Tips-for-Detailing-Your-Engine-Part-1-5b9938ba8f082.jpg

Tips For Detailing Your Engine – Part 1

Have you ever detailed your engine? People generally land on two sides when it comes to cleaning what’s under the hood: they either think it’s a worthwhile standard or they cannot understand why you would ever consider it.

We all know that anyone can wash their car and smear a little wax onto the paint. However, it takes a special car lover to maintain an engine clean enough to eat off of. At Fort Collins Foreign Car Service, we live in engines, and you can bet that we notice when they’re pristine. Keeping an engine clean isn’t just about maintaining a stunning view when you open the hood. Combating dirt, grease, and grime can improve the lifespan of the motor and prevent rot and rust.

Tips For Detailing Your Engine

Whether you have an old, faithful car or a shiny, exotic one, a clean engine compartment can give it an extra bit of dignity and glamor. However, it isn’t just about opening the hood and diving in. You’ll probably get a faster and more effective clean if you consider our expert tips. We say “consider” because different car owners have different engine cleaning habits they live by, and we respect that. Hopefully, we can give you a few new things to try. Read on!

  1. Make sure the engine is cool before you do anything else. This one may seem pretty obvious, but we wanted to mention it because trying to clean a hot engine can lead to burns or cracked and damaged parts.
  2. Get rid of surface debris with a brush. Your clean will go better if you brush away the biggest leaves, dirt, and particles that have gotten trapped under the hood.
  3. Make sure your engine is ready to get wet. This step is extremely important. Engines are not designed to get wet, but it won’t be a problem if you prep correctly. Cover the distributor, openings for spark plugs, sensors, and any other electric devices that might accumulate water and short out. You can use plastic wrap, plastic baggies, and rubber bands to seal them off. They don’t have to be perfectly sealed, but they should be shielded.
  4. Soften grease by warming up the engine. Yes, we know we told you to wait until your engine has cooled before starting to clean it — and it is important to wait until the temperatures go down. However, there’s a sweet spot right when the engine is no longer scalding but it’s warm enough to keep the grease soft. At this point, it’s much easier to remove all the grime. Just remember, the engine should be warm to the touch when you start, never hot!
  5. Apply a degreaser. If you’ve got significant grease buildup, there are safe degreasers that can be your best friends. Be sure to avoid petroleum-based cleaners that will corrode vinyl, rubber, and wires. Don’t use the degreaser on painted parts, because it will remove all protective wax coatings.

We’re just getting started on the journey to an engine so clean you can eat off of it. Be sure to check back for Part 2 for next steps!

We’ll Keep Your Engine Running – Clean Or Not!

The FCFCS team is proud and excited to have the skills to repair and maintain domestic and exotic car brands alike. Check out our services and contact us for auto repair in Fort Collins that can’t be beaten!

CTA-4-5a988a89f3002.jpg