How to safely wash your engine with water

In this video we show you how to safely wash your engine with water, something we know a lot of you are nervous to do. You needn't worry, just follow our video guide and everything will be fine.

[@markauger1467]

Thank you,, awesome video, as a single 54 year old woman, I try and do what I can,like change a car head light, removing commode, as my daughter flushed an apple, I had to remove it, I did great job on both, I will give you an update on how I did,, Again Thank you, your tutorial was terrific, as well as explained everything so thoroughly, Grace to you

[@AutoglymUK]

Thanks!

[@SMICH0FF]

where is the update?:D for real iam interested

[@TheTopD]

If you're preparing to do this on a early agaed car like 2003 years, make sure you're injector seals are in good nick so they don't let any water in the rocker, other than that it'll be fine, cars are subjected to moister all the time

[@dannywilson2886]

Wonderful. I’ll give it a go this weekend as I plan to do this for customers cars also.

[@ibhatti19]

I would keep water out of the engine bay. Most modern cars have many electrical connectors only requires one to get water in to give you issues. If it ain't broke don't fix it..

[@mhancock17]

you must not know much about cars because electrical connectors are supposed to be waterproof

[@scoot5642]

not everyone is clueless as u. cleaning engine bay is perfectly fine, if u have an older car, use a trash bag to cover the engine. newer car plastic cover on the area water shouldn’t touch, even then it’s water proof. cleaning engine bay helps engine cool down better and can help identify leaks

[@James28R]

i assume you dont go driving in the rain then?

[@bernodjalli777]

@@scoot5642im never washing the engine again my friend… washed very very gently first time my audi q5 2018 …kapoot the whole car off and not starting for a week now😅😅😅😅 never ever touching with water again 😂

[@jianbinchen2881]

@@mhancock17 sometime the seal just broke

[@Moonfleet41]

I bet this would work wonders on a motorcycle, our engines live out in the weather, and its always hard to get all the dirt and grime out of the small places.... and we get a lot more dirt and grime than car engine bays do i recon.. i specially like the last product that you just spary all over an leave to dry..! Always loved AutoGlym products..

[@peterrudy9207]

:25 I stuff as many microfiber towels as will fit , into the air intake to prevent water from getting inside . And I always remove the engine cover , foam rubber .

[@ryantoomey611]

I would stay away from the alternator, battery, and fuse box when washing the engine.

[@skater102223111]

The alternator and battery would be completely fine. The fuse box, you just have to make sure water doesn't get inside.

[@Good-DaySunshine]

So the starter getting wet isn't a problem?

[@AutoglymUK]

It was not in this instance, no. To be honest it can sometimes be an issue with older cars (pre-90's) but we have not had any issues with modern cars, and we are washing cars all the time at Autoglym. If you are concerned avoid it, cover it up or use the waterless method.

[@alicewong8190]

Important thing is to get it really dry before you start the engine

[@bracozulic8542]

I have audi A6 c7 does I can clean motor without I protect alternator?

[@chm1701]

I know this is an old video, but I’ve been wanting to give this a go for a while; it bugs me every time I open the engine bay. I own a VW Golf Mk7 TDI and was always wondering if I needed to protect the electrics, but according to this, I should be okay, yes? Thanks.

[@AutoglymUK]

Cover any exposed electrics and intakes, most engines will insulate and protect the wiring on the bay but if in doubt you can cover them anyway.

[@pcrate20]

I live in USA, and I am interesting in buy that product , do you have any link?

[@AutoglymUK]

Hi, our products can be found via Amazon in the US and various retailers

[@pcrate20]

@@AutoglymUK thank you,but unfortunately this product in specific "Engine & Machine Cleaner is not available.

[@Chestercb79]

It was nice to watch it, especially when I've seen "my" engine bay and engine itself in this video :-)

[@AutoglymUK]

Thank you very much!

[@zacharyyap9510]

This was helpful-thanks so much! 🤩

[@AutoglymUK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@huttonsteel731]

Is it safe to use these products and method to clean a Hybrid engine?

[@AutoglymUK]

Hi, we wouldn't recommend cleaning hybrid or electric engines quite yet due to the increased number on sensitive components, you can ask for advice via the manufacturer of your vehicle.

[@anasullah2014]

Best car product company.

[@nickolastiguan]

Hi Autoglym, is the engine & machine cleaner safe for tyres and wheels? I have been using it to clean mine in the last couple years, I always follow up with tyre dressing, and a light coat of wax on the wheels. Thanks.

[@AutoglymUK]

Yes, it is fine.

[@superknightlol]

lol,my dad said to watch the car and he will give me 10 buck so i did. i just spray the engine bay with water and scrub using soapy sponge. the car runs fine.

