Hi folks,

I'd like to pressure wash my engine and then polish it up a bit. I've never done anything like this, so I would really like some advice on how to achieve the results I desire. My engine is really, really, dirty. I have had so many different fluid leaks over the past year, I can't tell what's old and what's new.

I'd like to do this at the carwash nearby, so I assume I will need to cover some electronic components: alternator, AMM, RSR, battery, and distributor. Anything else I need to cover? Throttle switch?

I have the biodegradeable wiring, and it shows in a few places. The one reservation that I have about doing this is that I may wash away the insulation along with the gunk. I know that I will have to replace the wiring harness for my engine at some point.

Since I need to do my intake manifold gasket, I want to remove the manifold altogether and polish it as well as the throttle body. I have replacement gaskets for all the intake parts. How may I best deal with storing the fuel injectors while I clean the manifold? The only car I've ever done injectors on was a Honda, and the tips are recessed to prevent damage during maintenance and storage. Are Volvo injectors more fragile, and what precautions should I take?

While the manifold is off, I would like to replace the hard-to-reach sensors installed near the breather box. The breather box itself is less than a year old, so that's ok, but things like the temp sensors in the head are on my list of replacement items. Should I bother messing with these?

If I find a leak at the distributor, would it be a good time to do the distributor seals as well (with the intake manifold removed)?

With the engine clean and partially disassembled, it should make the job of replacing the engine mounts a little easier, too.

Thanks!

Ari