Would you do it this way? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

junqueyardjim · #1 09-19-2007, 07:23 PM

I have a 84 300 D that I got from Bio Pete in Nashville this spring. This little car was headed for the junk yard and Pete saved it. It has a super sweet body and I have checked it ever so close and there is no rust. None! It hadn't been run for quite some time but I managed to get it started. It really ran poorly until I adjusted the valves. Bajaman came over and we did a compression check. Three cylinders were excellent at about 420 and two were about 350. Bajaman did an injector pop and spray pattern test and the cylinders with lower compression also had very poor performing injectors. Anyway, we replaced those poor performing injectors and it seems to run out very well. I am going to purchase a compression tester from HF hopefully this Saturday and will check it again. Anyway within 200 miles of running, the transmission gave out. From what all came out of that transmission when we first started it and quickly changed the oil and filter, I am surprised it went 200 miles. So a transmission change is necessary, and here is the question.

The 300 D turbo engine in this car is unbelievably dirty and covered with 25 years of engine oil, diesel fuel and dirt. It looks like the oil cooler hoses should be changed and the AC compressor needs to be installed. My thinking is to pull the whole engine and transmission to accommodate these other jobs, as well as to install new motor mounts and to clean the engine and engine bay of all this dirt. That is a lot of work that could be accomplished and I could do most of it in a stand up position. I am getting a bit old and laying on the ground is just very difficult and I can get very dizzy when I get up from working under the car. Of course, there is always some work that has to be done underneath the car, but I would like to keep that at a minimum. I also plan to do the turbo drain tube and possibly replace the gaskets under the oil filter. My wife wants me to farm the job out, but I know it will not get done the way I want it done. I have a nice two wheel trailer with a mesh floor that will easily accommodate that engine and transmission for a slow trip through the car wash. Wouldn't that be a great way to clean that grease hog up? Do you have any other suggestions?

KAdams4458 · #2 09-19-2007, 07:32 PM

Well, there's no better time to clean things up than with them out of the car. Since the tranny has to come out, why not the motor, too? It's not much more work, and it'll give you a chance to inspect a lot of things that will be easier to replace if need be.

As for running it through the car wash on a trailer, most car washes don't like you doing that. I have better luck getting things clean with good degreaser and cheap parts cleaning brushes from Harbor Freight, anyway. Besides, you'll want a clean engine compartment, too, right? It's a little difficult to drag an entire car to the wash bay just to get the motor compartment clean.

LUVMBDiesels · #3 09-19-2007, 07:50 PM

If you can take the engine to one of those wash it yourself places you should be OK. However, I would either buy or rent a power washer and do it at your place. Once the engine is out spray it with a lot of GUNK degreaser, on my engine it took around six cans to get it clean! Spray it on, wait 15 minutes run a wire brush over the bad parts and power wash it off. Then repeat.

Once you have done the engine, you can detail the engine bay pretty easily.

Once you are done you will have a nice clean environment to soot up

DieselAddict · #4 09-19-2007, 07:53 PM

I'm glad you saved a good car from the crusher. It hurts me to see all those gutted 300D's and other Benzes in the local Pick-n-Pull that were once nice cars. If it wasn't for people's stupidity those cars would still be on the road giving pleasure to their occupants.

junqueyardjim · #5 09-19-2007, 07:55 PM

Yes, that is what I meant by car wash - not a full carwash but one of those pits where the truckers and contractors take there dirty iron to clean it up. Can't do it here at home either, I think that I would have black nasty grease wads all over the place.

kerry · #6 09-19-2007, 08:01 PM

I don't see a huge difference between a trip to the car wash with engine and transmission in place and a trip to the carwash with engine and transmission on a trailer. There'll be a few places you can't access with the engine and tranny in the car but I'll bet if you take a couple of ramps and a creeper, you can get a huge percentage of grease off the engine and transmission with everything in the car.
I take mine and wash them off routinely in the car wash and they turn out pretty clean even without ramps and any attempt to get underneath.

raslaje · #7 09-19-2007, 10:44 PM

I brought my car to a car steam cleaning place. $30 IIRC. He did the engine and front underside and all the wheels. Gave him $5 extra and he backed it up his ramps and did the diff area. Did a great job.