Italian Tune up

[rsl007]

I have been reading some old diesel posts and noted reference to an "Italian tune-up" as a way of cleaning out the engine. Just what is this tune-up, and is it recommended as a way to clean injectors, and get rid of carbon build-up.
My car is a 1998 300D turbo.

rsl007

[R Leo]

Drive it like you stole it.

[rsl007]

Understand!
But in what gear and for how long?
rsl007

[DslBnz]

You have a '98 E300? Be careful, flooring the car can be dangerous. Watch out for cops.

Drive it like this...

Click here for video

[sixto]

There was a recent thread about redlining an MB Diesel. Some fear it reduces engine life, some say it's good to blow the soot out of the system. There are many Japanese cars waiting for me to run at redline if my MBs won't put with it.

I run the SDL at ~80mph in third gear. Speedo clears the 3 dots and the rpms stop climbing. Depending on how long it's been since the last cleaning, the smoke will clear by 4000rpm or after a few seconds at 80mph. I should mention that I don't get to take the SDL on the freeway as part of my daily commute.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

[Jorn]

Drive it like this guy (large file!)

[DslBnz]

That may be a little extreme, Jorn;

You don't need the sun blocking your vision.

[190D22]

dslbnz, I love that vid you posted there! What car is that you're in? I love hearing an MB diesel going through it's high end RPMs!!!

I give the 300CD an italian tune-up all the time, almost everytime I drive it. It shouldn't really hurt anything, as long as the engine is warmed up, and there is pleanty of oil. As for my Subaru, I have yet to redlined it, mostly because I get scared by the time it gets over 4000rpm, and the thing redlines at 6500rpm

[Jorn]

Me to, mine 300CD loves to drive fast. Yesterday when going home from work I decided to take a detour: from Hollywood all the way down to Malibu taking Sunset blvd., this is one off the nicest streets to tune up the car. I'm always amazed how good the car takes the curves going fast, like an arrow!

[rsl007]

Thank you all for the input:
So, the question is just how long does one run the engine near the redline to get decent cleaning of the injectors and glow plugs.
1,2,5 or 10 min? And lastly, how often, if a car is used for mixed city and highway driving?
rsl007

[JimSmith]

rsl007,

I have a 1998 E300D TurboDiesel too. I do this regularly, in an area on my way home from the airport where I am reasonably secure from the revenue gathering arm of the law. I will typically punch it in 3rd gear, run to redline, shift manually and keep it punched until I notice the cloud of soot diminish or my free path to do this ends. When I bought the car it never smoked at idle and I never noticed it smoking at any other time. It almost seemed like a non-Diesel. I decided to blow it out just to see what it would do and it blew a huge cloud of soot out the back. I do mostly highway driving, but have a few miles of rural/neighborhood driving to get to and from the highway. So, it still hardly ever acts like a Diesel in normal driving (it clanks in sub zero degree Fahrenheit weather when it idles, for example) but I do this pretty regularly now.

Good luck, Jim

[rslmd007]

Jim:
Thank you for the advice.
rsl007

[Randall Kress]

I learned early on that the 617s like it rough. Many mechanics told me too. In fact, its hard not to drive a 617 rough, for they aren't the most powerful engines out there (well, technically, they're very powerful, but not fast.)

The engine, like the human heart, needs to be exercised to be kept in top shape. This is how I think of it anyways. Like everyone else said- you'll be surprised at how smooth it is afterwards.

[JenTay]

why is it "italian"?

how is it different from an 'afghani tune-up' or a 'mongolian tune up'

huh?