How to wash a Kercher car engine

The question of the need to wash the bonnet space and the engine of the car under high pressure is inevitably asked by almost every car owner during the operation of the vehicle. The reason for concern is not only the unattractive appearance of the engine and all the other space under the hood, but also feelings about the overall performance of contaminated components and units.

The process of gradual formation of layers of dirt and salts in the space under the hood is especially relevant all year round. Stains of oil and other technical liquids become inevitable, as well as banal dirt, which penetrates externally into the leaky engine compartment. Further material in the article is aimed at that, to help the reader understand all the pros and cons of washing Kercher engine.

To wash or not to wash?

The most affordable and common option is to clean the engine with professional car washes, who actively and everywhere use in their arsenal the technique "Karcher". For this procedure, any "Kercher" with a gasoline engine, "Kercher" with diesel engine or "Kercher" with asynchronous engine.

You can wash the engine yourself, especially if you have personal access to such equipment. Before starting the process, it is extremely important to know certain nuances, related to cleaning the car engine from dirt.

Proponents and opponents of this method of washing the power unit were divided into two opposing camps.

Arguments for

Among car owners, who advocate the need for cleaning, there is an opinion, that deposits and contaminants can actually reduce the life of the power unit and disrupt other related elements, so that periodic cleaning of working mechanisms becomes a necessary procedure.

• heavily polluted motor shows deterioration of heat transfer;
• the risk of ignition of spilled liquids in the hood space increases;
• potentially deteriorating performance of the unit;
• probably an increase in fuel consumption;
• current leakage may occur;
• the power unit may start to run less steadily;
• it is difficult to visually detect leaks with other problems, which are noticeably less noticeable on dirty internal combustion engines;
• there is a vapor evaporation on the hot engine of harmful technical liquids in the air ducts and their penetration into the cabin;

Arguments "against"

Other motorists claim, that car wash under the hood, especially Kercher, can only harm the car, and dirt deposits do not pose a significant threat to the motor and other components. The above arguments of the supporters of regular washing are suitable only for very heavily contaminated units as a result of an emergency failure or individual characteristics of operation.

• the car after such washing Kercher very often does not start;
• electrical connectors, protected by rubber seals, is not a guarantee of complete tightness from high-pressure water from the washing machine;
• engine control unit, located in the engine compartment, may fail partially or completely;
• failure of various expensive electrical equipment;
• filling with water spark plugs and candle wells;
• high probability of short circuit;
• hydraulic shock of the engine because of the water which has got to cylinders through ventilating passes or an inlet branch pipe;
• accelerated corrosion of joints and welds in the hood space;
• rubber and plastic sealing compounds and insulation become unusable after contact with aggressive detergents;

Next, we intend to objectively understand this, on whose side the truth will be. Let's turn to the most authoritative opinion.

Recommended frequency of washing

Each of the above arguments of car owners has a well-deserved right to exist, but let's turn to the recommendations of the automakers themselves. Car manufacturers are emphasizing that, that the recommended washing of the engine and hood space will be cleaning not to improve the appearance of the engine compartment and its characteristics, and forced necessity.

It is recommended to clean the engine only in some cases:

• Severe contamination of the unit with automotive oil due to leaking seals, lubrication lines and pipes.
• For diagnostics to detect aging joints and rubber seals, leakage of technical fluids, etc..
• Before complex works on capital repairs of the power unit, which provide for its disassembly, partial or complete dismantling of attachments, etc..
• Pre-sale preparation for placing the car on those trading platforms, where cleanliness of the engine compartment is a must.

Based on all the above information, we can conclude that, that it is not recommended to carry out the procedure of washing the engine without extreme necessity. Unscheduled cleaning of the power plant will be required only in case of heavy contamination of the unit and individual features of the vehicle, which require such regular washing.

