1. For the elbow grease part of engine and gearbox cleanups you can use an old flathead screwdriver which acts as a small scraper that can reach into tight corners and recesses to clean out the oil and dirt. A small toothbrush-sized wire brush will also fit nicely into tight quarters and scrub away the toughest stuff.

2. As you start the cleaning process place a large drip pan underneath the area to be cleaned. All of the dirt and degreaser will then fall into this, instead of on your driveway. After everything has been scraped, then it is time to apply with a degreaser.

3. Apply the degreaser with a spray bottle seemsand don't be stingy, Use enough to really wet down the dirty areas. You can let it soak for a few minutes, but it is a good idea to start scrubbing while things are still wet. It will be a slow and dirty process, but the end results will be amazing. This really is the only way to get the dirt out of every nook and cranny.

4. After you feel that you have scrubbed all of the dirt loose, it is time to rinse. After you have rinsed off all of the loose degreaser and dirt, you will more than likely find all of the spots that you missed the first time around. Let the water dry off, then spray on more degreaser and start the scrubbing process again. Patience and time, that's all it takes.Eventually, your engine or gearbox will start will start to look very clean, one that can be kept looking good with just light touchups every so often.

Important Note: When going through the cleaning process it is imperative that any connected parts are covered up wither with a plastic bag or tape to ensure water does not leak in and disrupt the running of your engine or gearbox. It is always good to keep your engine tuning process in place as this if kept up, will help keep your unit clean. We would also reommend an oil change at regular intervals maybe every 10,000 miles.

See also our Low-Mileage section for more helpful tips on looking after your engine and gearbox.