Today, many drivers ask themselves the question, what is the best engine cleaner to choose and how often can it be used? On the shelves of specialized stores you can find everything you need. However, not all formulations are effective. But it is necessary to wash the engine, since it is the heart of the car. It needs proper care.
Experts' opinion
At the moment, expert opinions differ greatly on how often and with what to wash a vehicle engine. Some are confident that the procedure should be carried out only once a year, while others – once every few years. However, all experts say that the engine needs to be washed. In this case, it is advisable to use special means. After all, road reagents that settle in the engine compartment negatively affect the operation of the vehicle.
In addition, a dirty unit is subject to overheating much more often than a clean one. After all, a layer of accumulated dirt simply reduces heat transfer. Of course, due to the accelerated wear of all parts, the service life of the motor is significantly reduced. Oily stains, according to experts, increase the risk of fire and also have a bad effect on electrical wiring. It is worth considering that a dirty engine is more difficult to maintain. And when selling a vehicle, this condition of the engine simply scares away buyers.
How to choose an engine cleaner
The choice of one or another external car engine cleaner must be made based on several factors. In particular:
- State of aggregation. As mentioned above, cleaners are sold in three types of packaging - aerosols (sprays), triggers and foam formulations. It is preferable to buy aerosol cleaners as they are easy to use and store. In terms of efficiency, they are also among the best. However, in this case, the type of packaging is not critical, since due to logistics, the range of stores in some regions of the country may be limited and will not carry aerosol engine cleaners.
- Additional functions. In particular, in addition to good cleaning properties, cleaners must also be safe for rubber and plastic parts that are found in large quantities on engine parts (various rubber tubes, caps, seals, plastic covers, and so on). Accordingly, these elements should not be destroyed even partially during washing. In addition, it is desirable that the car engine cleaner prevents the destruction of electrical wiring in the engine compartment by aggressive elements, and also prevents the possibility of a fire. By aggressive elements we mean fuel, solvents, salts and other elements that can enter the engine compartment from below or above.
- Efficiency. An external engine cleaner, by definition, should be good at dissolving stains of grease, oils (lubricants, motor oil), fuel, simply washing off dried dirt, and so on. The additional effectiveness of aerosol engine cleaners also lies in the fact that the foam, spreading over the treated surface, gets into hard-to-reach places that cannot be reached simply with a rag. Further removal can be done using high pressure water. As for the effectiveness of the composition, information about it can be read in the instructions, which, as a rule, are printed directly on the packaging in which the product is packaged. It would also be useful to read reviews about car internal combustion engine cleaners.
- Price/volume ratio. Here you need to think as when choosing any product. The packaging volume must be selected taking into account the number of planned surface treatments of engine parts. For a one-time treatment, one small bottle is enough. If you plan to use the product on a regular basis, then it is better to take a larger container. This way you will save money.
- Safety. A car engine cleaner must be safe not only for rubber and plastic, but also for other car parts, as well as for human health, in particular for his skin, as well as for the respiratory system. In addition, it is desirable that the cleaner is safe from an environmental point of view.
- Ease of use. The easiest to use are aerosol cleaners, followed by manual trigger packs, and regular liquid foam cleaners. When using the first two types, there is usually no need to come into contact with the cleaner with your hands, since application occurs away from contamination. As for foam cleaners, it is often necessary to wash your hands after using them.
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Can I use homemade products?
Ordinary household chemicals can greatly harm the engine. That is why you should use only special substances to clean the unit. If you don’t want to spend money on car products, you can make the necessary composition yourself. This will take a little time.
So, how to make a car engine cleaner. It is enough to dilute regular washing powder or dish gel in water. It is worth considering that such compositions do not achieve the desired result. And it will take much more time to wash.
When preparing an engine wash, you should avoid components that are easily flammable, such as gasoline or kerosene. It is not safe. If such substances are not completely removed, there is a risk of causing a fire in the power unit during vehicle operation. Therefore, experts do not recommend saving on a car and buying special compounds to wash the engine.
What to wash with
Laziness and technical illiteracy lead to standard mistakes, repeated time after time by those who wash the engine for the first time.
Using kitchen detergents
is used often, and with the same frequency leaves the car owner dissatisfied. Even the highest quality dishwashing gel cannot cope with stubborn used oil. And the use of harsher agents, such as those intended for washing away carbon deposits on a stove, can lead to corrosion of individual elements of the mechanism.
Washing the engine with gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel is a direct path to a possible fire at the first start. Their vapors linger for a long time in the engine compartment and easily flare up. Diesel fuel is a little less safe, it has less volatility. However, the engine treated with it will smoke terribly, and smoke will begin to pour out of all the cracks. And the risk of fire remains high.
