Is your Car’s Engine a greasy mess?? Follow these steps to clean dirty engine without screwing it up!!

Engines don’t need dirt or oil on them to work properly! To help with that, here’s how to clean one of the most forgotten places on a car’s body without screwing it up!!- Brought to you by PartsAvatar Auto Parts.

Car Engine and its components are the most expensive auto parts to repair. We spend thousands of dollars in replacing and upgrading auto parts, paint jobs, replacing tires etc. But did you ever wonder how your engine looks like? Ever seen its condition?

If you want engine to work in its best condition keep it clean.

Why is it important to clean the engine compartment?

Well, of course if the engine compartment is clean, it will make your car look newer and cleaner. If you plan on selling your car, then you must do it! Though it is true that oily, greasy dirt that accumulates on an engine can trap heat, it’s doubtful it would be enough to cause an engine to overheat or even run hotter than normal.

But it doesn’t mean that cleaning engine has no benefit. It can help determine where the oil or grease is coming from like leaky valve cover gasket. Cleaning off the gunk can save you a lot of dollars on repairs. With a clean engine it is much easier to find a fluid leak, worn or torn belts, prevent engine rust and to sell your car when the time comes.

If you are a mechanic, a clean engine makes things a lot less messy when under the hood. So now let’s get to the point- how to clean it!!

Required tools for cleaning

1. Micro fibre towels

2. Brushes

3. Drip Pan

3. Spray wax

4. Soapy water

5. Pipe cleaner

6. Trim cleaner

7. Flashlight

8. Degreaser

Make sure to save these components from water!!

1. Car alternator and distributor

2. Engine oil

3. Automotive spark plugs

4. Car brake and power water reservoir

Remember, never detail a hot engine!

Clean it all

Before you begin cleaning make sure to remove any leaves, grass or debris from the engine bay. Disconnect the car battery by loosening the bolt on negative terminal on the battery and sliding the ground cable off of the terminal.

It would be good to cover spark plug inlets, loose wires or other wiring or electronics with plastic for safety. Let the engine run for at least five minutes and then let it cool down.

Degreasing the Engine

Choose a good quality degreasing product. Solvent based degreasers work faster. Start by degreasing the perimeter of engine bay. Make sure you get the fluid containers and hoses degreased as well.

Read the instructions on the degreaser bottle to ensure you use the best method. The painted surfaces are fine to use degreaser but it will remove the wax. So be careful not to overspray. You can avoid damaging paint by rinsing it off quickly (with slow stream of water).

Degreaser won’t do whole job for you but it will make things quicker. For fairly dirty engines, three minutes are enough to loosen up the stuck grease or oil. With the help of stiff bristled brush scrub away the deposits of grease, grime or burned oil.

Don’t use high pressure hose to rinse the engine. A regular garden hose can do your job. Anything that doesn’t come off can just be wiped down. If after rinsing, still engine looks dirty, again apply degreaser on affected areas carefully and repeat the process.

After rinsing the engine off, you should begin washing your car immediately. Make sure all the dirt is gone.

You may need to mix some soapy water in a spray bottle to assist in your detailing. That helps get the areas that need to be hand detailed.

Cleaning Engine components

Some areas or engine components may require you to use detailing brushes to get the grime off. Use soft bristled brushes to do so. Use the scrub to clean the terminals of the battery until they are clean.  You can also use baking soda and water solution to do so. Dip your brush in the mixture of baking soda ( a bit) and water(a bucket) and scrub the corroded battery terminals and other areas.

For hard to reach areas you can use a tooth brush or pipe cleaner to absorb the soapy water. Lastly use brake cleaner to spot clean grime deposits. Use a hard toothed brush to scrub the grime away and rinse it with brake cleaner.

You can allow the engine to air dry and concentrate on other things like dealing with corrosion on the prominent heat shield.

For scrubbing the plastic parts, use stiff plastic bristle brush and then sponge water. Rinse with water and dry with towels.

Once dry, you may need to repeat cleaning some areas with the soapy water. Finally rinse with clear water and let it dry before starting the engine.

Once the engine is crystal clear, now you can easily spot leaks that are causing the grease and oil to build up. Also check for coolant leaks. Check the coolant system to see if its holding enough pressure.

Well you can also shop for auto repair tools and garage shop supplies online, if you want to do this job by your own!

Your engine will look so much better if you take some time and clean it up. Once you clean it, maintaining it with regular wipe downs is much easier.

Clean engine might increase your car’s resale value, so give it a thought. But if you are not sure if you can perform it well first time, it doesn’t hurt to ask for assistance. Take help from your friend or ask a professional.

Make sure to clean your engine somewhere you can collect the wastewater and dispose it of properly. Make sure the engine has cooled down when you start your cleaning job. You should never pour cold water on a hot engine as it can crack the engine parts.

If you’re on the hunt for an online car parts store that has everything that you need, then look no further than Partsavatar.ca!