Car engine wash: why you need it
Tips for motorists,  Machine operation

Car engine wash: why you need it

Every car gets dirty during operation, even if it drives in city mode. But if it is not difficult to wash off the dust from the body on your own, then what can you say about washing the engine? We will discuss why it is needed, how to properly wash the unit, which cleaner to use at the same time, and also what are the disadvantages of this procedure.

Why wash the engine

In the case of human health, the rule applies: the guarantee of health is cleanliness. The same principle works in the case of mechanisms. If the device is kept clean, it will last as long as it should, but in many cases even longer. For this reason, the car must be clean, not only for aesthetic reasons.

The "heart" of any vehicle is its power unit, be it a gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine (the difference in the operation of these units is described in another review) or an electric motor. The latter option does not get as dirty as the internal combustion engine. The reason for this is the way motors work. The unit, which uses the energy of the combustion air-fuel mixture, uses a lubrication system. Engine oil is constantly circulating along its highway. We will not consider in detail the device of this system, there is already about this. detailed article.

In short, gaskets are installed between the cylinder head, its cover and the block itself. Similar seals are used in other parts of the engine and associated systems, for example, fuel. Over time, these materials deteriorate, and due to oil or fuel pressure, the substance begins to appear on the surface of the unit.

Car engine wash: why you need it

During the trip, a stream of air constantly enters the engine compartment. This is necessary for efficient cooling of the power unit. Dust, fluff and other dirt enter the engine compartment together with the air. All this lingers on oily drips. Depending on the technical condition of the motor, this contamination in a particular case can be minimal, or even critical.

If there are already old pipes in the cooling system, it is possible that antifreeze can seep through the damage and drip onto the hot body of the internal combustion engine. After evaporation of the liquid, salt deposits often remain on the surface of the unit. Such contamination must also be removed.

Although the dirt gets on the engine, it remains clean inside (of course, if the car owner changes oil on time). However, there can be problems with a dirty powertrain. First, as already mentioned, over time, seals become obsolete and may leak slightly. If the engine is heavily contaminated, it is difficult to visually identify this defect. Because of this, the motorist may not notice the problem, and, as a consequence, delay the repair. This in turn can lead to serious damage.

For example, if the driver is not in the habit of periodically checking the oil level (for how often this should be done, read here) or look under his vehicle to notice a puddle of oil, he will not be able to take appropriate measures in time. There is no need to tell what oil starvation is, and what it is fraught with.

Secondly, the cooling of the power unit is provided not only by the radiator and the system filled with antifreeze (how the CO works and what elements it consists of is described separately). The part lubrication system is also responsible for this. But it is not in vain that air intakes are made in the body structure. They exist so that the flow additionally cools the entire unit. But if the engine is dirty, heat exchange becomes difficult, and the ICE turns out to be wrapped in a blanket. The cooling systems will continue to work, but the thermal load on the motor will be higher, since the heat from it is not so efficiently removed.

Car engine wash: why you need it

As the engine temperature rises, each of its parts will be subjected to additional stress, which will lead to their partial expansion. This factor is directly related to the premature wear of the internal combustion engine.

A dirty engine compartment can also negatively affect electrical wiring. Antifreeze, gasoline or oil can damage the insulation of the wires or provide a leakage current in the on-board system. For this reason, it is important to keep the wiring clean.

Another reason why cleaning the interior under the hood is necessary is fire safety. The fact is that vapors of petroleum products in combination with a high temperature can ignite. Of course, this happens very rarely due to a dirty engine.

At some service stations there is a rule according to which the owner must bring his car with a more or less clean engine compartment. Someone always cleans the engine compartment before carrying out repair work, because it is much more pleasant to work in cleanliness. There are also those who just like to keep the car perfectly clean, not only outside, but also inside.

And another reason why many motorists carry out this procedure is the desire to give the vehicle a presentation. When a car is inspected during the sale and purchase, and the hood rises, the appearance of the power unit can be used to assess the conditions under which the car was operated. But on the other hand, all mechanisms and assemblies under the hood, polished to a shine, may raise the suspicion that the seller did this on purpose so that the buyer could not notice traces of lubricant leaks.

So, as you can see, there are many reasons to keep the power unit clean. Now let's look at how flushing is carried out manually and at a car wash.

How is the washing going?

To wash a car engine, you need to use a special cleaning company that provides cleaning services of this kind. A regular car wash will do a good job of removing dirt from under the hood too. Only the task of this procedure is not just to remove impurities with the pressure of water. It is also important to keep the motor and other mechanisms of the car working.

