How to clean the car engine: what can and cannot be done (video)

If you would like to clean the engine of your car to leave it as if it were new, there are several methods that you can apply. Of course, you should be careful because not all of them are recommended for any type of car. Depending on how old it is, certain precautions will be necessary to avoid electrical failures or corrosion in some parts.

The best thing you can do is opt for the method that we detail in the following video. In addition to obtaining a very good result, you will not damage any electrical or delicate components. A very convenient operation if you want to sell your car in the trading market or simply to improve its appearance.

Video of how to clean the car engine

How could you see, if you follow the instructions in this video it will not be possible to damage anything inside the engine. In the little electrical conductivity experiment, it becomes clear which liquids and products can be used without fear. Which allows you to go faster by not having to stop at useless precautions.

In addition, although specific products are sold for some surfaces, results that are obtained with everyday and cheap products are just as good or better. Something that is appreciated in Step 3, on difficult stains, and Step 4, on polishing.

Here we tell you the methods that are usually used to clean the car engine. Be careful, because they are not recommended.

Method 1 – The safest

Approximate time: 5 or 10 minutes

If you are not looking for an optimal result and you want wet the engine as little as possible, this method is highly recommended. You won't get a perfect result, but the appearance of the engine will be much newer and more careful than before. For this reason, we are only going to dust it off and focus on the most colorful parts. You will need the following items:

• Brush or brush and vacuum cleaner
• rags
• Bucket with water
• Multi-purpose cleaner and degreaser
• Plastic polish or WD-40, 3 in One or similar

The steps to follow are:

• Use the brush and the vacuum to dust off of all visible parts of the engine compartment. Also clean the inside of the hood, because the dirt that accumulates will fall into the motor when it closes. Don't forget to remove the typical leaves that creep through the top of the hood during the fall.
• spray the multi-use cleaner. Run the cloth over the plastic covers and the most visible parts, avoiding touching cables or electrical connections that you can damage or move when you touch them. The most important are the plastics that cover the engine, the large hoses, the tanks of different liquids and the visible parts of the bodywork.

• If there is any grease stain that does not come out with the multipurpose, apply the degreasers on a rag and rub. Keep in mind that these types of products should not fall into rubber sleeves, cable harness covers or plastics. It is also useful with very embedded dirt. If you apply it on the enamel or paint of the car, do it briefly and then rinse with a wet cloth, to remove the remains. Also, use it only on the inner sheet metal of the engine compartment, not on the outer sheet metal of the car.
• Depending on how dirty the engine is, you may need rinse the cloth several times in a bucket with water. When you do it drains very well the rag If you use distilled water, all the better, because it does not conduct electricity and does not damage electrical components. However, since you are going to touch few pieces and you are going to use the very drained cloth, it is not essential either.
• When everything is dry, apply the plastic polish. Although you can also use WD-40 , 3 in One or similar, because the results are very good too.

Method 2 – Clean the engine thoroughly

Approximate time: 15 or 20 minutes

This procedure is much more exhaustive and therefore many more parts are touched. It is the most similar to the video method that we recommend above. Is very very safe if you do it the right way. You will need the following tools and products:

• Brush or brush and vacuum cleaner
• rags
• Multi-purpose cleaner and degreaser
• Distilled or demineralized water
• Plastic polish or WD-40 (also 3 in One or similar)
• Metal cleaner or WD-40 and a scouring pad (also 3 in One or similar).

The steps to follow are:

• In this method you will also have to use the brush and the . Also do not forget to remove the typical leaves that sneak through the top of the hood during the fall.

• Spray a lot of multi-use cleaner. As we have proven in the video is not a conductor of electricity, so you will not have problems if it falls on cables and other electrical components. The most important are the plastics that cover the engine, the large hoses, the tanks of different liquids and the visible parts of the bodywork. Do not remove the product immediately, let it act for a few minutes to loosen the dirt.
• Apply the degreasers if there are any grease stains that are too much for the all-purpose cleaner. Throw it on the cloth, to prevent it from falling where it shouldn't. Keep in mind that these types of products should not be used on rubber sleeves, plastics or cable harness coatings, because they deteriorate little by little.
• load the with the distilled water. this water she is not a driver of electricity, because it does not contain the necessary salts to be so. As you can see in the video, distilled water can also be used with microfiber cloths. Although the steamer makes the task much easier.

• Use the steam cleaner without fear for all parts of the vain. It removes the plastic covers of the engine itself and other parts, but never the air intake.
• wait for everything to dry. You will see that it takes less, due to the high temperature of the steam.
• Use WD-40, 3 in One or similar with a scouring pad to remove rust. A metal cleaners type magic cotton It will not work well for this, although you can use it to make metallic parts shiny, such as clamps, screws, nuts, etc.. If it is one of the engines that have the engine block in the air, the results will be very showy.
• Use the plastic polish, or again an e-in-One type product, in the large hoses and the tanks of different liquids and the plastics that cover the engine. This will give you the finishing touch that will make the engine look new and well maintained.

Method 3 – The one you should not use except for exceptions

Approximate time: 5 or 10 minutes + reasonable drying time

This method of cleaning the engine not recommended, because it may cause electrical failure and deterioration of some parts. If you still opt for it, because you think your engine is well protected against water, you should take at least two important precautions: cover the electrical parts of the motor y wait for it to dry completely before turning it back on. Even with them, no one guarantees that everything will turn out well. You will need the following tools and products:

• Plastic bags or similar without holes
• pressurized water hose
• stamp of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of drivers

The steps to follow including the precautions mentioned above are:

• Covers sensitive electrical parts of the engine with some plastics. These are the battery, the connections, the relay or fuse boxes, etc. A good way to do it is with the typical garbage bags with tapes to close. This way you can adjust them better to each part. the problem can come if you don't know your car well, because you can expose parts that did need protection: such as sensors. In addition, you will not know if outside your reach, inside the engine compartment, there are parts that do not tolerate water.

• apply the water pressure using the soap and rinse mode. Don't forget to remove the typical leaves that creep through the top of the hood during the fall. Do not use the hot wax or polish option.
• Let it dry until you're pretty sure everything is dry. This can take a long time depending on the weather conditions you are in.
• Pray what you know.