Under Pressure

B

biff

In Exile
How much pressure is too much for pressure washing a vehicle?

Is 1900 PSI OK? My pressure washer will do 1300PSI or 1900PSI, I find that 1300 is kinda wimpy (compared to most self serve wash bays which I THOUGHT were only 1200PSI)

I don't want to try the higher setting without checking with you guys first.
 
I'm not knowledgeable but what I've read in other threads about power washing indicates that those who seem to know what they are talkling about advise to not get the sprayer head too close to the paint and to angle it somewhat so that the water is not hitting the paint at a 90 degree angle. Most say that if angled and kept about a foot away from the paint it does not harm the paint. That's what I've read in the past and I've never had any problems since I've followed this process.
 
The car wash I used to work at used sprayers @ 1100-1500 PSI (depending if one or two 'guns' were being used).

I would say go with a 6" minimum distance...farther away for door seals or trim/molding that is glued, not mechanically (retaining clips etc) attached to the car.

I think high psi washers are great. You can get some major cleaning with no chemicals (not to mention how well they flush out invisible/hidden pockets of dirt, crud, salt etc).

A tire, scrubbed with a brush & cleaner, then rised with high psi gets so clean, it seems a shame to use dressing. Hidden areas are so well cleaned, you don't get those 'surprise' gushes of water from under trim that carries a bunch of crud with it.
 
Answer to my own question; Lesson learned the hard way.

Well, I have to say that 1900 PSI is too much pressure, although its great for wheel wells and tires.

Thank God this happened on my truck and not a customers:

I was rinsing off some dried mud and the 1300 PSI nozzle wasn't working so I switched to the 1900. I figured that since it worked safely on the tires and wheel wells, why not try it starting at a "safe distance".

Well all of a sudden "Dakota Sport" became "Dakota Sp t" then
"Dakot S ". The vinyl decals on the doors (which had a couple little pieces that were gone anyway WHERE COMING OFF!

So I had to remove them all and get the 3M adhesive remover out and repolish and wax.

I never liked them much anyway, but boy did I learn a lesson!!!!!
 
The high pressure units can and will strip paint as well as decals. They really need to be used with care.
Like a rotary, they can do a great job or some real damage. It depends on how it is used.
I once saw the clearcoat removed from the hood of an older Cavalier by a young woman at a car wash. It removed it in almost one complete sheet. She actually thought maybe it could be put back on and took it with her.
 
CharlesW said:

I once saw the clearcoat removed from the hood of an older Cavalier by a young woman at a car wash. It removed it in almost one complete sheet. She actually thought maybe it could be put back on and took it with her.
Click to expand...

Wow.....like a picture of that....
jeff
 
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