Is There Any Importance In Cleaning Your Engine?
There are some people who would tell you cleaning a car's engine definitely makes it run better. But there are others that will tell you it has no mechanical benefits at all. The question is – should you be cleaning your engine or are you wasting time on something that doesn't benefit your vehicle?
How Do You Clean an Engine, Anyway?
There are a couple of different ways an engine can be cleaned. There's degreasing and steam cleaning. Degreasing is the process of spraying a degreaser onto the engine and letting it sit for a little while. Once you've let it sit, you'll clean the grease off with as little water as possible. Steam cleaning is a little more extensive. While some people steam clean because they believe it helps extend the life of their engine, it does have some disadvantages. If you do it incorrectly, then you can damage the electronic parts of the engine and the ignition is sensitive to water. If you have to have your engine steam cleaned, it is best to have someone who does it professionally.
Exploring the Non-Mechanical Benefits
There are some obvious benefits of a clean engine, including that it looks a lot better and makes you feel great about your car. If you have some sort of leak, then you'll also be able to figure out where it's coming from a lot easier if it's nice and clean. Also, if you are going to try and sell your car, then a clean engine might help it sell better because it looks better to the potential buyer.
Exploring the Mechanical Benefits
You'll find a lot of car maintenance companies will run an engine cleaning service, so you can have them do it for you. They'll say it benefits your car because they remove any dirt or grease that was sealing in heat. If your engine runs cooler, it runs better. They also will tell you that getting the gunk off the internal parts of your engine will mean they won't wear out as fast. While that last one is probably true, there isn't really any proof that your engine runs better or cooler when it's cleaned.
Overall, it doesn't seem that there are any mechanical benefits to cleaning your engine. The most benefit you get from it is being able to see everything clearly when you are working on it and avoiding getting your hands greasy.
For more information or assistance with cleaning and maintenance, contact a local auto repair shop, such as Dean's Auto Repair Inc.
Share