I've never taken the Z through a drive through car wash before, I always wash it by hand. There is finally a very nice new brushless car wash near me that I've taken my truck through and I wanted to take the car through it. I wanted to clean up the underside and all with the undercarriage wash option but I was worried that it may screw up my opti. After finishing the cam install recently and having it running fine and everything it's the last thing I want to mess up. I have the vented opti of course so I know they usually hold up better than the old style but I was wondering if many others do this and if they had any opti problems after.

 

I don't think I would have the underside washed.

Also, how does a brushless car wash work?

If the vehicle in front is full of mud, it seems like your going to get some risidual grit no mater what.JMHO

 

screw a car wash and do it your self!! Those gas station wshes still leave dirt on the car sometimes. It alwasy better to wash it on your own.

 

The car wash doesn't use any brushes or big slapping arm things, you park in the thing and this device comes over the car and just uses high pressure water to rinse, soap, rinse, then a drying machine to clean it. It's a pretty sophisticated new car wash, havn't seen one like it before and it does a really nice job on my truck for a drive through.

As I said I've always washed it by hand and I still will, but it's still cold out here now and I really wanted to use it for the underside clean to get some of the grease off the bottom of the engine and do the rest of the underside since it's never been through one. Just wondering who's used it and if they had any opti problems.

 

If I were you, use the touchless car wash but don't get the undercarrage option. I used to always wash my car by hand at the car wash but after I used a touchless car wash I won't go back! Just shut your car off and let it wash it, once its finshed start it up and go. I've never had a problem with the opti. But if you use the undercarrage option i bet you will have problems.

 

Drove my 94 for two winters and used the touchless or another car wash once a week for the duration. I never had a problem. The Opti is sensitive, but not that bad. I highly doubt GM would engineer a car you couldn't take through the car wash.

Oh wait...we're talkin baout GM here. The folks that designed the Opti and put it under the water pump.

Seriously though, it'll be fine. Gotta get teh salt & crap off there!!!!

 

hey well i went through once. the high pressure car wash and did the under carriage also and had no opti problems. just original opti on my car still too. 65k miles. reason i did undercarriage is because i wanted to get all salt off the car including underneath before i stored it for winter. no problems at all so thats my experience anyway. not to say it wont be different for you.

 

Interesting concept this brushless machine. I have never seen a high pressure wash that could do a good job unless the pressure was extremely high and focused, in which case I'd be afraid it might be disasterous for a T-Top.

As far as cleaning the bottom of salt, I can see the motivation there, but I'd make sure the opti was protected. Perhaps a more controlled cleansing would be possible by either putting the car on a lift or jack stands and using a hose and degreaser.JMHO

 

Ok, I'm going to try it then. I just wanted to hear from some guys that have used the underside wash first. Thanks

 

I trust you have roadside insurance.

 

Actually no, and of course no warranty left. I think I may cover it up just to be safe now that I think about it

 

personally, I've taken my car to a high pressure self wash station, and it doesn't matter how close i get that 1000PSI spray wand to the car, it won't get everything off. Do yourself a favor and do it yourself.

 

Yeah I worked at a car wash last summer and took my car through twice a week and never had any problems with the opti. Maybe my opti is just a beast

 

I don't believe anyone here is saying that your going to screw your opti. The fact of the matter is that pre 95s didn't have the vacuum to pull water out and when the hot opti came in touch with the cold water that it tended to suck water up through the drain holes and kill the opti.

That particular problem was supposedly remedied by the vacuum type on the later cars.

In old style distributors, if you you got them wet the car would not run until you dried it out.

With the opti distributor, I believe that people have trashed their optis by getting them wet, esp with antifreeze from a boogered H2O pump since the antifreeze doesn;t evaporate.

What some of us are saying is why take a risk that may not pay off. Optis and installation can be costly. We just offer opinions not dictations. JMHO

 

I had a 94 z28 w/ 38,000 miles and washed the motor with a hose and degreaser at my house, thing ran like crap when i started it up, went up the street and it died, sat in front of my house for 2 weeks till i replaced the opti. if any moisture gets in there it cant get out, my friend had a 95 formula with the vented one and he used to powerwash his motor and there was never a problem, i guess the vented ones are much better so u should be ok