How to wash your engine safely and efficiently with your own hands
The engine compartment becomes dirty with dust, road dirt, insects, as well as leaks of oil, coolant and technical fluids. The motor is covered, as it were, in a cocoon with low thermal conductivity, which leads to its overheating. When the oil heats up, the viscosity decreases, causing rapid wear of parts.
Oil stains that have leaked through gaskets and pipes may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts. Oiling sometimes damages their electrical wiring. Also, it is more difficult to detect faults on a dirty engine, and its appearance will not make anyone happy.
You can clean the engine at a car wash for money, but taking into account the organization of work, it is still unknown how this will affect its operation. Instead of a car wash, you can clean the engine yourself, and all drivers can do it.
Preparing for washing
With any washing method, you need to start by sealing the contacts and connectors with WD-40. Make sure the oil dipstick is fully retracted. The entrance to the suction manifold, generator, fuse box is covered with film, and the battery is removed.
You will need:
To clean the engine at a car wash you need:- WD-40 liquid;
- cleansing foam;
- engine cleaner;
- Karcher high-pressure washer;
- a set of brushes;
- air purge.
- a set of brushes and cleaners, including metal;
- Microfiber wipes;
- a set of auto chemical goods with a desiccant for rubber and plastic;
- pump water sprayer;
- markers in gold, silver and black.
Washing process
When cleaning the engine at a car wash, first the engine compartment is washed with a stream of water under high pressure. Then apply cleansing foam generously. Oil stains are treated with a special cleaner. Heavily contaminated areas are cleaned with a brush. Next, all chemicals and dissolved dirt are washed off with high pressure of water.
It is the latter factor that causes problems after washing the engine.
To avoid this, use special mobile guns with low output pressure or simply a stream from a hose without pressure. After washing, the engine is purged with air.
Now how to wash it correctly:
Self-washing does not have many of the disadvantages of a car wash. It starts from the bottom of the hood, having previously covered the engine with film.
Wet the hood with water and gel and brush it. Wipe with microfiber to remove water.
The surroundings of the engine are wetted from the pump to dissolve dirt.
Treat heavily contaminated and inaccessible areas with brushes and brushes.
Using water, wash off the dirt and wipe with microfiber. Remove the film from the engine.
Spray the black parts with auto chemicals and gradually wash them with a brush. Metal parts are moistened with engine cleaner to dissolve stagnant dirt and removed with a brush.
Clean the remaining parts and begin cleaning the valve cover with engine cleaner, a brush and a brush. Wipe everything with a dry cloth, including the candlesticks.
Next, the coils and high-voltage wires are cleaned using little water, but with an emphasis on chemicals and a toothbrush. Move on to cleaning the plastic on the engine.
Finish the cleaning by painting the metal parts, including the shock absorber supports, free of rust, with a blackener.
They clean the area under the battery and put it in place.
The inscriptions on the lids of the tanks are restored with a gold marker, and the heads of the bolts are painted over with silver. The blackener is used to wipe plastic and rubber parts to renew them.
If covers and plastic parts were removed, they are put back in place after restoration.
