How To Clean Car Engine?

Are you tired of going back and forth to a car shop to get your vehicle engine cleaned? If so, you are in the right place. Cleaning your car engine is easy and simple. Interestingly, you can do it in the comfort of your home. All you need to do is to have effective cleaning tools and products.

If you are having a hard time cleaning your car engine, don’t worry. In this post, we are going to provide you easy steps on how to clean a car engine effectively. So, if you want to know more about it, then keep on reading.

What You’ll Need

To start the cleaning process, you need to have the following:

  • Plastic bags
  • Degreaser
  • Brush with synthetic bristles
  • Power washer or water hose
  • Compressed air or rag/towel

How To:

It cannot be denied that cleaning your car engine is a daunting task. But it is necessary to keep your car in good condition. The following are the easy steps to make the “daunting task” a satisfying one. Keep on reading to find the best ways to clean your car engine efficiently and quickly.

Procedure (Easy Steps):

1

Step 1

Before you proceed to the cleaning process, you need to plan when you will perform the job. Ideally, we recommend you to clean your car engine during a warm day. Low humidity during warm weather helps you to dry the car components and engine quickly.

2

Step 2

If you run the car, make sure to cool down its engine for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Hot compartments may pose risks not just to you but also to your car's condition.

3

Step 3

Open the hood and scrub the plastic covers. Do not forget to detach the negative terminal from the car battery. By doing so, you can ensure that the components are protected from getting wet. Removing the battery is also ideal.

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Step 4

Cover the electrical components with plastic bags, including the engine control unit, ignition wires, and battery. By doing so, you can clean each electric component thoroughly without the risk of damaging it.

5

Step 5

Use the degreaser and spray it throughout the engine compartment. You can use any type of degreasers, such as a purpose-made engine degreaser or a kitchen cleaner. But we highly recommend you to use a degreaser with eco-friendly formula. Make sure to spray the whole compartment thoroughly.

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Step 6

Use a scrub if necessary. If your engine has light grease and dirt, scrubbing the engine might not be required. When cleaning the engine, make sure to check the valve cover as it may accumulate layers of dirt and oil. We recommend you to use a brush with synthetic bristles to scrub away the gunk. If needed, you can add a degreaser.

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Step 7

You can rinse the scrubbed dirt or gunk with a power washer. If you don’t have one, you may use a standard water hose. Rinse the compartment thoroughly, ensuring that the degreaser is completely washed. Try not to point the water hose to the car's electrical components.

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Step 8

After rinsing, get your compressed air to wipe away the excess water and dirt. If you don’t have compressed air, you may wipe the compartment with a rag or towel until completely dry. In this case, we recommend you to use either a rag or a towel to remove the remaining grime and excess water.

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Step 9

After the entire compartment is completely dry, the next step is to uncover the electrical components from the plastic bags. Also, do not forget to re-attach the negative terminal to the battery.

Cleaning your car engine is easy. But you need to maintain it to ensure that the electrical components are working well. Do not let your engine accumulate layers of grime and dirt. This means you need to clean your engine at least two times per year. Through this, you can ensure that your engine is clean and working properly.

Here’s a video that may help.

Tips and Tricks:

  • If your car engine shows signs of corrosion, use a wire brush to remove it. When getting rid of the corrosion, you may use a small amount of baking soda and add some water to create a paste. This mixture has been proven to remove dirt and grime from any surface.
  • After rinsing and drying the compartment, you may apply some layers of rust-resistant enamel. You can also coat the steel-made parts of the engine. Cover the adjacent parts with cardboard to protect them from the spray.
  • A perfect alternative to degreaser is a siphon sprayer and mineral spirits. You can use either of the two to degrease the entire engine compartment.

The Final Verdict

A lot of people don’t like the idea of cleaning the car engine themselves. Considering the engine’s moving parts and electric connectors, the idea of cleaning the motor is quite daunting. But with the steps we listed above, you can now find detailing the car engine as an enjoyable and satisfying activity. Keep your car engine clean easily and quickly.

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