Car engine wash: why you need it

Specialists of detailing companies that provide comprehensive and detailed vehicle cleaning services know which car chemicals are best suited for removing specific contaminants. They also understand how the unit is cleaned correctly without harm to it and adjacent elements of different systems and mechanisms.

Some car washes provide engine cleaning services. The most common procedures are:

  • The engine compartment can be cleaned with the help of a non-contact wash, as in the usual treatment of the body. It should be said right away that this is the most dangerous method for a car. For this reason, such car washes have a warning that after the procedure there is no guarantee for the serviceability of the power unit.
  • Another risky option is to clean the motor with chemicals. The reason is that the reagents can damage some kind of plastic or rubber part. Often this is not immediately noticeable, but literally in a couple of days, when the substance corrodes the walls of the pipe or wiring, the driver will have to take the car for diagnostics and repairs. On the services providing such services, there is also a warning that the company does not guarantee the serviceability of the vehicle.
  • Steam cleaning is used much less frequently, although in this case the motor is less exposed to water. The hot steam is good at removing all types of dirt, from dust to old oil drips.
  • Self-service home cleaning process. Despite the fact that this is the longest procedure, it is more effective and safer than all the others. Only then can it be guaranteed that after cleaning the engine and all systems of the vehicle will work properly. When a car is cleaned by its owner, it is done much more carefully than a foreman, who does not guarantee that the vehicle will work after the operation.

If there are no detailing companies in the area where the vehicle is located, then you can clean the internal combustion engine yourself. This procedure cannot be performed in the same way as washing the body (foam is applied, waits for a couple of minutes, is washed off with a large pressure of water). If washing is carried out in this way, you can be sure that some part of the engine compartment will be damaged. It can be electrical wiring, a generator, some kind of sensor, etc.

It is safest to use a dry type of engine cleaning. Although water is used in this case, only a small amount is needed. The key cleaner is a chemical spray or liquid used to wet the rags. After processing the surfaces, the rags must be rinsed in clean water, and the treated elements are wiped clean until the smell of car chemicals disappears.

Car engine wash: why you need it

Here are some guidelines for self-cleaning your engine:

  1. First of all, you need to allocate enough time for this. Cleaning the engine compartment does not tolerate haste, as you can inadvertently damage the wiring or some kind of pipe.
  2. For an effective and safe procedure, you need the right chemistry. We will consider which cleaner is best a little later.
  3. Before using the detergent, carefully read the instructions for use. Although it is not an acid or an alkali, such products still contain a large amount of corrosive substances. If used improperly, the hand can be seriously injured.
  4. In addition to personal safety, you also need to take care of the safety of the environment. The cleaning liquid must not enter water bodies. Car cleaning should also not be performed near open sources of drinking water, etc.
  5. Be sure to start the engine, let it run. It should get warm, but not hot, to avoid thermal injury. This will speed up the drying process after cleaning.
  6. In order not to accidentally provoke a short circuit, the battery must be closed, and ideally removed altogether. How to do it correctly is separate review... Another mechanism, the presence of water in which is critical for its operation, is the generator. Before cleaning the compartment under the hood, this mechanism must be well protected from contact with moisture. It is also necessary to close the air filter pipe and other elements that are afraid of contact with water.
  7. After applying the cleaning agent, wait a few minutes in accordance with the instructions. Then the product must be washed off well. Under no circumstances should water be poured under pressure for this. It is better to use wet rags for this. Of course, it will take much longer, but it is safe for important elements of the engine and its systems.

Separately, it is worth mentioning how to properly clean the oxidation on the battery and on the site where it is installed. The need for this may appear in the case of using a serviced battery (about what kind of power source it is, and what other modifications are, read here). Do not remove these deposits with a simple damp cloth. Visually, it will seem that the site is clean, but in fact, the acid just scattered over a larger surface.

For this reason, before processing this element, it is necessary to neutralize the acid that is part of the electrolyte. For this, soda is used, dissolved in water in a one-to-one ratio. The neutralization process will be accompanied by abundant formation of air bubbles and hiss (the intensity of this depends on the degree of surface contamination).

How to choose an engine cleaner

In auto chemistry stores, you can find many different substances that can effectively clean the engine from any contamination. The most affordable option is car shampoo, but it requires more water to rinse it off the treated surface. In some cases, such a product may not cope with serious contamination.