It’s safer and more painless to go to an auto chemical store. Special equipment is quite affordable, and anyone can afford to buy it twice a year. In addition, they are mainly produced in the form of sprays, which makes cleaning much easier.
Types of chemicals for transport
There are several types of engine wash products:
- Universal. This composition is suitable for removing many types of contamination.
- Specialized. This product fights certain types of contaminants.
Similar compositions are sold in various containers, for example:
- In glass containers.
- Aerosol cans.
- The bottles are plastic.
The last two types are considered the safest and most convenient. Concentrated gel allows you to prepare a solution of the required concentration, which is proportional to the degree of engine contamination. To choose a good engine cleaner, you should carefully study the composition and also pay attention to the name of the company that manufactured the product. You should not buy chemicals from unknown brands.
Some nuances
Engine wash products differ in composition. However, there is no radical mixture that can remove contaminants of any type and any complexity. After pouring out even a whole jar of this composition, you can be very disappointed. In any case, the engine will not look like new. But the instructions write about this so beautifully. As reviews show, all car engine cleaners are similar in principle of action. It is enough to spray the contents on a still warm engine and after ten minutes, rinse everything off with water.
However, in most cases, the manufacturer does not indicate at what pressure to wash off the dirt. The water temperature is also not written. If there is a thin layer of dirt and just a little oil on the surface of the engine, then almost any composition will cope with the task. Contaminants will quickly dissolve, and water will remove the entire suspension. As a result, all surfaces of the unit will be clean.
Heavy and medium stains are much more difficult to remove. In most cases, one container of product is not enough.
Ordinary chemicals are prohibited
Car owners are very tempted to use everyday household chemicals to wash their engines. Indeed, Fairy and other dish gels that we all know well can easily remove oily stains, but these liquids cannot ensure complete cleaning of the engine. Remember also that any DIY car engine cleaner will not be as effective as good store-bought chemicals.
The problem is that laundry detergents and dish soaps can contain various flammable ingredients. Subsequently, some of these components remain on the engine and can lead to a fire in the engine compartment , which makes the vehicle unsafe to operate. That is why it is not recommended to save on car operation and purchase special auto chemicals; they are inexpensive, and such engine washing is carried out once or twice a year, so the consumption of the cleaner will be minimal.
Engine Degreaser
This engine exterior cleaner is manufactured by the American company Prestone. The composition is available in the form of an aerosol. The cost of one can is about 120 rubles. This composition was tested. We used it before a professional wash on a car engine that had not been washed since the first start. Externally, the engine was not particularly dirty. There was no thick layer of dirt. The product was carefully applied to the surface of the power unit and waited for 10 minutes. After this, the composition was washed off with water. Layers of oil and dirt were easily washed off with water, but not in hard-to-reach places. I had to tinker with some nooks and crannies of the engine compartment for a long time.
This DIY car engine cleaner did little to clear the accumulated dirt from the painted surfaces and had to be scrubbed off by hand. Well, the compound does a great job of removing brake fluid buildup and petroleum-based deposits. But it practically does not pick up road dust. One can was not enough to clean a moderately dirty engine.
Types of engine cleaners
Recently, a wide variety of auto chemicals have appeared, designed for independent and professional washing of a dirty car engine.
This has its advantages and disadvantages. A large assortment helps you choose the most suitable composition, but due to the abundance of options, it is difficult to stop at just one. Chemicals are produced by different manufacturers from different countries. If we take the state of aggregation as a basis, then all funds can be divided into 3 groups:
- aerosol formulations;
- manual triggers;
- foam.
The most popular auto chemicals are presented in the form of aerosols. These car engine cleaners are highly effective and easy to use. The composition is sprayed onto contaminated areas using a spray can, and after application the product takes the form of foam.
Manual triggers are also popular and are much like an aerosol. But here you need to spray the composition manually onto the treated areas of the engine compartment.
To apply foam to the motor, you need to use sponges or rags.
In addition to packaging and physical state, products may differ in composition and basic substances used. Most often, engine cleaners are made based on DBSA or dodecylbenzenesufonic acid. This is an extremely powerful synthetic emulsifier that can dissolve fats and oils, as well as deal with dried stains.
Cleaner "Consol"
This is a Russian-made product. Also available in aerosol form. A can of 52 milliliters costs approximately 70 rubles. The manufacturer indicated that this composition is safe for many paints, plastics and rubber coatings. There are also some nuances in the instructions that are worth paying attention to. So, you need to apply a DIY engine cleaner to all surfaces that need to be cleaned, and after five minutes, rinse with water under high pressure. But to remove carbon deposits and grease, it is better to use a minimal amount of liquid. This part of the instructions is not clear. It is quite difficult to imagine the combination of a minimum amount of water and strong pressure. Most likely, this requires a Kercher device. If this is not the case, then ordinary tap water with low pressure will do. As a result, the product removes only light stains. Strongly oily areas remain. Road dirt will have to be removed with a brush.
