Engine Bay Cleaning Using Engine Degreaser
Kal Kozomos
10 June 2021
Have you ever noticed your engine looking particularly greasy? Well, you could get a professional to carry out engine bay cleaning, but if you like to think your quite hands-on and can get the job done, why not give it a go yourself with WD-40® Specialist® Fast Acting Degreaser Spray? No need for elbow grease when you are armed with our Fast Acting Engine Degreaser Cleaner. Simply follow our quick step-by-step guide on how to use engine degreaser to clean your engine bay below.
Cover Any Sensitive Areas With Plastic Bags Or Other Waterproof Cover
Cover any sensitive areas we mentioned earlier in phase 1 with a plastic bag. Use a few rubber bands around the plastic bags to make a watertight seal and prevent the bags from getting loose or moving around. For smaller tight areas, aluminum foil is also a great option. Just take an adequate amount of aluminum foil and shape it to the sensitive area. This step will prevent excessive amounts of water from getting on or in sensitive parts.
Phase 6 Detailing: Finishing Off The Perfect Clean Engine Bay
Now that the engine bay is perfectly clean, it’s time to start detailing and adding protection to the plastic, rubber, and paint surfaces!
Starting with your plastics and rubbers, we recommend using a plastic and rubber conditioner./ This will add a nice rich, dark look to all your plastics but also condition them to prevent cracking and fading. Take your favorite plastic and rubber conditioner and apply a substantial amount on a microfiber towel or foam applicator pad, then evenly apply it throughout the engine bay.
Mirror Shine Wax & Sealant Spray
Get a Showroom Shine in Minutes!
Just spray on and buff with a simple microfiber towel. Designed to be hydrophobic and repel water, dirt and other elements from coat. Car maintenance has never been easier.
After conditioning your plastics and rubber, grab a quality spray paint sealant or wax and apply it to all the painted and metal surfaces in the engine bay. This will add a lot of gloss and shine while adding great protection.
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Why Would You Want To Clean The Cars Engine Bay
Your cars engine bay is so dirty because its constantly exposed to the outside elements from below the bay and gets riddled with dirt and grime from the engine itself, especially if the car previously had an oil leak. The main reasons that you might want a clean engine bay are if you plan to sell the car and want to make it look presentable or if youre trying to track down a fluid leaking from your engine. Having a clean engine bay can do wonders in impressing other people, almost as much as a clean interior.
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Engine Bay Dressing For A Final Touch
If you want to perform a more special task, you can take help from engine dressing for a greeter engine look. Spray engine dressing once the engine has been cooled it is like add on to your engine. Although this step is not mandatory however, it can make your engine bay look glossier and like new. It offers a uniform look that you cannot get through basic degreasing process and washing.In addition to that, engine dressing acts as a barrier to dust and debris, making it easier to remove during cleaning.
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Protect The Engine Electrical Components
Water can cause unfortunate damage to the electrical components and ultimately blow a fuse or two. However, there is a way to prevent this from happening. Simply, remove the battery from the engine and clean it separately outside. To do this, youll need to disconnect both of the battery terminals. Next, youll need to cover up all of the exposed wirings and components as well. To do this, wrap plastic around components such as the spark plug inlets and the distributor cap. Do the same for loose wires as well to make the components relatively waterproof.
Tips For Restoring Plastic
As we mentioned earlier, plastics and rubber can fade over time. If your engine bay plastics look faded, use a few layers of plastic and rubber conditioner on the affected areas, leaving a few minutes between coats. This should be able to restore your faded plastics, but if they still look faded, you might have to use a plastic dye or paint to restore the area. This can be a bit messy, but the results are worth it!
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Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap: How To Get A Clean Engine Bay
Polishing your vehicles posterior until it shines like glass and then leaving its engine bay untouched is like hopping in the shower and not washing your ass. Just because no one can see under there doesnt mean it isnt filthy as hell, and the longer you wait between scrubs the worse things are going to get down below.
Although hitting the car wash or scheduling a weekly car detailing routine is common practice for most people, drivers tend to forego cleaning their engine bays for a few reasons. The typical excuse you hear is that they dont want to damage any crucial components, and being that engines are typically an out of sight, out of mind part of the vehicle, it shouldnt really matter anyway. If a car engine runs fine without being hit with an engine cleaner once a year, why worry about things like stubborn dirt, carbon deposits, and grease building-up around the valve cover?
There are quite a few reasons why you should scrub where the sun doesnt shine. On older vehicles, having a filthy engine bay will only make identifying a fluid leak all the more challenging. Heavy layers of grime, road salt, engine fluids, and rust have also been known to expedite the deterioration of rubber components like vacuum lines and hoses. There is also the risk of corrosion, which can shorten the lifespan of crucial powertrain components and cause bolts to seize.
Keep An Eye On Any Warning Signs In Your Dashboard
With the help of the symbols on the cars dashboard, your car can tell when something goes wrong like when the engine overheats or there is something wrong with the electrical system or the brake fluid level is too low. You should go to an auto repair shop as soon as possible to save yourself from expensive repairs or even an accident. If you notice the engine light flashing while youre driving, slow down right away because this might be a sign of a serious problem.
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How To Super Clean Your Engine Bay
Theresnothing more satisfying than popping your bonnet to see an engine thats cleanand pristine. Many drivers are wary of cleaning their cars engine bay, in caseof disturbing or damaging parts, but most modern vehicles are robust enough towithstand a deep clean.
Readyto give your car a bit of TLC? Follow our step-by-step guide to cleaning yourengine bay below, and youll find all the tips and product recommendations youneed to get it gleaming.
Phase 2 The Dry Clean
Dry cleaning will allow you to remove surface dust and grime from the engine bay. Using a vacuum with a detailing brush, remove all the surface dust, leaves, and dirt from the engine bay by brushing it into the vacuum nozzle. The detail brush will help you get into smaller nooks and crannies that your vacuum nozzle cant access. This will help you loosen the dirt and grime, allowing you to push it into the vacuum. Continue this process throughout the whole engine bay, making sure to remove as much loose contamination as possible. You could also use a leaf blower to blow away loose debris and dust. This is super easy, but make sure to wear a dust mask and safety goggles for personal protection!
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Is It A Good Idea To Wash Your Car Engine
Though the cleaning itself might not improve your cars performance, cleaning your car engine will help you spot any issues. Youll be able to check the condition of the hoses, parts, and accessory belts and remove any larger debris.
It might seem a mammoth task, but establishing a semi-regular engine cleaning routine will make it easier and faster every time. Regular cleaning will help you pick up on and resolve any problems. particularly if you live in a climate where snow, salt, and grit are likely to work their way into the engine.
The Wrong And Right Way Of Pressure Washing Engine
Why you should even bother for this? Isnt pressure washing is super easy?
Yes. But every process has the right and wrong way to perform. Pressure washing is a safe process until you choose the wrong way.
So, what are the ways all about?
- The wrong way includes a heavy-duty 3000 psi pressure washer, 0° blast nozzle tip. This combination is going to wreck the hell out of your car engine.
- The right way of cleaning is using a 40° nozzle tip combining with a moderate psi electric or gas pressure washer, gently spraying water keeping the lance distance of at least 3 feet.
The right way ensures a properly cleaned car engine that looks stunning.
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How Do You Clean A Cars Engine Bay
There are a couple of different ways to clean an engine bay. You can do it at home if you have access to a water hose and some cleaning products, at a car wash with a pressure washer, or you can have it professionally done if you dont want to do it yourself. But if you would like to clean your engine bay at home, here are the simple steps to do so:
- Let your engine cool off for at least 30 minutes if it was just running as spraying cold water on hot metal and plastic parts can cause them to contract at a rapid rate and crack.
- Remove your negative battery cable to lessen the risk of damaging any electrical components.
- Cover the battery, alternator, and distributor with plastic bags so that they dont get wet.
- Spray the engine bay with a degreaser. You can typically find a degreaser at your local auto parts store and if you want one thats eco-friendly, then we suggest using Simple Green.
- Scrub your engine bay using a soft-bristle brush to clean up all of the extra-dirty parts.
- Rinse the engine bay with the water hose, while doing your best not to concentrate the hose in one place for too long. Just do an even spray throughout the engine bay.
- Dry the engine bay using old microfiber towels.
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Manage Everything You Need Before Starting
Gather everything that will be needed while pressure washing. You do not want to run and pick each thing while pressure washing.
- Plastic bag and tape to protect electrical components
- Degreaser and detergents needed
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Reinstall The Battery Leads And Return The Original Set
To complete, reinstall the battery leads. Remove any protective covers that were used. In essence, you are returning the bay to its original set-up. Everything should look the same, but only this time, everything is clean!
Thats it! Like we said, only 7 simple steps to clean a car engine bay properly. Given how quick and straightforward these steps are, you may even be looking forward to cleaning your own engine bay right now.
Do: Take A Before Picture
If the engine is running smoothly, Im hesitant to take anything apart to clean it, and Id recommend you think the same way. The old adage of if it aint broke, dont fix it has treated me well for many years. However, to get a deep clean you must dive deep. Before you start, grab your camera and snap a picture.
Even if you have a great memory and a wealth of reference materials, a photo can still prove invaluable. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple glance at a before picture to know where that hose with the weird bend was attached. It also serves as great evidence of the improvement you make.
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How To Clean Your Car Engine Bay
The engine bay is probably one of the most overlooked parts of a car when it comes to detailing!
You only see it every few miles that is, if you’re changing your car’s oil yourself. Even though the engine bay can be overlooked, there are many key benefits to performing a full detail on it a few times a year.
Today, well take you through a step-by-step guide on how to detail your engine bay like a pro and explain why it’s so important to keep clean!
If you’re detailing an engine bay, Decon Soap is what you want. Period. This decontamination car wash soap eats away heavy grime like nothing. Our most heavy duty soap yet.
“You can actually feel how clean it gets the car surface. It squeaks as you wash it and gets super smooth. I do not know what is in this stuff but it is highly effective.” – Daniel M. from Washington. 5-star review.
Do: Use The Garden Hose
If you need to wash off the grit and grime, resist the urge to reach for the pressure washer. Both a home pressure washer and the wand at a local DIY car wash will eject water at a dangerously high pressure and threaten just about any part of your engine compartment. The jet can easily push past gaskets, into electrical panels and connections, and also into grease fittings.
If you discover the engine compartment is so filthy that a rinse-down is needed, take the time to seal all electrical connections and crankcase openings before using a garden hose. If the garden hose doesnt provide enough pressure, gently scrub with a soft bristle brush to break the gunk free.
What is your process for cleaning your engine compartment? Sound off in the Hagerty Community below.
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What Is An Engine Flush
An engine flush is an aftermarket chemical additive designed to clean accumulated deposits, sludge and other gunk from your engine.
You pour it into your engines oil-filler port and idle the engine for about 10-15 minutes. It mixes with the oil and circulates through the engine, helping dissolve sludge and clean deposits.
Then, you drain the oil , change the oil filter, add fresh oil and return to the business of driving.
How You Should Remove Rust From Inside Engine Block: Step By Step Guide
Cleaning your engine block can be very technical. If not done correctly, you run at a risk of damaging other parts of the engine. However, it is essential to know how to remove rust from engine parts. But thats when you have a good understanding of the technical-know-how needed to pull this off, and as long as you have the right set of a toolbox and take the necessary caution, you will be able to do this in no time.
You can use simple tools in your tools box to remove the rust in your engine. You dont need to own any unique tool for this process.If you want to have your engine neat and shiny like when you initially bought your vehicle, then you need to adhere to this process:
You need to have the cleaning materials on standby bucket or bowl, degreaser, wire cups, wire brush, rags, and your rust remover.To thoroughly clean the inside of your engine block you to detach it from your vehicle.
You need to remove any adjoining component holding the engine block in place, so you can take it out from your vehicles engine system. The engine block as a major component in your system houses several other components, and there are different types of engine blocks used in vehicle design.
You need to know how to disassemble engine components before learning how to clean rust from engine bay. It is necessary you detach your engine block and disassemble it first before starting the cleaning process.
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Remove Plastic Bag And Dry The Engine
Use a dryer to dry engine faster. Or just let dry. You can use a microfiber towel to rinse off the water and dry it. Remove the plastic bags that were wrapped to protect electrical equipment.
Cleaning car engine with a pressure washer is the easiest way. But always remember to keep a safe distance and cover the electrical equipment to make the job safer.
When You Need To Clean Inside Engine Block
It is necessary to clean your car engine, especially when you have oil leaking from your car, sludge, and grease.
Without cleaning properly, accumulating this dirt can cause flash rust cylinder bore and damage your cars camshaft load and the crankshaft bearings and lifters. This can also block oil galleries, restricting oil access to your car engines vital parts, and all these can lead to engine knocking.
The engine of your car does most of the hard job, allowing you to use your car by powering a lot of moving parts. Most of these parts contact oil, accumulation of grit, leaking fluids, and debris and chemicals picked from the road, which causes the engine to become dirty. You can use a coolant rust inhibitor to slow down the corrosion rate of metal components due to this effect.
An appropriate time to get your engine block cleaned is when you notice any leaking part around its surface when those areas start leaking, especially with oil, they attract dirt that tends to form a build-up of hardened parts that cause a blockage in some engine components So cleaning your engine system regularly will quickly deal with this and ensure the engine is functioning smoothly.
The different working parts found in the engine are not washed like many other vehicle parts. They are crucial procedures to follow when attempting to get your engine parts cleaned up.
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