dirty engine??

[jamesmetairie]

looking at a 2003 to buy. weird thing is all aluminum parts of the engine has a white powdery sediment on it. what makes that? original owner says car was never flooded.

[GLsToyAuto]

basically the equivalent of what "rust" is to iron.

This does not necessarily mean that the car has ever flooded.
For instance, you get plenty of moisture and other oxidation promoting agents by driving on winter streets, being close to the ocean, etc.

Cleaning it can be difficult, depending upon how far it has pitted into the surface.
It will involve plenty of effort, no matter how you do it.

[Frank@toronto]

How is the interior (carpet, seats, ....).

If it was flooded, there should be other sign...apart from the engine bay

[wantin150]

Easiest way to check for flood damage is to look in areas which most "cleaners" would miss. Look inside wheel wells (behind the shields) as well as inside the engine comparment fuse boxes. Mud and sediment will collect in areas which aren't easily cleaned and most salvage folks won't think to go through that much trouble.

[Whelan]

Dirty Engine?


Clean it up



Fabulous!

[Memphis_Matrix]

Nice one, Whelan.

[matrixdude06]

run a carfax report on it, thatll tell u the whole history of what the car has been through

[jamesmetairie]

check fuse boxes. and i will run carfax report.thanks guys.

[monkeyracing]

It is quite likely just aluminim oxide. It happens. Areas with higher humidity, etc. can create it. Also, it's possible that it's soap or detergent residue left behing if the engine was washed while hot, or not rinsed properly after being washed.

A car that's been through a flood will have other obvious damage on it as well.

[spin156]

FWIW, my brother-in-law is in the car business and he's telling me that a lot of "Katrina" cars are now entering the market. As the saying goes, caveat emptor. If an engine has a lot of "white dust", I'd be seriously thinking about exposure to salt water and resulting aluminum oxide (the white dust). Just be very careful and get it checked out by a professional. I don't think that's fearmongering, but just prudent.

[toyomoho]

If aluminum, this is corrosion from excess moisture. Cars that are parked in a damp climate and not driven can get this. Not a big deal if limited to the parts surface and assuming the car was not flooded.