Step-by-step instructions for washing the power plant
In order to clean the power plant correctly and without consequences, you must adhere to the following rules and follow the instructions.
Step 1. Preparatory stage.
It is recommended to carry out the cleaning process in warm and dry weather. This way, the moisture remaining in the engine compartment will evaporate several times faster.
First, you need to prepare all available means in advance. We will need: personal protective equipment, foil or polyethylene, tape, a brush of different sizes (medium and small, for hard-to-reach places), a sponge, a rag, a cleaning agent, a container with water, a container for collecting remaining dirt.
Cleaning is carried out at an engine temperature of 50-60 degrees. If the engine has been started, then it is necessary to allow it to cool to the desired temperature. Otherwise, you need to start and warm up the engine to the specified temperature.
Next, open the hood and remove the terminals from the battery.
After that, using prepared polyethylene or foil, we cover all the places where the electrical equipment is located and fix them with tape
We pay great attention to the idle speed sensor, since if you overdo it and fill it with water, then there may be problems with idle speed
Step 2
Precautionary measures
Personal protective equipment must be used. First of all, these are rubber gloves. Chemical cleaners can be harmful to your skin. In addition, contaminants in the form of oil are very difficult to remove. Therefore, rubber gloves and work uniform will be an integral part of this process.
In addition, we recommend using safety glasses whenever possible. Sprays and drops of cleaner may get into your eyes. Glasses will help prevent drops of cleaner, dirt and other foreign objects from getting into your eyes.
Step 3: Apply Cleaner
We carefully read the instructions for the purchased cleaner.
First, you need to rinse all contaminated surfaces with a small amount of water. Then the chemical is applied. If the product is in the form of an aerosol, then it is simply sprayed onto the required areas. If the product is in the form of a solution, then it is applied using a sponge. We recommend using a toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach places.
After application, wait the required time for the cleaner to interact with the contaminants. The duration is usually indicated in the instructions.
Step 4. Safety and environmental measures.
First of all, you need to carefully apply the cleaner. These mixtures are highly flammable and explosive, so safety regulations must be followed.
During the washing process, it is necessary to ensure cleanliness and not pollute the environment. If possible, any remaining dirt and oil should be collected in a container specially prepared for this purpose.
Step 5. Final stage
Finally, we rinse all the places where the cleaner was applied. It will be convenient to use a hose with a low water pressure
It is worth noting that the engine compartment must be washed with caution, avoiding contact with electrical equipment, even though they are protected with polyethylene or foil.
It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to clean your engine from oil and dirt. You just need to follow the instructions and rules, and then your engine will shine and will not fail at the right time.
Cleaner "Sintec"
This cleaner is sold in a plastic container. For a bottle of 500 milliliters you will have to pay about 70 rubles. These products for washing car engines are produced in Russia.
This cleaner is intended for periodic cleaning of the engine during vehicle use, as well as before repairing the unit. As reviews show, it is inconvenient to apply such a composition on the surface of the engine, since the spray produces a wide spray. However, its pressure over a long distance is not enough. And it’s not always possible to get to the hidden parts of the engine.
The product itself is not very active. It weakly dissolves brake fluid and oily stains, and practically does not pick up road dust. But the Sintec cleaner smells like kerosene. Which, in turn, is very alarming. Judging by the reviews, deposits that should have been soaked under the influence of the product do not want to leave the surfaces. And water that gets on the already cooled parts of the car simply rolls off them like oil. As a result, dirt remains on the engine. This cleaner is recognized by consumers as the most ineffective. This composition can be used exclusively to remove traces of insects, poplar buds and bitumen stains on the body.
Should you wash your car engine?
Most experts and experienced car owners agree that the engine needs to be washed on a regular basis, since dirt and oily deposits accumulated on its surface lead to overheating, which impairs the performance of the engine and can even lead to serious damage, the elimination of which will require time and money. .
Dirt accumulated on the engine and nearby parts contributes to corrosion of the power unit. This is especially true during active vehicle use in winter , when the roads are generously sprinkled with reagent. Subsequently, such chemistry gets onto the engine along with dirt and leads to the formation of corrosion.
Car engine cleaners “Turtle Wax”
This cleaner is produced in England and is sold in a plastic container equipped with a hand-held sprayer. 300 milliliters of this composition costs about 250 rubles.
As reviews show, this substance is intended to remove only certain contaminants. The product is simply not suitable for total treatment. The composition perfectly removes traces of brake fluid and oil. Its remains are easily washed off with water. But the cleaner cannot remove road dirt.