Do it yourself or turn to specialists

If you are faced with the need to wash your car's engine for a variety of reasons, but you have no experience in implementing this process, then the best option would be to contact a professional car wash with the provision of this service or service station.

pay attention, that washing specialists are well aware of the process itself, they will correctly select and apply the necessary detergent chemical composition. Additional motivation for applying to the car wash is the extensive experience of service staff and the potential availability of a wide selection of specialized detergents.

Another argument in favor of a car wash can be a simple saving of your free time. Those car washes should be avoided, where the client is indicated that the service administration is not responsible for possible malfunctions after washing the engine.

Such advice does not mean at all, that the presence of "Kercher" at your personal disposal eliminates the possibility of self-washing the engine properly. Having decided on the decision to wash the engine yourself, you also need to choose and purchase a motor cleaner, have some tools available, follow all necessary conditions and recommendations for washing the engine. This approach will help to avoid many mistakes and eliminate damage to the engine.

Errors in non-professional washing

• the use of detergents not intended for such a procedure (any shampoo, nicely, dishwashing liquid, aggressive chemistry, etc.);
• use of solvents for washing the engine compartment, gasoline, kerosene, etc.. (The strongest probability of fire);
• non-compliance with the temperature regime when washing the internal combustion engine (significant temperature differences should be avoided, which can lead to deformation of the cylinder head);
• Kercher sink under high water pressure (the jet pierces the thermal insulation of the hood, breaks and deforms numerous fragile elements, etc.)
• insufficient protection of electrical connections, terminals and connectors. Ignoring the necessary rules of preparation of the internal combustion engine for washing;
• lack of quality drying after cleaning the engine. Washing in the winter;
• sink with the engine running;

What and how to wash the engine as safely as possible

If there is a need to clean the engine with your own hands, then you should follow certain rules.

• Keep in mind, that you have to work with car care products, which requires increased care and precautions (gloves are needed, there may be an additional need to protect the eyes and respiratory system).
• The next step is the need to determine the nature of the pollution of the internal combustion engine. Those pollution, which are caused by agglomerated and covered with a layer of dust with automotive oil, wash quickly will not work. Detergents must be applied at the time specified in the accompanying instructions to soften contaminants of this nature..

It is better to immediately abandon the decision to wash the engine under high water pressure "Kercher" at the slightest doubt about the feasibility of this method. It is quite possible to successfully apply and wash off the put solution with a brush or a stream of water under usual pressure., but it will take extra time.

We choose a detergent

ICE washing involves the use of only the funds intended for this purpose. The modern market offers a huge number of warehouses in plastic and glass containers, aerosol cans, etc.. This variety comes ready-made, and in the form of concentrates and gels, requiring dilution in the specified proportions.

Carefully read the instructions and try to use only products from proven manufacturers, beware of fakes.

Most of these formulations are universal and designed to combat a wide range of contaminants, but there are also means of narrow-minded action. The main criteria for selection are: minimizing the impact on rubber and plastic elements, level of toxicity, packing and price. You should not buy as the most affordable, and overpay for expensive. It is better to stop your choice on products in the middle price range.

Recommendations before washing

1. Disassemble all protective and decorative plastic parts and screens available for removal;
2. Be sure to stick all the necessary information signs and plates on the tanks, panels and other body elements;
3. The engine temperature before washing should not be below or above the mark 40-50 degrees. On a heated internal combustion engine, the detergents will evaporate very quickly, and in the cold their effectiveness will not be able to fully manifest itself. The water itself must have a similar temperature when washing, close to the recommended engine temperature;
4. All elements of air intakes, connectors and terminals, the battery itself, car alarm elements and other standard and non-standard electrical equipment must be carefully sealed and protected from water. Scotch tape and polyethylene are perfect for this;

