Taking care of rubber hoses and wiring

Rubber hoses are used around the engine bay, the flexibility and durability of rubber making them the perfect choice. The air intake hose, radiator hose, and rubber parts in an engine bay suffer from oxidation (that brown deposit on the rubber parts) due to the heat that these parts endure everyday. Cleaning and maintaining these parts is easy though. Do not use all in one cleaners to clean these parts, since the chemicals in these cleaners can inflict more damage on the rubber components. Use a dedicated rubber cleaner/shine to clean these components. Use a microfibre cloth to apply the fluid/wax to the rubber surfaces. Tyre shine/wax could help too.

Modern cars also use a lot of electrical components. The engine sensors, lighting, security systems, etc are electric and therefore are connected to the battery through wires. These wires are tough, but wear and tear through usage is normal. Checking the wires for any damage when you do a visual check of the engine bay is important. Friction with other parts of the engine bay may have exposed some wiring, so add insulation to these parts. Make sure the terminals where the wires connect are dust-, dirt- and rust-free, since these can cause short circuits. Also ensure that all the wires are tightly fitted, and there are no loose ends. Ensure that you cover the electrical terminals with aluminium foil or cling film when you clean the engine bay, and don’t forget to remove the same after you are done.