i'm on vacation in gulfport, MS and have been driving highway 90 by the beach a few times. its INSanely windy and beach sand blowing across the roadway a lot. I popped the hood to see if any made it under there, and dang there is quite a bit. Whats the best way to clean it out: compressed air? garden hose? or ?? There's sand in places i cant even reach with a rag and all around the engine. also plan to pull the air filter later if i can get the tools and tap anything excess out of there.
Thanks for any help!

 

It's unlikely any sand got in the engine, that's what the air filter is for.

I would brush all I could off with a shop brush and used compressed air, at low pressure, to get the rest off.

Dave

 

Just blow it out.....if really ****, maybe a shopvac....in the north where roads are sanded, it gets everywhere just from the airflow...with the added pluss of salt for extra rust!!

 

Compressed air.
Safety goggles.

Mandatory job compulsion. (Environmental Safety Manager)

 

A month or so ago I was driving the beach road by Navare Beach in Florida and the same thing. When I got home I had sand everywhere, even inside the car.
I vacuumed what I could and then put the vacuum in blow mode and blew the rest out. Didn't get it all but most of it.
I've done it a couple times since and now it's all gone.
PITA!

 

Sounds like a good job for a leaf blower!

 

^^^Yes, I think my electric Toro blower does have way more
power than my vac. Next time it happens that'll be it.

I do use it after I wash my car to blow all the water off it and
it's great for getting the water out of the front and rear grilles.

 

Tailgating will also do this to you anywhere. Dual rear wheeled trucks and semi's throw up grit from the cleanest looking roads - just ask a motorcyle or scooter rider. My Son's car always has sand and grit under the hood when I help him do his oil changes. I have a nice air compressor and it's running to check his tires, but I would never use it to blow around sand under the hood!

Just say NO to compressed air - it will drive it into places you don't want it to be. And tapping out air filters - NO - not a good idea. Replace when needed.

Shop or carwash vac and a damp rag. Great time to treat all the plastic and rubber under there with a rag dampened with a good product like Meguiar's #40. Don't have any good rags for such dirty duty - go to Walmart and get terry wash cloths by the dozen for cheap. Wash and save them in your garage in a tray just for car cleaning duties.

 

so short answer: nothing can really be harmed by leaving the stuff there i cant reach with a rag?

 

i don't own a shop vac, suppose i could be evil and abuse a car wash place vac if it was that bad.

 

Not unless your are like me, it'd drive me crazy but no it won't hurt anything. A vac at a car wash may get the majority of it.

 

+1....

Compressed air is a good way to get rid of it in the little nooks and cracks, but for the major piles, it will cause a big mess.

Safety Goggles are without a question needed, also would suggest a mask.

Afterwards i would use a low pressure garden hose to just "rinse" the major components off, (motor block, trani, mounts) stay away from your electronics, and intakes.