Car engine wash: why you need it

For this reason, it is better to use one of the store cleaners for greater effect. They are implemented as:

  1. Aerosols;
  2. Manual trigger;
  3. Highly foaming liquids.

The aerosol copes with the dirt most effectively in the engine compartment, and it is much easier to remove its remnants. Spraying with a trigger has a similar effect, but in this case, the consumption of the substance will be greater. If a foaming agent is used, you must also ensure that you have enough clean water to rinse the rags.

How to use cleaners

The best solution would be to closely follow the manufacturer's instructions. Each auto chemistry company can use different reagents that have their own effect, so it is impossible to create a general instruction for all these substances.

The general principle for each of these types of cleaners is as follows:

  • Aerosol and manual trigger... Typically, such a substance is sprayed onto the surface to be cleaned. Waiting for some time. After that, the dirt is wiped off with a rag.
  • Foaming agentcar shampoo or body wash gel, for example, is usually diluted with water to form a lather. It is applied to the surface to be cleaned, they also wait for a while, and then remove with a wet rag or washcloth.
Car engine wash: why you need it

There are also products that are added to the water for steam cleaning or contactless washing. But we have already talked about the dangers of using such methods.

What to do after washing the engine

At the end of the cleaning, it is necessary to remove all moisture, especially from the wires. To do this, you can leave the hood raised for a while to allow the wind to ventilate the engine compartment. Drops are best removed with a dry cotton cloth. So the weathering of moisture will be faster. Some use compressed air to speed up the process, for example, spray cans for cleaning office equipment. The most important condition is not to use a strong pressure, so as not to accidentally rip off an important wire or pipe.

Car engine wash: why you need it

To completely dry the car after washing, you need to start the engine and let it run for up to 20 minutes. At the same time, let the hood remain open so that the space is well ventilated and the moisture evaporated from the hot engine does not condense inside.

Steam engine wash alternative or not

One of the most common alternative methods for automatic engine washing is with steam. Although the engine compartment is not filled with water, a certain amount of moisture is still used for this. The essence of the procedure is to clean the power unit and other elements of the engine compartment with a strong pressure of hot steam.

It is usually recommended to car owners as an alternative to a conventional manual car wash (it takes more time) or as a safer automatic car wash. Despite assurances that the process is safe for the machine, there is still a risk of moisture getting on the electronics.

Car engine wash: why you need it

Any procedure using high pressure is undesirable for the engine compartment, even if just air purging is used. The reason for this is the risk of damaging some kind of line, for example, ripping off a pipe of the cooling system or somewhere under the casing a wire of some sensor. After such a wash, you will have to send the car for diagnostics to find problems.

Pros and cons of car engine wash

So, washing the engine has the following advantages:

  1. A clean unit cools better. The internal cooling process runs more efficiently, which will prove useful during long periods of downtime in tamper or traffic jams in the city. At the same time, the oil does not burn out, and retains its properties throughout the entire recommended resource;
  2. For some car owners, the aesthetics of the vehicle is an important factor, so they pay a lot of attention to it;
  3. It is easier to notice the loss of technical fluids just on a clean power unit;
  4. In winter, roads are sprinkled with various reagents, which, upon contact with oily substances, can form various salt deposits. In a liquid state, when they come into contact with electrical wiring, such substances can create leakage currents. Of course, this does not happen often with new cars, but old cars suffer from a similar effect more often. For those who monitor the cleanliness under the hood, it will not be difficult after winter to simply wipe the unit and wires with a clean rag;
  5. A clean motor is more pleasant to maintain and repair.

Despite such a number of advantages, the engine wash has its own pitfalls. For example, as a result of inaccurate execution of the procedure, the contacts of different devices are exposed to moisture. Because of this, a signal from an important sensor or other part of the transport electrical circuit may disappear.

High voltage wires and spark plugs have a similar negative effect. If there is a lot of moisture on them, there is a high probability that the engine will not start or will be unstable until the line is dry.

In the most difficult situations, when an inattentive motorist forgot to disconnect the battery or poorly closed it, a short circuit can be provoked. Critical equipment can be damaged depending on the type of on-board system.

Summing up, let's say that hand washing the internal combustion engine is useful, but in order to avoid problems, it is extremely important to use the minimum amount of water and be as careful as possible.

In conclusion, we offer a short video about engine detailing washing:

Why wash the engine? ► Features and effect

One comment

  • Brooke Abagaz

    It's a very cool lesson. I learned a lot from this. I have a Yaris and I want to wash it. Where can I come and wash it? Please give me the addresses.

Add a comment