Mechanic Monday Tip of the week. Clean engines

Mechanic Monday Tip of the week.

We all have our pet peeves. One of mine is keeping every bit of dirt from falling into the engine while working on it. I have been wrenching for a living since 1978 and It still amazes me how much damage a tiny piece of dirt or sand can do to a bearing surface or the oil pump and how easy it is to prevent most of it from falling in there in the first place.
Have you noticed when you remove the oil filler cap or any any engine access cover to your engine that there is often a bit of dirt between the cap and the engine?
Well I do and I am paranoid that that dirt will fall into the engine. So here is this weeks tip. For screw caps I loosen the cap a tiny bit about 1/10 of a turn then spray brake cleaner or compressed air at the tiny gap at an angle that will blow the dirt away then I finish unscrewing the cap. For engine covers I spend a few extra minutes cleaning the area. If there is a chance some dirt can fall in from the frame or wire bundle I will wrap that section of frame with a bit of tin foil to contain the dirt.

A clean engine is a happy engine.

Stay greasy my friends.