Ford Taurus Owners Manual: Cleaning the engine

Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt buildup keep the engine warmer than normal.

When washing: • Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause damage.

• Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to avoid cracking the engine block or other engine components.

• Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser on all parts that require cleaning and pressure rinse clean. In Canada, use Motorcraft Engine Shampoo.

• Never wash or rinse the engine while it is hot or running; water in the running engine may cause internal damage.

• Never wash or rinse any ignition coil, spark plug wire or spark plug well, or the area in and around these locations.

• Cover the battery, power distribution box, and air filter assembly to prevent water damage when cleaning the engine.

    Repairing minor paint damage
    Your authorized dealer has touch-up paint to match your vehicle’s color. Take your color code (printed on a sticker in the driver’s door jamb) to an authorized dealer to make sure you get the ...

    Cleaning the windows and wiper blades
    The windows and wiper blades should be cleaned regularly. If the wipers do not wipe properly, substances on the vehicle’s glass or the wiper blades may cause squeaking or chatter noise from the bl ...

    Other materials:

    Specifications, Description and Operation, General Procedures
    SPECIFICATIONS Material General Specifications Torque Specifications a Tighten to 10 Nm (89 lb-in) plus an additional 720 degrees. b Tighten to 16 Nm (142 lb-in) plus an additional 180 degrees. c Refer to the procedure in this section. d Tighten to 5 Nm (44 lb-in) plus ...

    Emission control system
    WARNING: Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass or other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up the engine compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire. WARNING: Exhaust leaks may result in entry of harmful and potentially lethal fumes into the passenger compartm ...

    Warning lamps and indicators
    These indicators can alert you to a vehicle condition that may become serious enough to cause expensive repairs. Many lights will illuminate when you start your vehicle to make sure they work. If any light remains on after starting the vehicle, refer to the respective system warning light for ad ...