Do you guys bother cleaning dust and dirt from........

I've done it twice with low pressure from the garden hose, but only after spending an entire day parked on the beach. Salt spray gets everywhere on and under the truck, so I prefer to not let that corrosive film sit anywhere under the hood.

 

Yes, a fire truck is a truck. But is has a more stringent criteria than the Tacoma for response time and service needs. A fire truck must be ready to go 100% of the time with just a few moments notice.

The comparison of a Fire Truck to the Tacoma is like comparing an Apple to applesauce. Remotely similar, but definitely not the same.

 

I keep my truck spotless, my wifes truck is full of trash, clothes and random other crap. If she wants to go out with a friend, then she needs to spend all day cleaning her truck. If I want to go out with a friend then I just get in and go.

Kinda similar to the firetruck, but without the emergency.

 

Only when I'm goin up to Hooters on Saturday night.
Is that even a thing anymore? Haha

 

I clean it up good about once a month or so, but no real detailing like I do the rest of the truck. A cleaner engine bay is easier to work on if you need to and as long as I keep the rest of the truck clean, a really messy engine bay would feel lazy.

/opinion.

 

We have a place down the street called "racks" its pretty much hooters with deer heads on the walls thats built inside a old dennies.

 

I don't think they're that different at all. When I drive 2hrs out into the backcountry, without cell service, I need to trust that my truck is going to get me home and that I won't get stuck or have to pack out on foot. While a little bit of hyperbole there is a bit of real "life and death" concern in situations like that. I do need my truck to be ready to go 100% of the time on a moment's notice and I want to be able to trust it'll get me home.

 

I'll wipe it down after a wash every once in a while. Maybe two or three times per year.

 

Every time I wash it I always give it a wipe down and a shine protectant on the plastic. Looks like day I bought it.

 

Nope

 

Dirt won't stop anything that you're trying to do. Washing a fire truck is also part of the chores and a way to kill the many hours of downtime. If they were super busy, it wouldn't get cleaned and would still perform as intended.

 

Chew ain't too good for such an establishment!
I actually have a Hooters a few miles away, but am usually in bed early on Saturday nights, so I'm not sure what the scene is like anymore

 

I do mine 2x a year. Hose off, spray cleaner, scrub with soft brush, hose off and spot clean with spray cleaner. Takes about 30 minutes which includes gathering the cleaner, hooking up the hose and putting things away. Intellectually I know having the engine bay clean does little to performance or longevity but like just after a wash and wax, the truck seems to run better. It's in my head I know.

 

I clean my bays a few times a year. Its nice if I have to work in there if its clean and makes spotting potential leaks easier.

 

A clean engine can and will run longer for a few reasons (so its not just in your head). Lets say you get salt spray in the engine bay because you live in the midwest or by the ocean. Cleaning the salt can extend the life of plastic connectors and prevent corrosion from electrical parts. If you offroad often and have mud in the engine bay, that mud can get into wire harnesses, between panels, or onto the radiator. The dirt can rub and vibrate wearing away protective coatings on these parts or reduce cooling efficiency of the radiator. A clean engine bay can also aid in diagnosing issues early when they are a easy fix. If you have a oil leak, but the engine is covered in dirt and oil from not cleaning it then you are less likely to find the leak without having to clean it all up first.

 

maybe if you’re 21, wear white Oakleys, flip flops, and your hat backwards.

 

Nice Clean CX (?) Custom !

 

I clean the engine bay each time I clean the truck; it's part of the process. I also clean the wheel wells, and spray under the frame. Why? Partly because even though it's a truck, I like it to be clean, but more because I do my own maintenance. You would not believe how much easier it is to swap out an alternator, or fit a new EGR valve when things are clean and there's been a bit of lube tossed around here and there.

 

I rinse salt off the engine bay a couple times a year. I usually avoid driving in salt and snow but sometimes the wife drives it while I am driving the Nissan Murano beater with a heater.