The car engine is one of the most complicated parts of your vehicle to maintain and clean. It can be hard for a beginner to know where they should start when it comes to achieving the best care for their engine.

This article will provide some great advice for cleaning your car's engine safely, with detailed step-by-step instructions.

Why The Need for A Clean Car Engine?

The first and most obvious reason to clean your car's engine is due to the fact that it will extend its life considerably, as dirty engines are prone to wear out faster. 

A clean engine will attract a higher resale value as it denotes great care on the part of a car owner.

What steps to follow?

1. Clean only when it is cool

Have you just arrived from a long trip? This is NOT the right time to get the engine cleaning done. Your engine parts may be heated from the journey. 

You can keep the hood up and allow some cooling-off period before you begin with the cleaning procedure. 

2.Cover the Electric Parts

Electrical parts like the alternator and distributor in the engine need to be covered before you spray water on the engine surface. 

Also, the battery's negative terminal needs to be detached to avoid the chances of short circuits. 

3.Remove dirt and dust from the Surface

Every car is different. You may have an engine with black and chrome or have a muffler on. When cleaning for the first time, start by spraying all parts with a simple solution of warm soapy water. 

Be careful not to overdo this step. Otherwise, you might damage some vital parts of the engine like the fuel pump or an alternator.

Also, make sure that you close all air vents and pull down all windows.

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4.Use a Degreaser to Clean the Engine

If you have previously worked on any car engines before, you would know that this step is vital. The most recommended degreaser to use is carb cleaner. 

Spray carb cleaner on the entire engine part and allow it to sit for around 15 minutes. Choose a foam or gel-based formulation so that it sits around the vertical components without slipping down.

Using a toothbrush or an old toothbrush can also prove effective in removing some of the stubborn greases on the parts. After this process, wash off with a garden hose and wipe it dry for about 10 minutes.

5.Scrub the Surface

Apply some warm soapy water and with a soft toothbrush, gently wash the engine. Use an old toothbrush for this step. Doing so will help you scrub off any stubborn dirt or gunk that can be found deep down in the engine.

At this point, use a slightly wet cloth to wipe off your engine part. Follow this up with a dry cloth wiping as well.

6.Do a thorough Rinsing

Once the engine parts appear clean, turn on the engine and spray the water in a jet form, to remove any soap residue. This action will also help the degreaser remnants to slide to the bottom of the engine surface. 

Once you have removed all the hoses, run a garden hose in the same manner earlier. This will ensure that all the grime is rinsed off completely before you proceed to shut down your car.

By now, you should have cleaned off most of the dirt accumulated over time inside your car engine.

7. Allow it to Dry

Don't let the water sit on the engine parts for long. Make sure that you provide adequate time for it to dry. Use a rag to dab the engine dry. Then you can engage in the below air-drying process.

Lay a few old newspapers or an old cloth on top of the engine parts. Also, ensure that the newspaper is not too thick as this could prevent proper air circulation. Turn on a hair dryer at full heat and allow it to blow directly on the engine parts. This step will help in speeding up the drying process.

A Clean Engine = A Happy Engine

After following these steps, your engine parts will be clean and shiny. The next time you take your car on a long-distance trip, you can rest assured that the engine will not overheat or cause any other problems due to dirt accumulation.