Did you know if the check engine light appears, your car might die soon? This is why it’s important to keep up with engine maintenance and cleaning. If you want to learn about the importance of engine cleaning, keep reading.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to clean a car engine. You could complete this job at home, or look into professional engine cleaning.
Ready to learn more? Check out the tips below.
When Should You Clean the Car Engine?
You should pick a warmer day to clean the car engine. Choose a warmer day with a bit of wind to help dry the engine and its components after cleaning.
Don’t wash the engine on a rainy or cold day.
You Should Let the Engine Cool Down
If the car has been running, you should flip your hood up and let the engine cool off. It should cool for at least 15 minutes. Super warm engine components could end up burning you.
But it could also get damaged if you spray the parts with cold water.
You Should Remove Any Plastic Covers
Look at getting rid of the plastic cover that’s below the hood. Scrub the parts separately and remove the negative terminal from the vehicle battery. This can protect the electrical components, so they don’t get damaged.
Remove the battery if you’d like, but you can clean it without removing the battery.
Look at Covering Electrical Parts
Use a bag to cover electrical parts like the ignition wires, battery, and engine control unit. If the engine’s exposed to the air intake, you’ll need to cover it too. Remain careful when rinsing the engine.
You Should Degrease the Engine
You should spray the engine with a degreaser. The household degreaser should work, no matter if it’s an engine degreaser or a kitchen cleaner. You should spray every inch and clean it up well.
Next, you’ll need to scrub the engine. Have there been years of caked-on dirt and oil? You’ll want to use a smaller brush with a synthetic, not a metallic brush. Bristles will help work the degreaser in and clean the gunk away.
You’ll Need to Rinse the Engine
If you have a power washer at home, put it in a light setting. The standard home hose can work as well.
Use the sprayer found at a local DIY car wash. You should rinse the engine compartment. Make sure to rinse from the back to the front and eliminate the degreaser.
Don’t spray the electrical parts. Prevent spraying water in the areas that aren’t going to dry super well. Do you have a compressed air tool? Blast the air to get rid of excess water.
If you can’t, you should wipe things down that you can reach with a rag or towel. This will remove any leftover grime and moisture.
Some people don’t have the time or confidence to clean the car engine. Find a local mechanic to complete the engine cleaning.
Understanding How to Clean a Car Engine
Did you find this guide helpful on how to clean a car engine?
Keep your vehicle engine in top shape by cleaning it at least every six months. You should use a degreaser, rinse the engine parts well, and make sure to dry them.
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