[@jojozepofthejungle2655]

I have a Toyota Grande and can't get to anything to clean up, as its so compact. Had a valve gasket leak and the oil is still causing a real stink when using air con. Some engines just can't be cleaned at home.

[@zainulabideenzain3]

Which model Grande? How much is it driven?

[@koolkat969]

Excellent demonstration. Nice and simple to follow. Can't seem to find the waterless cleaning video from the playlist. Does anyone have a link to it?

[@AutoglymUK]

Thanks Koolkat969! That video will be following very soon. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel so you will be notified when it launches 👍

[@koolkat969]

AutoglymUK... Thank you for your reply. I'm already subscribed and turned on notifications. Looking forward to it. I don't use anything else but Autoglym. Cheers

[@mattmcilwhan]

Still no video. Is it far off?

[@AutoglymUK]

Hi That.Grey.Fiesta - Waterless engine bay wash will be uploaded this evening 👍

[@koolkat969]

AutoglymUK Great!!! Looking forward to it and thank you very much for the update. Cheers

[@DjHECKTIK]

What’s the brand of the long black brush you use?

[@AutoglymUK]

Believe it or not it is a radiator paint brush. It is perfect for reaching down into hard to reach areas.

[@swoosh1sh]

I have done this on a few cars 10+ years ago! Not sure about now

[@sherikahibbert458]

Where do I buy the products ?

[@AutoglymUK]

autoglym.com, Amazon, Halfords, Euro Car Parts, Ebay and various other retailers. For other distributors in other countries you can check on autoglym.com by clicking the flag.

[@asifosman]

What are the benefits of keeping the engine bay clean? Other than it looks better.

[@AutoglymUK]

It will allow for easier inspection of the engine, as well helping prevent corrosion.

[@lollyashton8581]

Is it ok to do this on a discovery 1 Land Rover?

[@AutoglymUK]

It should be, LR's are generally quite happy in water - however it will always be your call as to what you do to your car.

[@kieran2103]

Buy and sell damaged cars a lot and been using autoglym products since the word go very happy with them. Heavy duty tfr is great for cleaning the dirtiest cars I hav seen some cars in bad shape and with help from your products it always comes back to the new car feeling...👍

[@AutoglymUK]

cool! Good to hear it.

[@Themaskplague]

Once youve sprayed the engine with the cleaner and agitated it, instead of rinsing with a hose you could not just wipe off with a damp cloth and keep rinsing it? I know it would take longer but I’m a little paranoid about spraying water and getting it where it shouldn’t be

[@AutoglymUK]

It should be rinsed, it is important to ensure all theclean er is removed and there are a lot of places in an engine bay that product can hide or is inaccessible to a cloth. If you are not keen on using water, check out out other engine cleaning video which shows you how to do it without using water and a different product and technique.

[@yerrojumeharbabu4059]

Sensors are there in the engine. Ididn't understand. Why did u spray water in the Engine ? Are the Sensars are not damage? Sir.

[@AutoglymUK]

As advised in the video, cover up any sensitive area before washing.

[@kasaijaherbert4363]

The best video

[@AutoglymUK]

Thank you!

[@col72]

Awesome . Forensic detailer are you watching this ?

[@johnng5016]

What about the battery? No covering for that?

[@AutoglymUK]

Hi, The battery can be covered if needed on older models of cars without a battery cover. If in doubt refer to your manual or cover anyway.

[@pjbrawn2646]

Can you clean under the engine cover?

[@AutoglymUK]

Yes

[@captnjaygreybeard6394]

What about chemicals going into the drain? will they effect plastic piping?

[@AutoglymUK]

No, the product comes in a plastic bottle so should not cause a problem. Plus there is a lot of water used when rinsing generally so this dilutes any chemical even further making it weaker by the time it hits the drain. The product is also biodegradable so will break down over time.

[@captnjaygreybeard6394]

@@AutoglymUK OK, both great news environment and all, thanks for the help.

[@recordo10]

What do u mean avoid anything that's chrome there are chrome in places where u can't reach.

[@murphy_ghost7353]

Hi, nice video and products. Could I wash my VW Golf MK6 2012 engine?

[@AutoglymUK]

Probably, yes, although anything you do will need to be at your own discretion. It is hard to give a definite yes without looking at it in person, but this method has been used on many VAG engines with no ill effects.

[@murphy_ghost7353]

​@@AutoglymUK I spoke on Today with VW dealer and they checked my engine bay and they confirm that I can wash whole engine bay with water and Autoglym Engine & Machine Cleaner. I just need to cover battery. Thank you AutoglymUK for all cleaning products! ;-)

[@AutoglymUK]

Great stuff! Hope it turned out well.

[@Strikerpaul555]

Can you jet wash or is it Just hose off ?

