The heart and soul of any vehicle are under the hood. Unless you’re a car fanatic, you might not pay much attention to your engine outside of checking to see if it’s time for an oil change. But it’s important to check in with this vital area often. Cleaning your engine is a great way to keep it looking great and getting ahead of any necessary repairs early. Here’s why you should consider cleaning your engine regularly.
Benefits of Cleaning Your Engine
Cleaning your engine is beneficial for a number of reasons. The hood of your car only offers so much protection to the engine. Leaves, dirt, moisture, and debris can still collect inside over time. Not only does this affect your engine’s appearance but it can also potentially cause corrosion or wear down the various components that keep your car running.
Although cleaning your engine won’t necessarily enhance your engine’s performance it could help you get ahead of potential damage. Road salt and debris can corrode the metal components over time and could create hazardous “hot spots”. Leaves and oil can be a fire hazard both on the road and in the garage. Cleaning your engine can help extend your engine’s life by removing this debris before it can cause any issues.
Getting under the hood to clean your engine also offers you the opportunity to identify problem areas that could affect your vehicle’s performance. If you’re regularly taking the time to clean your engine, you can catch issues before they get too concerning. When you clean your engine, you could also take this time to find and isolate oil leaks, evaluate the condition of rubber and plastic parts, check the oil level, and examine accessory belts.
Finally, maintaining a clean engine can score you a higher resale value. Unfortunately, the longer you own your car, the more it will depreciate. But there are some proactive measures you can take to help it maintain the highest value possible; keeping your car and its engine clean is a great way to assure you get the best deal possible when it’s time to trade up!
How Often Should I Clean My Engine?
There aren’t any hard and fast rules around how often you should clean your car’s engine. Your environment and climate will dictate how often you should clean it. Also, whatever terrain you take it across normally will determine if it needs a more in-depth cleaning.
If you live in a dry area with little to no debris in the road, you can schedule a cleaning twice a year. But if you live in a dusty area, you should consider cleaning your engine roughly every three months. Those in areas with lots of rain and snow –like Colorado– are encouraged to clean their engine every two months. But again, you can use your own discretion to decide how often you want to clean it.
Can I Perform an Engine Cleaning on My Own?
Yes, but proceed with caution and do your research. Don’t attempt to clean your engine without proper knowledge of how to do it safely. Modern cars have a lot of wires, sensors, and other sensitive engine components that can malfunction if exposed to water. Plus, you don’t want to clean your engine when it’s blistering hot. You can inadvertently cause issues if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Clean the inside of your engine as well as the outside so you get all of the debris and deposits out. If you don’t feel comfortable handling this on your own, consider taking it in for a professional cleaning service.
At Sticklers 4 Details we offer engine degreasing and dressing. We will work to restore and protect the components of your engine bay without damaging any sensitive electrical parts. We also offer a full suite of interior detailing services. Contact us today for a free quote on all of our premium services and packages.