Engine compartment cleaners: rules for use and rating of the best manufacturers
Content
The use of cleaners guarantees safety. The first cause of a fire in an engine is insulation that has corroded as a result of the accumulation of dirt. Salvation from such incidents is in your hands.
The engine compartment cleaner market is oversaturated with prices, types of action, volumes and compositions. This guide helps you prioritize.
Types of funds
Liquid options for the engine compartment are strong, remove the most difficult pollution. Supplied as concentrates, require dilution and may burn the skin. When interacting, precautions must be taken. Minimum required: gloves, goggles, mask or respirator. Some products are so strong that they will corrode tires, plastic parts and packaging if not diluted according to the instructions.
A foam cleaner is a popular option that does not require rinsing with water. As a rule, they are supplied in cans of 450-600 ml, designed for one use. Not as powerful as the liquid type: you have to help with a rag or brush. Funds are often not enough, because for complete cleaning, you have to apply several times, but the advantage is in mobility.
Types of cleansers
Petroleum based formulas are strong solvents. Cope with the fat left after gasoline, oil and other lubricants. The problem with such products is the lack of versatility: they cope worse with dirt.
How to choose
The composition of an engine degreaser determines its detergency. Too aggressive concentrates require dilution, dangerous without protective equipment. Manual options for quick application are not much better, because they often do not cope with soot, tar stains.
If you are planning to drive soon or do the treatment indoors, then a tolerable scent should be chosen. Some cleaners have a strong chemical ombre, others are lightly scented, but even they are not pleasant.
For example, compounds incompatible with plastic will cause cracks, soften, and loosen the material. Rubber, when in contact with a conflicting type, swells, shrinks, or even dissolves. All manufacturers announce the safety of the composition in relation to these types of surfaces: follow the descriptions on the packaging.
Choice of purifier
Choose the volume according to your personal needs. Consider the need for dilution and frequency of use.
The most practical are universal tools. Although products for the engine compartment are designed to be specialized, many can be used to remove grease from tools, equipment, suspension components.
Formulas of such products commonly contain flammable alcohols and hydrocarbon solvents. They are cheaper and more efficient, but more dangerous. Without ventilation in the garage, near fire, welding sparks or hot surfaces, they should not be used.
Non-flammable degreasers avoid problems, but are more expensive. Also, cleaning products are toxic, contain dangerous solvents: trichlorethylene, perchlorethylene. Working with such components causes headaches, dizziness. Be sure to read the instructions for use before purchasing.
How to use
Depending on the type and composition, the operating scheme is different, but there are 5 general rules.
Using a cleaner
If you bought a manual aerosol, then you need:
- observe the safety measures specified in the rules;
- isolate the electronics elements and the air duct with a film;
- spray the contents;
- wait a few minutes;
- wash off.
Another thing is if you purchased a concentrate. For use, dilution with water according to the instructions and a sprayer is required.
Rating of popular offers
The scope of all cleaners presented includes oil, grease areas, brake dust, mud deposits. Manufacturers of some products claim success on road salt or heavy tar deposits.
Liqui Moly engine compartment cleaner
Supplied in 400 ml cans: enough for one use. It costs 800 rubles. - the most expensive of the options considered when calculating the price per 100 ml. product.
Liqui Moly engine compartment cleaner
Thins oil, grease, tar and brake debris. Neutral to plastics, rubber and paints, does not contain chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFC).
It is necessary to spray at a distance of 20-30 cm. The composition works for 15-20 minutes, then the product is washed off. Liqui Moly is the most powerful formula out there, aside from the concentrates. The spray is easy to use, expensive, but it washes well even age-old dirt. It is also effective against deposits, which is important when washing the internal elements of the engine.
Runway Foamy Engine Cleaner
Holds 650 gr. It costs about 500 rubles. Foam version, working on oil, dirt, dust. Neutral to plastics and rubber, but not to paint.
Runway Foamy Engine Cleaner
The cylinder must be stored away from heating devices, open flames, welding. Do not heat above +50℃: this is the rule for all cleaners, especially for foam cleaners. Flush the engine cool, after processing do not turn it on. Without the help of a brush, the composition copes worse, quickly falling off: even the manufacturer advises helping the product with your hands.
