Owner Driver – August 2019

ownerdriver.com.au AUGUST 2019 19

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“THE IMPORTANCE

OF A CLEAN ENGINE

BAY CANNOT BE

OVERSTATED.”

Simple preventative

measures can go a long

way in warding off

engine compartment

fires

A CLEAN

ENGINE BAY

I

n May this year, the National Heavy Vehicle
Regulator (NHVR) held its first heavy vehicle
fire roundtable in Brisbane. It was a result
of an ongoing investigation following a
series of fires last year involving prime
movers. The regulator announced its plans
to release a series of safety bulletins to help
raise awareness of the common fire risks
that have been identified in the probe and
to outline the actions required to help mitigate
ƐIJĕsĶƆŊƆȰɐ
NHVR executive director of safety standards
and assurance Geoff Casey said the May
roundtable, which brought together leading
forensic fire investigators, fire service officials,
police and members of the heavy vehicle
industry and supply chain, was aimed at
identifying causes and preventative actions.
The NHVR bulletin identified a number of
common fire risks in heavy motor vehicles,
predominantly:

• shorting of electrical cables and connections


• inappropriately rated electrical components


• fuel line failures


• heat generated by a turbocharger


• engine bay maintenance.

It also outlined preventative actions that
operators should undertake, including:

• reviewing the common causes of fires and
  identifying those that may be present in their
  fleet


• reviewing maintenance management
  systems to remove or reduce any risk factors,
  and improve the safety of their transport
  activities


• ensuring those who carry out servicing or
  modification on higher-risk components or
  systems on their vehicles, such as electrical
  systems, have measures in place to verify that
  fire risks are not introduced.

Spitwater, one of the leading Australian
manufacturers of high pressure water cleaners,
talks to Owner//Driver magazine about one of the
most common fire risks in heavy vehicles and
how to prevent it.
“Engine compartment fires are a reality,”
Spitwater director Gary Rodgers says. “However,
some simple maintenance and cleaning can
prevent this from happening.” Rodgers shares
a few tips that can help reduce the risk of such
fires, including:

• keeping the engine and the engine
  compartment clear of fuel and oil residue
  through regular cleaning


• identification and timely repair of fuel and
  oil leaks


• maintaining efficient electrical connections


• carrying out regular checks for leaks and
  wiring condition.

The importance of a clean engine bay cannot

be overstated. But not everyone has the proper

knowledge how to perform this important task.

Spitwater has outlined a step-by-step cleaning

method that can help you maintain a clean

engine bay:

• Prepare your pressure washer, degreaser and
  applicator for action


• Allow the engine to cool before cleaning as
  applying chemical or water to a hot engine can
  create problems, particularly electricals


• Fasten or remove any loose items such as covers
  or guards to avoid damage from chemical or
  water


• Disconnect the negative terminal on the battery
  
  
  • this will help protect electrical components
    from being damaged by water
  
  
  
  


• Use plastic bags or wrapping to cover any
  sensitive areas including ECU’s or air intakes


• Spray the engine and surrounds with degreaser
  using an applicator sprayer or soft brush to
  assist the cleaning before applying any water


• Depending on the grime level allow between
  three minutes to 20 minutes dwell time for the
  degreaser to work, and repeat the process if
  necessary


• Clean off using your pressure washer and then
  pass over once more for a final rinse avoiding
  any sensitive areas.

Spitwater says this simple method can go a long

way in preventing engine compartment fires.

While any pressure washer can be used for this

task, Spitwater says using a hot water pressure

washer will produce the best results. It also

recommends using a good quality degreaser such

as Nerta Super Degreaser. The degreaser must be

applied with a pump up sprayer for best results.

To find these and other high-quality products,

head to your nearest Spitwater distribution

centres in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth

and Sydney. The company also has dealers and

distributors throughout each state and territory,

all offering sales, parts and service support to

customers. The Spitwater brand of high pressure

water cleaners, vacuum cleaners, extraction

cleaners, Jetfire heaters and dryers have a long-

standing history of proven quality and reliability

across the Australian marketplace.

Operating since 1983, today Spitwater is the

only Australian manufacturer of a complete

range of high pressure water cleaners. All

products are manufactured at Spitwater’s 15,

square metre manufacturing facility in Albury,

New South Wales using the latest state-of-the-

art manufacturing technologies. The company

also distributes a range of fan forced, popular,

portable industrial space heaters as well as a

high-quality range of industrial and commercial

vacuum cleaners.

For more details, visit http://www.spitwater.com.au.