Steps to clean the engine compartment, car users should know

Cleaning the engine compartment must be done properly to avoid damaging the machine.

Although covered by the hood, over time, the impact of many factors causes the car's engine compartment to accumulate dust, grease... affecting the engine's ability to dissipate heat as well as reducing the life of the battery, piping system... Therefore, the car's engine compartment needs to be checked and cleaned periodically.

Instead of taking the car to the shop or service center, many car owners today often have the habit of cleaning the engine compartment themselves, washing the car at home every weekend. This method, for many people, not only saves a part of the cost but also gives them time to take good care of their "baby". However, the engine compartment consists of many important details and parts, so when cleaning this area, car users need to have skills as well as understand the steps to avoid unfortunate mistakes. Basically, the process of cleaning the car's engine compartment needs to be carried out according to the following steps:

Open the hood, clean the engine compartment

After the car is running, the engine compartment area is often very hot, high temperatures in some parts can cause burns. Therefore, before cleaning, open the hood for 10 - 20 minutes to cool down. This helps to prevent parts in the engine compartment such as valves, rubber pipes, belts, etc. from having their lifespan reduced due to sudden temperature changes.

Remove debris, branches or dry leaves… from the engine compartment, especially near the air vents, under the windshield. Some car models often have an engine cover, you should remove it for easy operation when cleaning.

Cover electrical circuits, engine air intakes…

After cleaning the debris that has entered the engine compartment, use plastic wrap or specialized waterproof tape to cover the circuits and electronic devices. Check the battery terminal covers. If they are not safe, temporarily disconnect them. In addition, use a clean cloth or plastic bag to cover the air intake and generator to prevent water from entering and causing damage.

Spray engine compartment cleaning solution

Spray the cleaning solution onto the areas in the engine compartment, then leave it for about 3-5 minutes for the solution to dissolve and soften dirt or grease on the parts. Currently, on the market, there are specialized solutions sold by Meguiars, 3M or Black Magic for cleaning car engine compartments. If you take care of your car at home, car owners should equip themselves with these solutions instead of using soap or detergents that can corrode metal and rubber parts in the engine compartment.

Then use a brush, mini brush combined with engine cleaning solution to remove stubborn stains or areas with a lot of grease and around the engine compartment...

Rinse with clean water.

After the engine compartment has been cleaned with a specialized cleaning solution, use a water spray to rinse the areas around the engine compartment to clean.

Note, do not use high pressure sprayers, and do not spray water directly into the area where electronic components or circuits are installed, even if they are covered. Instead, use a small brush to clean the nooks and crannies, then use a clean cloth to dry to prevent water from entering these parts.

Dry the parts

Use a soft cloth combined with a compressed air nozzle to dry the inside of the engine compartment. Pay attention to drying the connectors, spark plug wires, electronic components, etc.

Check the engine compartment again

After cleaning the engine compartment, start removing the tape and plastic wrap that has covered the electrical circuits, engine air intake, and generator. Check for any remaining items in the engine compartment, then close the engine cover, hood, and start the car to check if the parts are working properly.

Hoang Cuong