Five Steps to a Cleaner Engine

There are some excellent reasons why you need to clean the engine compartment of your vehicle occasionally. To begin with, it makes it much easier to see fluid leaks and worn belts, prevents rust, and makes a terrific impression if you're selling your vehicle.

It also makes working on your vehicle's engine of a chore since you don't get too cluttered. You will notice when take your vehicle to a garage which the mechanics are far more meticulous and exact when working on a fresh engine.

Several precautions- Always wear decent eye protection when using chemical cleaning agents like engine degreasers. You absolutely have to disconnect your vehicle's negative battery cable before starting any cleaning work on the motor or electrical system. Please also consult with your vehicle's service manual for any cleaning instructions or instructions which may specifically apply to your specific engine.

Step One- Before you start the cleaning, start the engine, let it warm up for a couple of minutes then shut it off, to be able to soften up accumulated dirt and grit in your engine compartment. The right cleaning temperature for the motor to be is warm but not hot- you should be able to hold your hands to the motor without burning it.

Before cleaning the engine with water, it is critical to cover mechanical and electrical components under the hood to protect them from water damage. The atmosphere intake/air filter, the distributor, the coil and the petroleum dipstick/breather ought to be coated using plastic baggies sealed with rubber bands It is a fantastic idea to also check the tightness of the oil filler cap, power steering filler cap, windshield washer fluid cap, oil dip stick, battery filler caps and secure baggies over them.

Step Two- Spray all over the engine and engine compartment with non-petroleum based degreaser, beginning from the bottom and working up. Citrus degreasing products won't damage the paint or finish on aluminum parts and are biodegradable. After 3-5 minutes use a soft cotton towel or brush to carefully wash the heavy dirt. Re-spray and re-scrub any areas that require cleaning. Once the entire engine and engine compartment was cleaned, rinse thoroughly with water. Avoid getting the degreaser on any exterior painted regions because it will strip the wax out of your finish. If it happens, it is okay, but you will have to provide those areas a great wax job when you are through.

Measure three- After clean, right off take off all of the plastic baggies. Dry any accumulated water, particularly on aluminum components, using a soft cotton towel. Using paper towels, dry the battery. Start the engine and let it warm up, to be able to dry the rest of the engine and evaporate any moisture from sensitive components.

After everything is dry and cooled off is a fantastic opportunity to put a coating of rubber protectant in your rubber hoses, plastic shields and rubber gaskets.

Step Four- If the battery terminals are dirty, disconnect the wires and wash the cable terminals and battery poles using a wire brush. Reconnect the terminals and retighten. Get some battery terminal spray and spray the attached terminals to protect them from corrosion.

Step Five- A thin coating of non-silicone lubricant should be applied to some hinges, throttle cables, cruise control wires and similar moving parts. Now check and top off fluid levels.

Take your car out for a spin and be sure that the engine runs satisfactorily. Congratulations, you are done and now need to have a pristine polished engine compartment.