How to clean an engine block

Let the Engine Cool

Start with a cool engine. Although it does not have to be cold, spraying water on hot parts can potentially cause damage through warping and breaking. Furthermore, hot parts can melt the plastic you’ll use to protect electrical parts or burn your hands as you work.

The most important part of your car, the engine. Road grime and oily buildup splash up on the engine, coating it black with filth. But you can blast it all away with a pressure washer.

If you have a power washer, you can use it on a light setting, but a standard hose will work as well. Or you can use the sprayer at the local DIY carwash. Rinse the entire compartment, working from back to front, washing away all degreaser.

Best Way to Degrease the Car Engine Bay

To do this, grab that handy degreaser spray, WD-40® Specialist® Fast Acting Degreaser Spray. This fast-acting, solvent-based engine degreaser can effectively remove grease and grime from your engine without leaving residue.

A good engine flush can help loosen deposits and dissolve sludge, returning your engine to like-new condition. However, in old engines with high miles, sludge may be the only barrier keeping oil from seeping through worn or cracked seals. Removing the sludge exposes the seals for what they really are – junk.

WD-40 Specialist_® Machine & Engine Degreaser. Quickly remove grease, oil, dirt, grime, tar, adhesives, and more without engine disassembly. Works great on auto & truck engines, tractors, forklifts, gears & chains, industrial machinery, farm equipment, and other metal tools.

A powerful solvent-based degreaser that actually dissolves grease and oil. WD-40 Specialist_®Degreaser is an industrial-strength fast acting formula that quickly cleans tools, machinery, engines and equipment to look like new and run smooth.

Dawn Ultra Heavy Duty Degreaser is designed to clean tough, greasy soils. It can be used to clean extra-tough, greasy build-up on a variety of kitchen surfaces like range hoods, ovens, greasy quarry tile floors, and other greasy hard surfaces.

Vinegar is an effective sanitizer; liquid soap is a great stain remover and degreaser; baking soda makes a gentle abrasive and lightener for tough stains; and essential oils add a clean scent — mix them together and they make the perfect degreaser for your kitchen (and other places, too!).

GUNK Engine Degreaser Heavy Duty Gel

It’s Gel action quickly clings to engine components to remove grease and grime. Specifically designed for older or hotter running engines, Engine Degreaser Heavy Duty Gel is safe on plastics, under-hood rubber and paint.

You can wash a car engine, but it is important to do so safely. Because if you make even a single mistake, you could encounter a variety of problems. For example, wires, sensors, and other sensitive engine components can be exposed to water if you choose to wash your engine on your own.

An engine needs to be driven hard occasionally, meaning at freeway speeds and accelerated with a wide open throttle. Under such circumstances, engine combustion temperatures reach a peak and keep the engine clean by burning off deposits.

Water could get into the alternator or the engine sensors, causing damage. It can also push dirt and guck onto belts – causing squeaks. A water-soluble engine degreaser is fine, if you follow the directions on the label. Don’t use solvent based cleaners – they’ll just attract more dirt to the engine, he says.

Spray the degreaser over the entire engine and let it soak for the recommended time. Apply additional coats (if needed) to really greasy areas. Then rinse with a water mist, using as little water as possible. An engine degreaser works best when the grease is warm and soft.

And while there’s no danger of engine parts being ruined by being covered in oil, there is a slight fire danger. If oil were to pool on the hot exhaust manifold, it could ignite. It’s a pain in the butt, but if we don’t clean it up, the oil will burn off and will smoke and smell bad, and we’ll probably lose a customer.

Spray on, hose off, that’s it

Save the elbow grease for other jobs. Just spray GUNK’s Original Engine Degreaser on your engine, wait 10-15 minutes, hose it down and you’re done!

Baking soda is great at cleaning most surfaces. We’d recommend applying a small amount of baking soda to an old toothbrush and adding a very small drop of water. Scrub around your kitchen and bathroom faucets with the solution applied to the toothbrush to remove nasty stains.

Another effective option is to make a DIY degreaser by mixing equal parts baking soda and dish liquid with 20 drops of orange essential oil. The d-limonene in the essential oil will help lift stubborn grease from the surface. Apply the mix to the surface, allow to sit for 10 minutes and scrub with a damp sponge.