Hi Gear ENGINE SHINE FOAMING DEGREASER
Can - 0.45 l. Price - 600-700 rubles. Conflicts with paintwork: should be washed off immediately. Before use, warm up the engine to 50-60 ° C, then turn it off. It is especially not recommended to get on electronic components.
Hi Gear ENGINE SHINE FOAMING DEGREASER
It works for 15 minutes, after which it must be washed off. Flammable.
Foam spray ASTROhim
650 ml bottle. Budget cost, up to 300 rubles. Runs on warm engines. Safe for plastic and rubber, not so good for paintwork. The electrician should be covered with cellophane. Before use, the car is warmed up a little, the product is applied from afar, left for 10 minutes, washed off and the surface dried.
Foam spray ASTROhim
While the foam stays vertical, it can't handle large chunks of dirt or tar. Cheap but unreliable.
Grass Engine Cleaner
Supplied in volumes of 600 ml., 1, 5, 21 liters. A liter costs about 300 rubles. Alkaline concentrate is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4 to 1:9 in the form of foam. The proportion for the sprayer is 1:50-1:120 (8-20g/l). Apply after preliminary washing of parts from dust. Keep no more than 2 minutes.
Grass Engine Cleaner
Advantages in the variety of offered volumes and aggressive cleaning formula. But this tool is a concentrate: it needs to be diluted, and a sprayer is required to work.
Lavr Foam Motor Cleaner
480 ml can with dispenser. It costs about 300 rubles. Used on a warm engine. The air duct and electrics are closed, the foam composition is applied for 5 minutes.
Lavr Foam Motor Cleaner
The volume is not always enough, especially for jeeps, and the bottle leaks at the junction with the trigger during spraying. However, the formula itself removes both oil stains and dirt.
Foam exterior cleaner Kerry
Aerosol 520 ml. Price - up to 400 rubles. Safe for rubber and plastic. Although the manufacturer claims that the paintwork does not threaten anything if it hits, it is better to immediately wash off the mixture from the coating.
Foam exterior cleaner Kerry
Does not contain ethanol, methanol, oils. Apply on the engine warmed up to 50-60 °C. Spray on for 15 minutes: brushing is preferred as foam, even with a large amount, quickly settles. The result is average: weaker than Liqui Moly, but stronger than ASTROhim.
PHENOM FN407
Volume - 520 ml. Slightly cheaper than Kerry, but works just as well. The price rarely reaches 350 rubles. This is another analogue of a foam sprayer: the method of application is the same as that of Kerry.
PHENOM FN407
It is better to use it for the prevention of the engine compartment, and make the control wash with a concentrate or more effective foam.
Advantages
Cleaning and maintaining the contents under the hood extends the life of the engine by preventing wear of parts. In addition, you will be able to discover hidden problems. Mechanics often emphasize the connection between engine temperature and contamination: a clean one is more protected from overheating, especially in summer.
The use of cleaners guarantees safety. The first cause of a fire in an engine is insulation that has corroded as a result of the accumulation of dirt. Salvation from such incidents is in your hands.
Tips for choosing
Below are the characteristics that you should always pay attention to:
- Calculate the price ratio per 100 ml. Many aerosols that seem cheap will need to be bought in addition, because. one can is not enough, especially for jeeps. Some supposedly cheap varieties are simply smaller in volume.
- See claims for reaction to rubber parts, paintwork, plastics. Manufacturers know the importance of this aspect to customers by always providing safety information for coatings. If even after a long search you did not find the relevant information, feel free to brush aside the mixture.
- Read the instructions for use and safety: concentrates need to be diluted, are chemically aggressive, but remove dirt better, while spray cans are easy to use, but they are not as effective. Determine the appropriate instance by considering appropriate security measures.
- When buying in winter, choose an option that is insensitive to freezing.
- Ph value: the higher, the more aggressive the formula. Ph is written on the package, taking into account the correct dilution according to the instructions.
All of these characteristics can be found before purchase in the product description.
