Cleaning OM617 Intake -Remind Me Again Why I Chose To DO This? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

torsionbar · #16 08-22-2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warmblood58

So, pulled manifolds to replace bad gasket -had a exhaust leak on my '82 300SD. Filled intake with bio diesel and let it sit over night, poured out sludge, added gasoline to further soak . . . what a mess! Remind me why I chose to do this again? Easier method? After gas, I am going to wash with hot soapy water and hope that does the trick!

after doing it once myself, i swore never again. the next one i did, i simply took the parts to the local machine shop for a bath in the hot tank.

50 bucks later, they came to me clean enough to eat off of. i'll never clean one of these myself again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

It'll also come back lighter with holes enlarged.

not if you use a competent shop. any machinist worth his salt will know not to tank aluminum parts for too long. i've hot tanked dozens of aluminum parts at my local shop and never had any problems, no corrosion, no enlarged holes, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

I guess I was being too subtle.. Hot tank uses hot caustic solution and it will dissolve aluminum- fast! I know someone who did that with a VW intake and let it soak overnight in Potasium Hydroxide (hot tank chemical). It came out nice and clean alright. When it was time to install it, the Allen bolt heads went right through the manifold holes, they were enlarged that much. He was able to still use it by adding large washers.

overnight?? really?

this is why you take your parts to a competent machine shop, and not to a back-yard hack.

rscurtis · #17 08-22-2012, 05:42 PM

Caustic solvent will attack aluminum- digestive solvent (used for carburetors) will not.

funola · #18 08-23-2012, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by torsionbar

after doing it once myself, i swore never again. the next one i did, i simply took the parts to the local machine shop for a bath in the hot tank.

50 bucks later, they came to me clean enough to eat off of. i'll never clean one of these myself again.

not if you use a competent shop. any machinist worth his salt will know not to tank aluminum parts for too long. i've hot tanked dozens of aluminum parts at my local shop and never had any problems, no corrosion, no enlarged holes, etc.

overnight?? really?

this is why you take your parts to a competent machine shop, and not to a back-yard hack.

Did you actually see the machine shop put your intake with 1/2 lb of filthy black gunk into his hot tank? Caustic hot tank solution is not cheap and disposing used up solution (hazardous waste) is not cheap either. My guess is they cleaned the majority of the gunk out first by other means (probably with the torch) and give it a few minutes in the hot tank and then media blast the outside.

The fella who soaked it overnight did it himself. He had to soak it overnight to get all the gunk off the inside.

Walkenvol · #19 08-23-2012, 10:33 AM

Why would anybody spend $50 to have a shop do something that you can do at home for $0.05 of propane. Burn the crap out, get a good laugh about the process, spend your $50 on something you really need.

funola · #20 08-23-2012, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walkenvol

Why would anybody spend $50 to have a shop do something that you can do at home for $0.05 of propane. Burn the crap out, get a good laugh about the process, spend your $50 on something you really need.

Burning is really the best way to do it and makes the most sense. The gunk is highly flammable. Aluminum pots stands up to flame pretty good on a stove so it won't hurt your intake. There is no filthy gunky residue other than dry carbon ash.