Dirt in engine bay

[WS6]

I need a bit of advice, I work in a transport yard that is not concreted but just earth, so muddy when wet and dusty when dry. As we have trucks in and out all day they send a covering of dust over everything. I opened the bonnet on the lupo today and was amazed by the amount of dust. I don't want to pressure wash the engine bay as I am worried about water and electrics, but I do have the use of an air compressor, could I do any damage blowing the dust out with compressed air instead of using water? I think the compressor runs at 150psi

Thanks

[Pete]

You'll get rid of the loose dust but anything that's settled previously will more than likely stay put, just be sensible and carefully use the trigger of the blow gun, not full chat straight away, but to be honest I reckon you'd be fairly safe using air, it just won't be that effective.

If it was me tho and it was happening regularly I'd just leave it till I was going to a show and do it instead if doing it one night and the next day after work it's exactly the same again.

[WS6]

Thanks Pete, it's all come about as one of our drivers had a problem with his z4, it would not start and BMW have told him its dust in the starter motor, we even get dust in the portacabin on bad days so it might need a weekly blow out of the engine bay along with the Friday afternoon jet wash

Edited April 16, 2013 by WS6

[Pete]

I work for BMW myself, and that seems pretty odd for them to suggest that, as the starter sits right next to the clutch......which produces dust. And it's pretty much out the way anyways, but hey ho.

[WS6]

Interesting, maybe he is trying to make a claim from the company

[Pete]

I dunno mate, at the end if the day all he can do is chuck it at the dealer and if they can't fault it and he comes back saying 'yeah where I work is really dusty, could dust cause a problem if it got into the car?', they'll just nod their head and let him go.