The container Turtle Wax comes in is small and easy to use. From the sprayer the jet can be directed to any place at a sufficiently large distance. This is one of the main advantages of aerosol cleaners.
Known engine cleaning products
When choosing a particular product for washing a car engine, you need to pay attention to its composition and study the instructions for use. Remember that you should not purchase such auto chemical products from unknown manufacturers, since their use may be unsafe due to the content of various flammable components.
The most common among car enthusiasts are the following products for cleaning the engine and engine compartment.
It is also useful to read: Dry washing a car engine: rules for safe cleaning of internal combustion engines
Engine Degreaser
The American company Prestone produces a special engine cleaner, Engine Degreaser. are produced in an aerosol can , the cost of which is approximately 120 rubles. Such auto chemicals cope well with old oil deposits on the engine, and its use does not present any difficulty.
It is necessary to apply foam from an aerosol can onto the contaminated engine and engine compartment, wait about 10 minutes, and then rinse off the cleaner along with any dirt embedded in it. Note that it is recommended to carry out such washing using the product on a regular basis, since in hard-to-reach places Engine Degreaser can remove stubborn dirt with certain difficulties, so it is still not worth bringing it to this state.
Cleaner Consol
Chemistry for the Consol car engine is sold in a plastic container with a capacity of 500 ml, the cost of a bottle is about 70 rubles. Due to the features of the Consol sprayer, applying auto chemicals to the engine is not very convenient, and the cleaner copes with old oil contaminants with great difficulty. Therefore, we can recommend this product only to undemanding and economical car owners.
Auto chemicals Turtle Wax
The English auto chemical Turtle Wax is very popular in the domestic market, which is both affordable, easy to use and effective. Turtle Wax is a no-rinse engine cleaner that is great for removing traces of brake fluid and engine oil. But this product removes road dirt with great difficulty. Among the advantages of Turtle Wax, we note its ease of use, which allows you to easily wash out dirt even from hard-to-reach places on the engine.
Catene Liqui Moly Cleaner
This is a universal cleaner from the German manufacturer Liqui Moly, which does an excellent job on road dirt, oil stains, paintwork and brake fluid. The can is easy to use , which makes it easy to apply cleaning foam even to hard-to-reach areas of the engine. A special feature of using such auto chemical products is the strictly vertical position of the can when spraying. Let us also note the affordable cost of such a product; today in stores for a 500 ml can they ask for approximately 190 rubles.
Cleaner for bicycle and motorcycle chains “CATENE LIQUI MOLY”
This is a German engine cleaner. Reviews show that this cleaner falls outside our regulations. However, the effect of use is noticeable immediately. The composition copes well not only with brake fluid and oil stains, but also removes road dirt well from paintwork.
The balloon does not require any special manipulations. The jet is strong enough and, if necessary, you can reach the most distant places. The only thing required is to keep the container vertical. Otherwise, only air will come out of it. The resulting suspension is washed off very easily. After applying the composition, the surfaces became clean. 500 milliliters of CATENE LIQUI MOLY cleaner costs approximately 186 rubles.
Compositions of the brand "Abro"
This brand produces several products: a cleaner and a foam cleaner. In the first case, the container costs about 130 rubles and weighs 510 grams, in the second - 120 rubles and weighs 453 grams.
These are almost identical products with different packaging designs. Both compositions have the same font. However, there is a significant difference in the instructions. The foam cleaner must be shaken before use. The second product must be sprayed at a distance of 30 centimeters so that it does not come into contact with the paintwork. It's worth noting that both cleaners foam.
The compositions work the same way. After application from a short distance, a fairly abundant foam is formed, which slowly settles. The jet is also clearly visible. This will allow you to direct it to the right place.
As for the effect, many consumers praise these cleaners in their reviews. Both formulations work well on oil and brake fluid stains. Road dirt is also partially dissolved. It is worth noting that both compositions are easily washed off with water with a gentle stream. You can use a brush to remove any remaining road dirt. Cleaners do not cause any unpleasant sensations when they come into contact with the skin and are easily washed off. When using, there is a slight smell of kerosene.
What to choose
After much searching and experimentation, every car enthusiast finds the perfect cleaner. Engine cleaning products are completely different. Some can only remove oil stains, while others can deal with all types of stains. Of the above-mentioned compositions, the most convenient and effective are Abro cleaners. The CATENE LIQUI MOLY product, which is designed to remove various contaminants from the chains of bicycles and motorcycles, has proven itself well. Although this composition is intended for other purposes, it copes well with various deposits on engines. The remaining compounds are best used when the engine is not heavily polluted.
