I'm in the process of replacing my fuel lines and went ahead and removed the crossover pipe and intake manifold. I'm having the intake cleaned at a machine shop because I don't want to mess with the, well, mess and disposal issues.

My question is where the manifold bolts onto the head, there is of course a lot of goo down those holes. Can someone suggest a way to clean this up without any additional removals?

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Mark Herzig
1995 E300D 153K
1985 300D 142K (sold)
1979 450SL 122 miles (sold)
1992 500E 127K (sold)
1987 300SDL 132K (sold)
1986 300E 161K (sold)

I just went through this a couple of weeks ago. It involves a very scientific method. (Not )

Tools required: A long finger & a lot of rags. For each port that you clean, make sure that you rotate the engine so that the particular valve is closed. Reach in as far as possible & physically clear out the gook. When you are through, blow it out with some air so that none of the gook can fall into the cylinder once the valve is open.

Note that I elected NOT to use carb cleaner or any solvents – this decision was based upon not wanting to soften up the remaining deposits and have them potentially ingested by the engine later on while it is running. You will be able to remove a considerable amount of crud this way, and the remaining gook you will just have to live with; it shouldn’t restrict airflow too much (and you’ll see some crud on the back side of the valves while your in there – that stuff will create more of an airflow constriction than the gook remaining in the ports.)

Good luck, and by the way, you probably *will* notice a slight difference, but only in high RPM operation, i.e., 4000-4800 RPM’s.

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

thanks buddy... a considerably long finger would help here!

__________________
Mark Herzig
1995 E300D 153K
1985 300D 142K (sold)
1979 450SL 122 miles (sold)
1992 500E 127K (sold)
1987 300SDL 132K (sold)
1986 300E 161K (sold)

I know I'll be scolded for having done this, but when I had my manifolds off on my 617 motor, I pressure washed the valves and intake ports to clean out that gunk. I ensured that I rotated the engine so that the valves were closed in the ports I was washing, and then used compressed air to blow any remaining water out. It worked out great, except that the gunk that wound up on the ground wound up getting on my shoe and tracked into the house and my wife wasn't too happy with me for that.
Have fun,
Adam Bush

Here's a novice question... How can I rotate the engine and ensure that the valves are closed? I can barely see down the pipe as it is....

__________________
Mark Herzig
1995 E300D 153K
1985 300D 142K (sold)
1979 450SL 122 miles (sold)
1992 500E 127K (sold)
1987 300SDL 132K (sold)
1986 300E 161K (sold)

you can rotate the engine by the bolt on the crankshaft. I don't know what size it is on your motor, but probably use a deep socket and a 1/2 ratchet to rotate it, just make sure it's in the proper direction which I think is CW. You can take the valve cover off if you can't see the valves and ensure the cam lobes aren't touching the valves on the respective cylinder.
Have fun, Adam Bush