Engine Cleaning

After you feel that you have scrubbed all of the dirt loose, it is time to rinse. If you are using the compressed air sprayer, take care. The dirt and degreaser and water can get blown back onto you, so wear plenty of protective gear. A garden hose misting attachment will also work quite well in this situation, although it may be a little slower.


After you have rinsed off all of the loose degreaser and dirt, you will more than likely find all of the spots that you missed the first time around. Let the water dry off, then spray on more degreaser and start the scrubbing process again. Patience and time, that's all it takes. Eventually, you will have a very clean engine, one that can be kept looking good with just light touchups every so often.


The drip pan underneath the engine will have collected all of this water and dirt. Let the pan sit out for a couple of days so that the water can evaporate. What you will have left over is mostly grease, oil and dirt. These items can legally be put into your waste oil container that you use when making an oil change.


Once everything seems to have dried off, and you have removed all of the bags covering everything water sensitive, it is time to start the engine. If you have done everything right, it should have no problems starting right up and running fine. If not, then it is time to start searching for water where it doesn't belong. Most often it will be in the ignition system somewhere. Take care in your original covering of everything to avoid this problem.


When all goes well, what will be left is a spotless and possibly shiny engine. Your clean machine will look better, be easier to work on, and considerably less frustrating. If you're planning to sell your vehicle, a clean engine will definitely impress potential buyers.