[@AutoglymUK]

Some engines should not be pressure washed. Sometimes there is a warning in the engine bay specifically saying this. That is not always there though, so have a read of the owners manual. Sometimes it comes down to experience or knowledge of what can and can't be pressure washed. We have done it, but it is at a low pressure and from a distance. To be honest, we would stick kto hosing it off and steering clear of a pressure washer unless you are confident.

[@pinkpaws6209]

You don’t need to cover the battery or any electronics I also have the same car

[@fernandochavez9022]

Can the what happens if you wash a hop engine

[@AutoglymUK]

The products used to clean contain water and cleaning chemicals. This ratio is carefully balanced to ensure the products will clean a surface, but are not so strong that they can cause damage. If you apply cleaners to a hot engine, the water in tehh product will evaporate which will increase the percentage of cleaner on a surface. Essentially it will "un-dilute" it and this can lead to damage as there is undiluted cleaner on a surface. This is why we say to work on cool wheels too, and generally cool surfaces wherever possible. You can also run into issues as a hot engine creates a lot of steam and condensation, which can more readily enter areas of the engine, this is more of an issue on older more moisture sensitive engines.

[@CoffeeJsawz]

So there is no need to cover the battery? What do I need to cover only?

[@AutoglymUK]

Generally not, no. Any air intakes that are likely to drink a lot of water are a good idea to cover, or direct the flow of water away from the opening. Modern cars are generally fine - it is the older pre-90's petrol cars that can sometimes have issues. If in doubt follow our waterless engine cleaning guide.

[@salimmetin]

Why don't you remove the plastic engine cover to get acces to more engine parts?

[@AutoglymUK]

The area under the engine cover should remain relatively clean, it also often covers sensitive components that are more exposed.

[@alexisamtosta]

The professional version is the Super Sheen?

[@AutoglymUK]

The Professional version of Vinyl & Rubber Care is Supper Sheen, yes.

[@alexisamtosta]

@@AutoglymUK Thanks a lot

[@mrsingh1018]

Could i wash my BMW 3 series f30 engine

[@AutoglymUK]

Yes, you can, just don't use a pressure washer. Cover any areas you are concerned about, and if in doubt use the waterless method, the link is in the video at the end.

[@omarjatta1148]

This is my job

[@IamSamSammIam]

Nope still too worried I'd wet something which shouldn't get wet knowing my luck

[@AutoglymUK]

Check out our "How to wash an engine without water video" - sounds like that is the one for you.

[@Kiieerrann_xx]

Is this safe? You note in your description how people are nervous and im one of them!

[@AutoglymUK]

This is a safe method. However, engines do vary, so some will throw up some specific questions which would be impossible to cover all of in one video. If you're really not too confident on using this method on your car, it could be with good reason, so maybe revert to our 'dry engine wash' video to ensure safety.

[@Ravsawicki1]

We got only cleaned things on front of us, no cleaning engine.

[@AdrianJayeOnline]

shortest engine wash detail video EVER

[@AutoglymUK]

Well, we thought we'd just get straight to the point.

[@elenakalpakoff5020]

At the end, you say waterless, but you use water hello

[@AutoglymUK]

Hi, the line at the end says: "To clean your engine without water, check out our waterless cleaning video" That video can be found here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH_ZZXmcjZJ-hNkfeature=shared

[@haus_of_wisdom]

Well, your engine isn't as dirty as ours here in Africa. Like your wouldn't be this nice

[@AutoglymUK]

The level of dirt and type of dirt will definitely vary vehicle to vehicle, industry to industry and round the world. However, the method will still remain the same - it just requires more agitation and determination if the engine bay is bad. We have worked on some vehicles involved with mining, and they are shocking!

[@MihaiACaravan]

Step 1, remove the battery maybe?

[@AutoglymUK]

This is not a step that we have ever taken.

[@domilion2008]

In some European cars after disconnecting battery, special equipment required to reprogram vehicle otherwise it wont start.

[@Onkarr]

if water gets into parts on the underside won't it eventually rust metal parts...

[@AutoglymUK]

Only if it sits there and never moves again. The motion of the vehicle coupled with the heat generated from the engine being used will ensure it dries.

[@QassimAli-ww4jl]

No water lol

[@proboxpepper6752]

Way too shiny imo, it’s good after the wash.

[@AutoglymUK]

Easily resolved, after spraying on the Vinyl & Rubber Care buff it off immediately. That will leave a semi matt finish rather than a high gloss one. Remember that Vinyl & Rubber Care has an additional benefit, it is a water repellent layer.

[@omarrocha-rodriguez2168]

I think you forgot to disconnect the negative battery terminal

[@AutoglymUK]

That is not a step we take when washing engines at Autoglym, we have not found the need to, although you can do this if you want to.

[@ralphfactor579]

To dark video, can't see anything