My 617 engine is greasy/grimy and needs a good cleaning. I read over on Diesel Giant that if the cleaning is not done performed correctly, engine damage may result. I'm wondering if a powerful steam cleaner would be the best way to clean or perhaps a good degreaser such as Simple Green or Purple Power. Another issue, some of the grease and grime is in hard to reach places so using a brush on it will be difficult. This is why I'm thinking Steam cleaning the engine bay might be the best way. Thoughts?

spray it with degreaser in a can, rinse with a spray nozzle. worked great on my 240.

repeat as needed.

dont get water in the engine or air intake

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Any decent spray-on engine degreaser followed up with a pressure washer.

The secret is doing this every couple of months or so in order to keep on top of things. The absolute best thing is to start with a clean engine as in giving it a total cleaning with it out of the car...not suggesting doing this just for cleaning, but if you ever pull it, give it a good detailing. Also a good engine enamel on the intake and high-temp paint on exhaust manifolds makes a big difference.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Gracious, you could serve up lunch on that thing. Great detailing. Diesels are easy as the ignition system is in side the engine. Just spray with a good degreaser, wait a bit and pressure wash it. Try not to to go too crazy on alternator or fuse/relay covers and you'll be fine. I jacked mine up at the carwash to give a better shot underneath. Oh and wear old cloths.
Good luck

head over to walmart and buy a bottle of mean green degreaser, some rags, a can o WD40 some cheap toothbrushe and, stop over harbor freight etc to buy a couple of parts brushes.

work in the shade, spray the mean green and work the parts brushes so it can actually start working, keep a sponge and bucket handy to keep washing off the mean green as you work.

It will get your engine really really clean. I have used it and it even lifts off the red/brown varnish from engine internals in gasser engines.

Do not let it dry on the engine, keep it wet or wash it away.

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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)

What brand of engine enamel and high temp paint do you recommend? Did you remove the intake and exhaust manifold to paint?

Yes, definitely remove the manifolds.





Here's a thread on how I did mine.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/322334-engine-cleanup.html

Note that when I initially did this I used DupliColor base-clear wheel paint on the intake and valve cover. Quickly the paint started to discolor and I needed to re-do them in a high temp engine enamel. I've subsequently stripped the paint off the valve cover and polished it. VHT header paint has held up remarkably well on the exhaust manifold, down pipe and turbo.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Thank you for posting, Mach4, your work is inspirational! Were the trap oxidizers only used on California cars?

OK, did a quick search, no wonder I"m not familiar with trap oxidizers, haven't been in, to or even flew over California in at least twenty years.

Note to self; do not purchase a California car.

To get all the water out, once you've rinsed off the degreaser, use a shop vacuum set to blower (exhaust).

I just control the tip of the nozzle by closing it off with my fingers, to get a more powerful, or less powerful, blast of air.

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

Great idea.

A very smart man there!

Actually the CA engine was perfect for my application. The higher turbo mount and cleaner turbo to intake transition gave me the clearance needed for my 380SL engine compartment and installing the test pipe gave a perfect place to install the TIT (turbine inlet temperature) probe. The down side is it comes with the weak 722.4 transmission which, true to form, failed in short order. The 722.3 replacement has been rock solid.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Or use a leaf blower. I use the leaf blower to also blow dry the car when I wash it. Makes the final wipe up easy.

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Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

I take mine to the car wash and use tire cleaner followed by rinse,with engine running then drive it away.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

To get the water off, spray WD-40 all over it. Water will magically bead off and leaves a protective film. I used to wash my motorcycle that way. Did you know that the WD in WD-40 stands for water displacement?

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked