Today, there are thousands of articles and videos on how to clean your car. But this isn’t the only section of the car that needs to be cleaned. The engine bay is another important part that needs detailing once in a while. We all believe that a clean engine bay helps the car to cool off well as there is no dirt getting into the filters or water wearing out some parts like the bearings. I know many people are damn afraid of damaging some engine parts during the cleaning of the engine bay. There shouldn’t be anything to tense about if you follow our guide on how to perfectly clean your engine bay.
Follow the Steps Below to Effectively Clean Your Car Engine in Bay
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Choose The Right Time
Before you begin cleaning the engine, you should ensure that it has cooled off. So, the best time to clean the engine bay is in the morning. When the engine is hot, and you apply cold water on it, you may be running a risk of damaging it. Also, prepare the tools that you will need to use for cleaning the engine bay. These include car wash soap, microfiber towels, car wash mitts, buckets, plastic & metal cleaner, plastic bags, engine degreaser, and water hoses.
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Disconnect The Power Source
Go ahead and disconnect the negative battery terminal or cover the battery with a plastic bag. Since water conducts electricity, you should avoid it linking and making new temporary circuits. Cover parts like the distributor, alternator, and carburetor by use of plastic bags so that water doesn’t get on them. When you start your engine, don’t forget to remove the bags after detailing the engine bay.
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Choose a Quality Degreaser
When degreasing, start with the perimeter of the engine bay. You can also apply the degreaser on painted surfaces, but you should know that the wax will be removed. The fluid containers and hoses should be degreased as well. This is because these areas get extremely dirty and need to be decreased. Also, ensure that you select a quality degreaser to do the job. Get the degreaser off with a slow stream of water. Use a water hose, and the engine degreaser will assist in getting the dirt off. Any dirt left behind can be removed with the help of cloth by being wiped off.
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Remove The Dirt With a Soft-Bristled Brush/Car Wash Mitt
When you’re rinsing your car, the other engine parts can now be cleaned using hand. Take the car wash mitt and apply it in hard-to-reach areas like crevices. Never use a steel or scratched plastic brush to clean the engine bay as it might damage parts. But a soft-bristled brush or car wash mitt can get the job to be well done. Remove the grime, debris, and dirt from all the engine parts.
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Dry The Engine Bay Before Waxing
After thoroughly cleaning away all the dirt and grime from the engine, you are required to dry it before waxing. You can use a dry microfiber towel to dry the engine bay. But the towel can’t access some parts, and you can decide to apply a blower to rinse the engine parts perfectly well. Applying a can of compressed air will remove water from all the parts.
Related article: How can you clean your car engine block easily?
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Final Task to Clean Engine Bay
Make your engine shine again by applying wax on it or a protectant. Wax the engine slowly without missing some parts. But when it comes to hoses and plastics, these should be shined by the use of a rubber or vinyl protectant. Apply the protectant on hoses and plastics so that they can be protected from heat and stains from grease and dirt, respectively.
Mistakes You Should Avoid While Cleaning Your Car Engine Bay
- Cover all the sensitive engine parts with a waterproof bag so that the water can’t get into the compartment.
- Don’t use a powerful hosepipe to wash the entire compartment. Try to use your harder hose to spray degreaser.
- Wear safety gear before cleaning the grime and dirt from all the engine parts.
- Start Cleaning the engine bay when your engine is cool. Don’t apply water to cool down the hot engine. Also, disconnect all the battery or power connections completely for maximum safety.
Summary
When you regularly detail your car engine bay, let’s say after every six months, it will continue looking new and perform at a high level. Just follow our steps above, and you will appreciate us.