We proceed to wash the engine

1. Apply the required layer of specially prepared detergent to the engine. This can be done with a brush on open surfaces, and in hard-to-reach places the composition is applied with a spray. Follow the instructions for use and wait after application the amount of time specified in the instructions.
2. Do not rush to wash off the applied composition immediately. Make sure, that the thickest layers of dirt had time to disperse in all places. Try not to raise the pressure during the washing process 100-150 there is, and use the minimum required water pressure. After the final wash, evaluate the result, if necessary, the procedure can be repeated;
3. The most important procedure is the need to dry the engine from moisture. This is done using compressed air from a compressor. First of all and very carefully dry the generator and starter, blow the ignition coils and all available elements of the electrical wiring.
4. The final stage of washing the engine is a thorough washing of the entire car body, which is necessary for the final removal of all chemical compounds from surfaces;

If water gets on electrical equipment

The main common troubles, which car owners may encounter after washing the engine compartment, is:

• car won't start
• the car triples
• the car jerks
• floating speed
• the oil pressure light came on
• "check" lit up

Let's consider the possible causes and solutions for each individual fault in more detail.

If everything is dried and connected, The battery and its terminals are in order and tightened, the starter turns and the fuel pump shakes, but the car does not start after washing, then pay attention again to the ignition system.

• In those cars, which constructively have a shock absorber, you need to remove water from under its lid by blowing and wiping dry. Next, wipe all the armor, unscrew and inspect the candles, candle wells are dried.
• If the car has a non-shock ignition system and has separate coils for each cylinder, then all of them will have to be removed and dried. The rest of the steps are similar to the work with the trambler option. The main rule is to blow and dry all available wires of the engine compartment, after all, no one is insured against invisible damage to their insulation.
• "Triplets" are called failures in the internal combustion engine. During such failures, one of the cylinders ceases to function normally. The driver immediately feels an increase in the amplitude of the motor and a constant strong vibration. At different speeds and at idle, the engine runs with gaps and failures. This behavior of the machine is often due to similar reasons, specified in the first paragraph. Carefully inspect the armor and candles, we dry candle wells.
• When driving the car twitches noticeably, there is an increase in fuel consumption and falling power. If receptions, described above, did not help to normalize the work of the internal combustion engine, then there may be problems with the engine sensors. They can arise because of that, that alkaline shampoo in the process of washing disabled them.
• Floating speeds indicate this, that after washing there were problems with the throttle or throttle position sensor. These items require cleaning and drying, and it is desirable to restart the computer engine by resetting the terminals on 10-15 minutes.
• The oil pressure light on the instrument panel may come on for a number of reasons. The first is the ingress of the same water on the oil pressure sensor and its contacts, which are very often located directly under the oil filter. The second reason may be already familiar to us getting water into the candle wells. It is treated with mandatory drying and / or replacement of failed parts.
• Check engine alarm, called by motorists just "check", is a clear indication of failure. This signal on the dashboard appears as a result of errors and malfunctions of the internal combustion engine, which are fixed by numerous sensors, but does not carry any specific information. Only reading these engine errors from the ECU memory with a special scanner at the service station will help to localize the problem..

After washing the engine compartment, especially Kercher, the sensors and their connectors are subject to intensive contact with detergent and water, so that any failure of the engine itself or only the sensor will cause a "check". Sometimes the problem goes away on its own as the contacts dry completely or the problem is rectified. In some cases, it helps to reset the terminals from the battery for a few minutes, which allows you to reset the error.

In the dry residue

From all the above material, a number of obvious conclusions can be drawn.

• Maintaining the bonnet space in perfect cleanliness is not a top priority for the car, and washing the engine should be done only then, when it is impossible to do without this procedure.
• Try to avoid unprofessional washing of the engine by high-pressure devices like "Kercher", and if such a technique is used, then the water pressure should be minimal.
• The right choice of detergents for the engine is an important step, which should be given more attention.
• Before washing the engine, carefully prepare and protect the connectors and contacts from water.
• Self-cleaning the engine is not such an easy and simple procedure, which it may seem at first glance.
• It is recommended to wash the engine only at specialized service stations and service stations.

We hope so, that this article fully helped our readers to find answers to all their questions about washing the hood space and power unit. All serviceable and clean motors. Good luck on the roads!