85 300D.
I want to clean the underside of my motor and transmission. The car has no actively dripping leaks but it is still oily and grimy from 17 years of running. I am planning to drive it up on ramps, use the soaping connection on my power-washer to soak the underside with DAWN dish liquid. Let it sit and ferment for 10~20 mins then rinse it off using the same nozzle as was used for soaping it up. Goal is to be able to crawl under to do work without getting so damn filthy. The only areas I think I need to be super careful about is the transmission where the green modulator this resides. Are there any other areas to stay away from? Hanging electrical things? Vacuum lines? I plan to hit the suspension pretty hard to get off the road grime. I will defer any cleaning up top for now as it's just not all that bad.
Thanks,

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1985 300D 197K - Semi-Daily Driver Diesel
1998 Volvo V70 AWD 226K - Daily Driver 2
1998 Volvo S70 140K - Wife's DD
2003 GMC Sonoma ZR2 Option - Rusty Truck
THE BABY 1958 220S Sedan 66K All original, never restored and never will be.

Simple green works better than the dawn soap when I tried. 3M foaming cleaner to cut the heavy grease. Take a long nylon bristle tyre brush and tie it to a broom handle - lay down some cardboard an umbrella spray on the degreaser and scrub - It will shine.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

I suggest the following:

1) Buy a $10 garden sprayer and fill with undiluted Simple Green
2) Hook the pressure washer up to the hot water tank drain (flush it a bit first so that you get rid of the sediment)
3) Work when the car is completely cold.
4) Use plastic bags/aluminum foil/plastic wrap and wrap anything that shouldn't be wet.
5) Park in an area where the run-off won't damage anything and will be easy to clean up.
6) Pump up the garden sprayer, and spray all areas that need cleaning.
7) Using the nylon long-handled brush on the broomstick, agitate any areas that need extra attention.
8) Soak for 10 minutes (don't go longer on aluminum surfaces with the Simple Green, it WILL etch it)
9) Hit it with the hot-water pressure sprayer. Grime will start flowing off in large amounts.
10) Repeat the sequence in really dirty areas.

Your car will shine.

Thanks,

Packman

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83 240D - 4 speed manual - Manilla Beige
189K miles, Tachometer mod, cool wooden shift knob from PeachParts, CocoMats, Original factory paint, manual windows, manual sunroof. Starting to add AudioWrap to this car too!

That should do the job nicely. Only thing that would be better would be a Steam Jenny.

Have at it,
Dave

Hot water is a god thing but be careful.

Check your pressure washer manual before trying the hot water tank trick.

Some PW pumps cannot handle elevated inlet temperatures.

Also make sure your supply hose is in good shape, the hose will soften and expand under high temperatures and might let go on you.

Better idea if you have a car wash close by:
- acquire set of Tyvek coveralls
- put ramps in trunk along with the pump sprayer
- get a roll of quarters
- go to self serve car wash
- put ramps in bay and raise up car
- soak - n - spray

Their hot water supply is much larger than yours and also they have waste treatment for the runoff water. And the runoff won't kill your lawn or worse your wife's flowers.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

You need something like this Hotsy.
hotsy hot pressure washer 555SS $1000 or b/o



This would be a nice little unit to keep things nice and clean.

I have over the years used the Steam Cleaner at work we used on the trucks, tractors, PU`s, cars etc... I would do our MB`s and my PU every so often to keep them clean. I never worried about getting anything wet, and never had any problems.

I ran the front end up on ramps, and then did the bottom side first. then would do the top side of the engine last. blasting the bottom always blows stuff up on top. then do the top and wash it all down getting into all the nooks and crannys. just don`t hold the pressure in any one place long.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

... I don't think I'd spray everything under there, there is a lot of soft items on the body of the car that will get shredded by pressure.
the engine and transmission/crossmembers and suspension parts are fine, but the undercoating and noise insulation is not a good thing to spray...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

My 1980 240D had an almost catastrophic oil cooler line leak. It slimed the entire engine compartment (left to right) and front to back of the entire car. It was dripping oil for 2 weeks afterwards. (We changed out the cooler lines with new ones made from hydraulic lines.) That was earlier this year...

This past weekend we had a show and shine. Someone brought their small white wire-haired dog who wandered under the car. The dog came out grey after several trips under the car... Find yourself a curious dog and put some doggie treats under the car. Use someone else's dog... There is less clean up you have to do... and the dog doesn't get grease all over the interior of your car. Cats could probably work too, but they don't necessarily do your bidding.

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Pete Williams, President emeritus - MBCA-International Stars (Eastern Mich.) Now Wi. & Az.
1985 300D Manual 4 speed Green Hen's tooth
1979 MGB triple black Az car nice
1969 back 1/2 of MGB (Az home built trailer)
1991 Volvo 245 Wagon Nice AZ Restored Gold Brick
1983 Jeep CJ7 37,600 Miles Summer use only