Hi Guys!NEW member here.I Just purchased an '87 300D Turbo.
GREAT car.I would like the engine compartment to be as sparkling clean as the exterior.What are your recommendations on a power wash? I have one of my own and it's not too wicked.1250 psi.I have used it on my diesel pickup but there is no comparison to the MB engine for small things that might not like a bath.It's REALLY dirty and hand cleaning could take days.Also whay kind of cleaning solvent works best? It's mostly road grime but I would like it clean to spot any fresh leaks that might not be obvious now.
Oh yeah..what will take that terrible brake dust off of the wheels? It looks awful.Thanks for your help.I am addicted to this site already.And my Benz...of course

I could be wrong, but I think I remember reading somewhere that the newer MB engines have some kind of a protective coating such that engine cleaning solvents of any kind are not recommended. I don't remember what year that started, but I bet someone will enlighten us. Good luck with your new Benz. Everybody who has a 124 wagon seems to love it.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

I've been washing my engines at the car wash ever since I saw the first "quarter" car wash in the sixties.

The very new gas cars with lots of connectors is a little risky. I've heard of folks having connectors and sensors ruined by doing this. I've probably washed the engine compartment in my 300E a half dozen times, and my 240D probably fifty times, with no ill effect. If you do it while the engine is warm, it will evaporate most of the water before it has a chance to condense on something and cause problems.

Although I've had very good luck doing this, proceed carefully and consider that I may have just been extremely lucky.

I hate to think about the time when the engine compartment in my new car needs cleaning. I don't know if I'll do it or not.

Have a great day,

for a number of years - set on engine clean and rinse. I usually take a box of plastic wrap and cover the alternator and any other item under there that could be deemed vulnerable. Then I like to re-apply lube to areas that may have gotten it washed out.

The best way to wash under a hood is with a steam cleaner.

Don't forget the wheel well area while you are at it.
Jim
'95 E320
'97 Honda CRV

I had my '80 300SD steam cleaned after a trip to Alaska. ON the way home from the cleaning, the engine ran terrible. Some of the electronics (and there are a lot of them on a turbo Diesel) must have gotten wet from the steam.

I left it sit overnight while I pondered what was wrong and how to fix it. I tried it the next day and everything was OK so I assumed it dried out. The problem has never reoccurred.

P E H

Joe

Sense your asking. I will tell you a funny story.

Growing up I never really got into cars I was always interested in playing sports instead. It wasn't until recently that (about six years ago) I bought a boat and was looking at the engine and thinking to myself. If I was out in the middle of the bay and this boat doesn't start I wouldn't know the first thing to check. I started to read some books and manuals and found that the combustion engine really fascinated me. So I started to do all the maintenance that I could do myself. I kind of jumped into it with both feet.

As my experiences grew I decided I would try to replace the timing belt on my wife's Camry. But first I would wash the engine because it was pretty dirty. The following weekend when I was off I would do the belt. I sprayed a cleaner on the engine and washed it off with a pressure washer I had. Started the car up and pulled it into the garage no problem.

I work shift work and it was my first night of the midnight shift. When on this shift I sleep in the spare bed room (no phone) with ear plugs and the window covered the whole nine yards. Before going down for a nap my wife said she was going to get gas and is her car Ok to drive because she saw me working on it. I said sure and I also said check out the clean engine. It was during the winter and it was already dark out and kind of cold. The next thing I know my wife comes barging into the room (several hours later) ramping and raging about the car braking down and how shes been trying to wake me up by calling on the phone. She finally had to call her father up which he lives about 45 min. away to pick her and my four year old son up to bring them home.

So I get up and we drive down to her car. I get in the car and it starts right up. I drove it home with no problems. I am thinking something got wet, but the engine heated up and dried off whatever got wet and the problem is OK. I go to work and come home the next morning. My wife said she still has to get gas would I follow her to the gas station in case something happens again. I am tired from working all night and I told her the car was fine because it started and drove home Ok yesterday evening. Whatever it was it corrected itself.

I go to bed and a couple of hours later guess what. She comes busting into the bed room again ramping and ranging. The car broke down again. Her father was unavailable, but luckily a neighbor finally drove by and gave her and my son a ride home. So once again we drove down to her car. I get into her car and it starts right up. I drove it home, but this time I kept driving up and down the street in front of the house. Soon enough it started to miss really bad, I was able to get the car back to the house. So as I'm standing there over the engine with a thumb up my (you know where) my four year old son comes up to me. He has this worried look on his face and says Dad, Mom called you an ******* today, but I think your the best Dad in the world. Unintentionally my son added some much needed humor just at the right time.

I did figure the problem out. There was about an ounce of water in the distributor cap. There was also a slight miss when the car ran at 1500 rpm's. That turned out to be a bad EGR valve due to water getting into it.

Lessons learned. I still clean the engine, but I cover all electrical connections and I do not use the pressure washer. I just use normal pressure out of the hose without trying to increase the pressure any. I clean all my cars engines about twice a year and have not had any problems since. It's nice to work on a clean engine.

Good Luck.

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Mike

This discussion got my curiosity up, so I went looking for the "official" answer. TSB Ref.# 98/48, March 1995. It is the engine compartment (not the engine itself)which has an anti-corrosion coating described as being similar to clear coat. This is effective August 94 for all MB vehicles. They recommend against using cold water type engine cleaning solvents. They specifically mention Gunk(r)Engine Cleaner. They say that steam cleaning remains OK provided certain precautions are followed, such as not steam cleaning a hot engine. They mention protecting such things as fresh air openings, brake master cylinder, activated charcoal system, distributor cap, electronic control modules, uncovered openings on the engine such as vents, any belt driven components, diesel vacuum pumps, etc. Generally, it would appear that common sense applies.

__________________
Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Look at this thread called "Cleaning diesel engine" in the archives. Cleaning Diesel Engine Among other pearls of wisdom was this quote "Diesel injection pumps get so hot that even warm or hot water (steam included) can seize up a pump at operating temp (about $1,000 rebuilt). Recommendation from my old Chilton Diesel book: If you decide to do it, do it with a completely cold engine." by PCU2000

I also recommend a schpritz of Simple Green Wheel Cleaner to loosen up the crud...on both the wheels and the engine!

Read the archives, many have come before you, and many will come after, so be sure to read what was left for you, and to leave something for the next new member...

[Edited by longston on 02-26-2001 at 01:21 PM]

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Scott Longston
Northern California Wine Country...
"Turbos whistle, grapes wine..."