Spring cleaning your car

H. Kishie Singh

Spring is here so is spring cleaning. Many people are, hence, spring cleaning their cars. Washing and polishing the exterior, vacuuming the interior, trying to get chewing gum off the carpet, etc. The only way to remove chewing gum is by using an ice cube.

So you have cleaned the car, inside and out. What about the engine? Do not ever wash the engine! The accompanying photograph shows what you must not do. The man is spraying the engine with a garden hose! According to some German manufacturers he is killing the engine.

One manufacturer’s instructions are ‘Do not open the bonnet’. Only a senior engineer has the authority to open the bonnet. He will change the oil and do the needful. The workers, who are in gum-boots and overalls, are not allowed to open the bonnet and spray water.

These engines do not leak oil. In earlier days it was the oil leaks that collected dust and made a mess of the engine. That necessitated spraying diesel, then washing it off with a high-pressure hose.

The only ‘dirt’ the new-breed engines collect is dust. This is removed with compressed air. If need be, a damp towel is used to wipe the engine.

If for some reason, you have to wash the engine, remember two points. One, make sure the engine is cold. Two, pour the water with a mug. With a hose, water will splash all over the engine. With the amount of electronics in the new breed of engines, this will lead to further trouble. So leave it to the professionals.

The weakest spot in the engine well is the breather-tube. There is one at the gearbox; it has a lock at the top end. If the lock is not in place there is a likelihood of water entering the gearbox and emulsifying the oil.

In a previous column we had discussed a visual inspection of the engine. Here are some additional points.

When you are dealing with an educated work-force , words will identify the engine parts. For a not-so- educated work force colour coding is the answer.

There are many containers in the engine well and this is how these are identified. A black cap on the little plastic container is brake-fluid. The clutch fluid container has a light grey cap. The windshield washer fluid has a blue cap. The engine oil dipstick is coloured orange. The automatic transmission fluid dipstick is coloured yellow. The engine oil cap is black and has the wording ‘engine oil’ plus a symbol of an oil-can. One of the most important caps is the radiator-cap. It could have a yellow background and black lettering saying ‘Never Open When Hot’. I have personally known half a dozen friends who have ignored this warning and just about saved from being blinded.

It is strongly recommended that you read the owner’s manual and pay attention to what the manufacturer says.

Happy Motoring!