Automatic car washes and the hood scoop?

[Bugman Jeff]

There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots My car's been leaking oil for years, and the bottom is covered in slimy goo. It needs a SERIOUS underbody flush to get at least the first few layers of crud off, so I'm going to take it through a non-contact car wash. I know a little water in the scoop won't hurt anything, but this will be a directed spray. With the high pressure sprays involved, do I need to tape over or otherwise block off the scoop? Thanks for the info.

 

[CEJ]

Can you just take it through a wash facility that does the under-body wash only?

 

[Raven2k8]

There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots My car's been leaking oil for years, and the bottom is covered in slimy goo. It needs a SERIOUS underbody flush to get at least the first few layers of crud off, so I'm going to take it through a non-contact car wash. I know a little water in the scoop won't hurt anything, but this will be a directed spray. With the high pressure sprays involved, do I need to tape over or otherwise block off the scoop? Thanks for the info.

I would just get under the car with a pressure washer. Less to worry about and probably would work better.

 

[Bugman Jeff]

The washes around here only have underbody as an add on to a standard wash. I don't currently have a pressure washer of my own, nor do I have a good way to get it up high enough for a good home wash. The bottom of the car is so dirty that I can't drive 10 miles without the whole tail panel getting covered in little oil spots. The rest of the car is fairly scraped and scratched and will be repainted anyway, so I'm not concerned the least bit about any possible(though unlikely) damage to the finish.

 

[Jeffsss]

I would just get under the car with a pressure washer. Less to worry about and probably would work better.

this.

it even discloses in the owners manual not to take your car though an automatic car wash.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Due to the wide rear tires, it will not go through most automatic car washes. It also may be too low for some others.

Better to have someone put it up on a hoist, and it it with some heated detergent high pressure.

Most car washes recycle their water, and that grease might clog it up.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

As mentioned you are really asking for damage by taking any Viper thru a car wash.

 

[CEJ]

Guess you can always put it on jack stands and Simple Green the bottom side and hook your garden hose up to a hot water heater and blast away.

Are you going to get the oil leak fixed after getting it cleaned up?

 

[gutterworks129]

Jack it up and Simple Green that bad boy! Pressure wash, hand wash, scrub it. Bam, its clean.

 

[Darth Menace]

tdon do it. i brought mine in a touchless to wash the underhody and it blew off my sanction weatherstripping

 

[jwolf]

I run my RT through a touch-less car wash, just have your umbrella and some towels as they leak bad, hard or soft top.

 

[Indy]

I doubt the car wash will get all that grime off. Probably better to jack it up, crawl under there and first brush off as much as you can with degreaser. then give it a good rinse with water.
Plus, isn't half the fun of Viper ownership washing and detailing your car?

 

[Bugman Jeff]

Are you going to get the oil leak fixed after getting it cleaned up?

I think I already have. Every single valve cover screw was loose I just got it, so who knows how long it's been that way. Once it's clean, I'll be able to see if anything else leaks.

 

[v10enomous]

Fix the car first. Something about cows and gates.

 

[Johnny GTS]

Bugman, You're absolutely correct with your opening statement, and I know I speak for many when I say please do not bring your viper to a commercial car wash, brushless, touchless or any other type, as you will regret it. When have you been satisfied with a car wash on your everyday ride, unless it's the middle of winter and you just want to get the salt/sand off. I've said it before and I'll say it again do not under any circumstances wash your engine with high pressure water/chemicals, you won't believe the amount of damage you can do to components that are never intended to be saturated with H20. You should seriously pinpoint the cause of the oil seepage, address that then either clean the engine the old fashioned way (Lift, rags, gentle degreaser) Its a lot of work, but worth it! Or hire a pro detailer that can do it this way for you $$ All the best to you!

 

[steve911]

I see you are in WI also. Whereabouts are you? Once you have a chance to look at your car closely, and if you have questions, call Cory at SnakeOyl PRODUCTS. They are located about 10 miles north of Madison. He and his crew are top notch AND local...

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I can't say if it will hurt it or not but relegating your Viper to an automatic anything isn't showing much love.

 

[Bugman Jeff]

I see you are in WI also. Whereabouts are you? Once you have a chance to look at your car closely, and if you have questions, call Cory at SnakeOyl PRODUCTS. They are located about 10 miles north of Madison. He and his crew are top notch AND local...

I'm in Evansville, just south of Madison. I've been to SnakeOyl's site a few times, I had no idea they were local. Between them and Don Scharf, WI is practically a Viper haven.

 

[plumcrazy]

edit: i disagree. when you are on a VIPER site and use the words auto car wash...

There are no stupid questions

you sir, are wrong

 

[Bugman Jeff]

Well, I taped over the scoop, and went to the non-contact auto-wash. Not the tire clamping drag you through type, but the park and the wand rotates around your car type. It worked fine, and did an acceptable job cleaning what I wanted cleaned. Just to be on the safe side, next time I'll be sure to use the two bucket method when washing my keyed roof, scraped hood, primer spotted, going to be repainted anyway car. I was going to warn the guy in line behind me with the new Suburban worth twice what my Viper's worth about the dangers of the auto wash, but I figured he'd probably be OK too.

 

[Grisoman]

next time I'll be sure to use the two bucket method when washing my keyed roof, scraped hood, primer spotted, going to be repainted anyway car. I was going to warn the guy in line behind me with the new Suburban worth twice what my Viper's worth about the dangers of the auto wash, but I figured he'd probably be OK too.

Wait, don't paint that thing! Don't you know 'preservation' not 'restoration' is the in-thing nowadays?

 

[Bugman Jeff]

I'm all for preservation(heck my '73 Vette is 95% original, right down to the checked and flaking lacquer paint), but there are already tons of pristine Vipers out there and this isn't a good candidate anyway. The fascias have been repainted once already, and I've got some pretty good cracks in the fiberglass that need to be fixed. It's already got primer spots from the previous owner too(at least it's a blue primer ).