Sand storm and smoke damage

I need some advice!

 

We've had terrible windstorms and now wild fires here in SoCal. Wind speeds reached over 100 mph here in the low desert. I had to drive to work in near zero visibility from blowing dust... lots of which ended up on and inside my car. Now we have ash fall - very caustic stuff.

 

I've changed the oil and put in a new air filter, but I'm wondering about cleaning out the radiator / intercooler / engine compartment, too. Suggestions?

 

I'm also worried about cleaning the inside and outside without damaging surfaces. I don't want to do something foolish and ruin something - this stuff is very fine and very abrasive! Suggestions would be very welcome.

 

I'm still better off than a friend from the San Jacinto area (north of Hemet, if that helps you!). He got caught in a stand storm and couldn't see to drive - he had to pull off the road. His truck ended up buried up to the door sills in sand - and the entire passenger side was sandblasted down to the bare metal. All the glass on his truck was frosted from sand damage, too. Some plastic trim pieces were just gone.

 

I'll see if I can get a picture to post.

I'm still better off than a friend from the San Jacinto area (north of Hemet, if that helps you!). He got caught in a stand storm and couldn't see to drive - he had to pull off the road. His truck ended up buried up to the door sills in sand - and the entire passenger side was sandblasted down to the bare metal. All the glass on his truck was frosted from sand damage, too. Some plastic trim pieces were just gone.

 

I'll see if I can get a picture to post.

 

 

 

i have no suggestions but HOLY SH!T! that is some crazy stuff right there

ATTENTION MORTAL BEINGS.

 

Do not go outside.

 

Stay home until further notice.

 

Take the hint, man! Just wait it out!

if this was to happen to me, I would either park my car inside a garage or if it had to be left outdoors, cover it up and just wait for everything to pass.

I'd pm OcDetails for help. best to ask the expert when it comes to something like this.

^^^ Thanks for the suggestion, I'll do that.

 

As for staying home - My school district (Hemet Unified) is the only one within 30 miles that is open this week. Everyone else is closed. Our Superintendent says "School is the safest place for kids and teachers!" So we get to come to work in the smoke, sand, and ash.

Here are a couple of photos from o

ur town after the recent sand storm.

http://www.pe.com/dayphotos/dip-2007-10-22/WIND23ripH-600.jpghttp://www.pe.com/dayphotos/dip-2007-10-22/WIND23ripE-600.jpg

holy moly! i didn't know things like that happened in socal.

 

sorry you have to go to work. my brother got school canceled because of smoke. not sure why they didn't close it yesterday or the day before (the school was inside the santiago fire perimeter).

I would use compressed air to blow the crap out of the engine compartment.

Use a vacuum cleaner on the interior.

Have you changed your cabin filter?

Is your brake fluid and PS fluid still clean?

Looks like Iraq !! Wow hope life gets better for you. Does this happen often?

I have a compressor and will try that to clean the engine compartment.

 

Where is the cabin filter located? I'm sure it's clogged and filthy by now - the furnace filters in the house sure were!

 

I have a Dyson HEPA vacuum that works well, when the smoke dies down, I'll try that on the interior. It isn't really healthy to be outside working on the car just now. Maybe by Sunday!

 

I think PS fluid should be ok, as I have just 5K on my baby.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

Oh, the weather usually doesn't suck like this. It is hot here in summer and we do sometimes get brush fires, but I've rarely seen anything like this wind storm in 25 years in the area. The folks who just moved into town in the last year or so gotta be thinking they've been had!