27 Nov DIY Engine Bay Cleaning for Your Truck
Trucks cover hundreds of miles daily. The conditions on the roads as drivers’ journey coast to coast are anything but pleasant. Dust, pools of water, potholes, loose debris, ice are just some of the obstacles one is likely to encounter on their way.
What this means is that the truck will get dirty as it crisscrosses the terrain. And it will need a scrub and wash to sparkle once more. After all, the truck image is important and you need to project a clean image to your customers.
I am sure many of you regularly clean the truck exterior, but when is the last time you cleaned the interior? Just the other day? Can’t remember? Don’t worry you are not alone. Many truckers neglect engine cleaning and detailing. But for a hassle-free truck, a grime-free engine is a necessity.
Perhaps you fear that you will damage the engine by starting to clean it by yourself. The good news is, you can actually DIY your truck engine at your own comfort, and while at it, learn a few things while saving some money.
8 Steps you need to take when cleaning your truck engine
- Collect all the tools and supplies that you need
The last thing you want is to start detailing your engine, only to realize that you do not have half of the tools required. Ensure you have enough water, wash mitts, brushes designed to get into hard-to-reach crevices, soap, degreaser, plastic bags, pressure washer or hose, air compressor and a clean cloth.
- Let your engine cool down
I know you are anxious to have the wash done and dusted, but take a moment, and ensure that your engine has cooled down. The best time to wash your engine is in the morning after a night sitting. The chances of damaging an engine increase substantially when using cold water on a hot engine.
- Cover the delicate parts
Using plastic bags cover the alternator, carburetor, exposed filters and the engine’s air intake. Also to be sure to cover the fuse panel, coil pack, and distributor.
- Time to
Spray down the engine bay using a degreasing soap. Allow your parts to soak for five minutes, depending on how soiled your engine is. Ensure the fluid containers and hoses are degreased as well.
- Wash and scrub
Set your pressure washer or hose to the widest fan spray and rinse the engine off. Be on the alert not to spray the areas that you have covered. Thoroughly wash away any dirt or debris on the exposed parts. After you have rinsed what you can, the rest needs to be done by hand. It’s advisable to use a wash mitt that is specially designated for engine detailing.
Once done, inspect to ensure that every part is cleaned, and repeat the process if you spot any dirt. Finally, give it a final nice rinse.
- Drying the engine
To blow away any water residue use compressed air and a dry cloth. Make sure that there is no water left on any part before proceeding. You can leave the bonnet open for around 10 minutes to be sure.
Finally, don’t forget the air filter. True, truck manufacturers suggest as to when your filters are ready for a change but considering you drive through dirt and gravel most days, more frequent changes will be necessary. We have a selection of air filters ready for you at https://www.mrtruckparts.com.
- Shining it up
Use a high-quality sealant to shine your bay. To shine up the plastics and hoses, use a quality rubber/vinyl protectant.
- Remove the protection
Remember the covered parts? Now is the time to remove the plastic wrappings and show your wonder to the world. Drive the truck to an open place to air, and be sure to clean all the dirt from the ground on the spot you did your wash at.
Bon Voyage in your super clean engine!