Car cleaners: what are they and why are they needed?

Maintaining a neat appearance of the car should not end with the cleanliness of the exterior and interior. Tidying up under the hood is also important, not so much for cleanliness as for extending the life of your car.

Under the hood of a car, various contaminants from oil residues, road dust, dirt, bitumen and other chemicals accumulate very quickly. All this oily mixture tightly fits the parts and holds tightly to the engine and other parts of the car.

The question immediately arises: "what's the difference what's going on under the hood, because it's still closed and you can't see anything?". But the fact is that layers of dirt not only spoil the appearance, but also:

• They worsen the heat transfer of the internal combustion engine and other components (the temperature of the internal combustion engine rises);
• They produce an unpleasant odor that will surely penetrate into the cabin (minus your comfort);
• Negatively affect the durability of plastic and rubber products;
• Lead to rapid aging of electrical wiring insulation.

In general, there are enough reasons to start caring for your car, even where no one will see anything. But such complex contamination is difficult to remove with a regular car wash using car shampoo. To clean the engine compartment, modern auto chemicals are used.

Deposits in the combustion chamber are the result of incomplete combustion of fuel and oil; they violate the thermal state, change the compression ratio, reducing the volume of the combustion chamber. In the intake system, dirt forms on the inside of the valve discs and on the walls of the intake ducts, which interferes with the filling of the cylinders and, thereby, there is a loss of power.

Deposits in the fuel system (especially in the injectors) disrupt the mixture formation processes.

Problems in different areas of the internal combustion engine are of a different nature: in the combustion chamber and on the valves, mainly solid particles (such as coke), and in the fuel system, where operating temperatures are low and there is nowhere for coke to take, deposits form in the form of varnish films of different thicknesses. Hence, there are two different principles for removing deposits: in the fuel system, the varnish must be dissolved, and in the combustion chamber, coke is removed by burning out an organic binder that keeps carbon deposits on the surface. To do this, you need to use an additive in the fuel, which will briefly increase the combustion temperature.

In general, the efficiency of the cleaners also depends on the modes in which the internal combustion engine is operated. The worst option is to fill in the additive and get stuck in a traffic jam. The best solution is to fill the composition and quickly roll out the entire tank somewhere outside the city. Of course, always using good gasoline with detergent additives is preferable to such a procedure. For those who cannot afford branded fuel, it is recommended to use proven cleaners a couple of times a year for prevention.

Engine cleaner (outside)

It is recommended to wash the internal combustion engine from the outside before selling it (a clean internal combustion engine will give the car a marketable appearance) and before major repairs or diagnostics. In the second case, it is better to wash the internal combustion engine yourself, because an additional fee may be required for cleaning at the service station.

*Pay attention to . They are considered much more convenient, as they allow you to quickly apply the mixture even to the most inaccessible places.

Brake cleaner

These products clean the elements of the brake system from technical fluids, dirt, dust and other deposits. And because of the friction of the pads on the disc, microparticles are formed that settle on the brake mechanisms and reduce their effectiveness. Therefore, accumulated clumps of dust and chips must be removed.

*Example: when work is done on the brake line, fluid inevitably gets on the disc, pads and caliper. And these traces need to be removed.

A quality one should:

• Degrease surfaces and evaporate without residue;
• Have a powerful spray torch to wash out contaminants with the power of the jet pressure (since a strong pressure will effectively clean everything, especially in hard-to-reach places);
• Do not be aggressive towards plastic and rubber.

*Brake cleaner has many uses, such as degreasing the surface before applying sealant or cold welding, and even before gluing something.

Injector cleaner

There are two types of injector cleaners: in the form of direct sprays that are injected directly into the manifold and onto the injectors; and in the form of a solution, the so-called additive, which is added to the fuel.

The spray can only clean the visible surface and nozzles. It will not be possible to remove plaque inside the system with sprays, and for such cases, cleaners are used that are added to the fuel.

When choosing, it is worth considering the degree of pollution. For light to medium blockages, products in the form of additives or sprays do an excellent job. Otherwise, you will have to use aggressive additives that can damage parts of the fuel system, or give it to professionals for ultrasonic cleaning. Of course, it’s better not to reach the second option, but just carefully look after your car.

Carburetor cleaner

The carburetor cleaner has found wide application in technology, but is most often used for its intended purpose: cleaning the throttle valves of the internal combustion engine. Its main advantage is the ability to knock down pollution under high pressure. An oil film settles on them, dirt and soot accumulate. For such a case, there is also a special cleaner - aerosol or liquid.

Liquid preparations in the form additives are poured into the tank, where they are mixed with fuel and, when it is burned, they clean the elements of the carburetor. More popular is aerosol agent. To use it, you need to disassemble the fuel assembly. Many use them as a preventive measure to keep the carburetor in good condition. Also note the versatility of this tool.

*Carburetor cleaner has received many positive reviews. It is noted that after its use, the toxicity of the exhaust has decreased.

Nozzle cleaner

Injector contamination is a decrease in the dosage of the combustible mixture, the deposition of soot and a complete cessation of the fuel supply. The tightness of the injector valve is broken, fuel leaks, and the toxicity of exhaust gases increases. Nozzle cleaner will help prevent all of this.

The nozzle can be cleaned on an ultrasonic stand, on a washing stand (nozzles are flushed with liquid cleaner under pressure) or by adding cleaning additives into fuel.

Chain cleaner

If you have a motorcycle or bicycle, then it will definitely come in handy here. In addition to cleaning, it also protects against corrosion, perfectly lubricates and is not washed off when in contact with water.

The complex for cleaning the interior / exterior of the car includes:

• Body wash with car shampoo;
• Treatment for bitumen, tar, resin, insects, glue, oil stains, etc.;
• Cleansing;
• Cleansing;
• Cleaning, plastic and other surfaces in the car from dust and dirt;
• Cleaning .

Car care, especially in winter, requires the owner's special attention: frequent precipitation and road dirt with chemicals lead to paint damage and corrosion. To avoid the appearance of rust and other “consequences”, you need to wash your car with a high-quality car shampoo at least once every 2 weeks, paying special attention to wheel arches and sills, and also regularly apply polish, winter wiper, Antirain.

Interior cleaning is just as important. Interior details often include a set of types of materials, so there is no single care algorithm for all cases. Knowing what a certain element of the interior is made of, and also taking into account the type of upholstery, you can perform this order of events for your own vehicle. Also, based on this, and select special cleaning products.

Constantly trust your car to professionals or stock up on various cleaning products yourself? Here everyone decides for himself, the main thing is not to forget that a clean shiny car not only looks more beautiful and stylish, but also affects how others perceive you. And you yourself will obviously take better care of your favorite car. Therefore, we recommend that you immediately buy and use specialized cleaners that will help you do all the dirty and difficult work.