Opened the hood to top up screen wash and was surprised to find quite a concentration of salty road spray in the engine bay...

 

Would be interested to know if any of you pot have noticed the same on yours and if I should be concerned? Never seen this on any of my car's previously and ingress of salty water cannot be good for long term health of the car?...  

 

I do lots of motorway miles but still, I wouldn't expect this.

 

 

 

Edited 15 February, 20188 yr by jonesinamillion

Not noticed it on mine.  Once the salt season stops I have a Kärcher attachment for my pressure washer that goes underneath the car and washes most of the crud off.

Same on my Yeti, but after two thousand miles on wet salted roads.  Were driving on similar?

4 minutes ago, kelper said:

Same on my Yeti, but after two thousand miles on wet salted roads.  Were driving on similar?

 

Yep, mainly salted Mways, about 3K in 3 weeks, usually high speeds too.

 

Topped up my screen wash twice since owning it, first after about 800 miles (sure it was spotless) then just after an additional 2k

 

Never seen this on any previous car and saly + metal = bad :(

 

 

22 minutes ago, FelisBengalensis said:

Not noticed it on mine.  Once the salt season stops I have a Kärcher attachment for my pressure washer that goes underneath the car and washes most of the crud off.

 

Same here purchased it with a friend and it works brilliantly 

Yep I noticed the same too! Must be the big grills on the front. 

 

Ive got some engine dresser to put on at the weekend but I was surprised too. Everything will be corroded in a few years time. 

15 minutes ago, aldouk said:

Yep I noticed the same too! Must be the big grills on the front. 

 

Ive got some engine dresser to put on at the weekend but I was surprised too. Everything will be corroded in a few years time. 

 

Amazing, thanks 

Škoda(by Google translate: damage) saved few euros on rubber sealant strips

https://www.drive2.ru/l/494432513020657867/

but exactly same problem have seen also on E-Class

https://www.drive2.ru/l/492623541515059361/

 

I have had that as well as I have been up and down to Loch Lomond a few times lately. A bit of cleaning come spring me-thinks.

I was quite surprised when I bought mine as an ex-management car in June last year with 6,000 miles on the clock and I opened the bonnet when I got home to find it was very dirty in the engine bay.  The outside and interior of the car had all been cleaned, but they didn't bother about under the bonnet.

 

I gave it a good clean and since then I've regularly wiped around the engine bay and even used a black plastic trim dressing on parts such as the engine cover to keep it looking tidy and I've also used polish on the painted parts.  This makes it easier to keep it clean and hopefully it will help keep corrosion at bay in the future. 

Another 450 miles back to Scotland today so a bit more around the engine bay and another 450 miles back home on Sunday. I do like those chassis cleaners though, might treat myself.

I would like to use a pressure washer to clean my engine bay but then I saw the copper windings on the alternator; It looks very vulnerable!

Just don’t spray directly into the altenator, fuse boxes etc. and you’ll be fine. 

I was thinking of that tool that goes under the car, mentioned in an earlier post.

Doesn’t do any harm either. 

15 hours ago, kelper said:

I would like to use a pressure washer to clean my engine bay but then I saw the copper windings on the alternator; It looks very vulnerable!

I really wouldn’t.  A damp wash mitt with a mild shampoo solution and plenty of rinses should be fine. 

 

Or just use an APC solution and some cheap MF cloths. 

 

Finish with a QD spray or plastic/trim dressing.  A detailing (or paint) brush is ideal to get into small crevices which collect dust, the air box and engine cover, for example. 

Have used ACF50 on motorbike and it REALLY works!  

Only downside is that dust collects on it but that doesn't stop it working.

22 hours ago, Danny 57 said:

Another 450 miles back to Scotland today so a bit more around the engine bay and another 450 miles back home on Sunday. I do like those chassis cleaners though, might treat myself.

 

 

Well I have treated myself, due on Tuesday.

I'm going to be looking to add an additional foam seal... Also in touch with my dealership to see what they suggest

Just topped up my screen wash with something less useless in the cold (hopefully) and remembered this thread. My bay is completely clear, despite me doing 2.5k miles up and down the motorway each month. I had the car serviced last week but told them not to wash it - I doubt the freebie wash includes an engine bay valet anyway. So I guess the last time it was cleaned was at the PDI in early January. Car is a June 2017 L&K hatch, not that I would think that makes any difference to the bonnet seals.

1 hour ago, BriskodaJeff said:

Just topped up my screen wash with something less useless in the cold (hopefully) and remembered this thread. My bay is completely clear, despite me doing 2.5k miles up and down the motorway each month. I had the car serviced last week but told them not to wash it - I doubt the freebie wash includes an engine bay valet anyway. So I guess the last time it was cleaned was at the PDI in early January. Car is a June 2017 L&K hatch, not that I would think that makes any difference to the bonnet seals.

Looking at a selection of cars & reading on here, I think a lot to f it is to do with the grille?...

13 hours ago, jonesinamillion said:

Looking at a selection of cars & reading on here, I think a lot to f it is to do with the grille?...

Could be – I honestly don't know. What year is your Car? Have they changed the grille at all? If so it might be worth asking if there is a warranty fix. I really wouldn't expect to see that kind of build-up in the bay .

 

On 15/02/2018 at 19:34, jonesinamillion said:

Opened the hood to top up screen wash and was surprised to find quite a concentration of salty road spray in the engine bay...

 

Would be interested to know if any of you pot have noticed the same on yours and if I should be concerned? Never seen this on any of my car's previously and ingress of salty water cannot be good for long term health of the car?...  

 

I do lots of motorway miles but still, I wouldn't expect this.

 

 

 

It looks like there is a small gap or nick in the rubber seal on the second photo, that's where the trail of grime seems to lead from under the bonnet anyway.

Took a couple of pics so the OP can compare or show to his dealer to hopefully negate the inevitable "they all do that sir" comment that will be thrown at him.

 

Engine bay... not completely spotless, but pretty clean after 3k miles minimum since it was last touched. Mainly motorway at c70mph.

 

 

Bonnet catch. There is some spray ingress here - my guess is that it is headlight wash forcing its way between the top of the headlight and the bonnet. Not sure if it shows up in the first pic but the top of the headlight (the horizontal "flat" bit) has a small amount of similar colour marking).

 Hope it might help at least a bit. Good luck with it.

Father's recent volvols, S80s and S90 have seals so the engine stays clean.

 

Mine is a lease car so won't be adding any bits, will clean it in a couple of weeks in case I decide to buy it at the end of the lease.