still working fine.

    -Mike
     
  13. HandyAndy

    HandyAndy Well-Known Member

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    For a moment there, I thought you had a very ugly child.
     
  14. HandyAndy

    HandyAndy Well-Known Member

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    The opti is behind and under the water pump.
    Just don't pressure wash the top front of the block.
    And if you run the engine hot it will evaporate the sitting water.
     
  15. 200OZ

    200OZ Well-Known Member

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    Andy and Mike are correct. The opti will be fine, it is sealed, there are no open vent holes in the B body optis. The early optis in the F (Camero, Firebird) and Y (Corvette) bodys from '92 through '94-1/2 had un-sealed optis which is a big reason optis have a bad reputation. I wash my engine all the time with a garden hose, no issues. Still though, the car is 16-18 years old and the opti seals, and the spark plug wires may not be up to snuff, be gentle.

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2013

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