Engine detailing to be like new W126 diesel

[chiwanga]

I would like my 85 300SD's engine bay to look like this. Mine is clean and presentable, but it does not look new. I am not after a "show car" chrome or polished look, but rather a clean like new look. I have tried using spray paint and although it looks nice, I am not completely happy with the results.



pic 1

pic 2

[MBeige]

Hello Andrew,

Thanks, I'm glad you like what I did. Basically I started scrubbing using paint cleaner or general cleaner wax on most of the areas that are exposed like the metal surfaces (cleaner wax) or plastic covers (paint cleaner). Eventually I realized it was not good enough so I bought a bottle of Simple Green and tried it out and this actually got the grease stains out of the hard to reach areas that the rags could not reach. After several times of using SG mildly especially when the engine is just mildly warm (not hot) it eventually came out like that.

However there are some engines that are really stubborn and will feel rough, which I've had experience with in the '81 300TD we owned. This engine I could not get as clean as mine since basically mine was just greasy. It was simply covered in grime. But the '81 engine needed more than what I did above.

The key is to get the general appearance presentable even if it's not as shiny, at least it's clean. Get some cheap rags you can buy from Autozone or the like and a bottle of paint cleaner to start with. From there loosen up the thick grime and eventually you will make it easier for the bottle of Simple Green to work its magic. If that doesn't work resort to more aggressive cleaning measures. Some have actually polished the valve cover, there are a few threads here about it. I did not polish mine and you can see it's not as shiny as polished metal, but just clean.

[Dee8go]

That's your engine in the pictures, MBeige? Nice job! Thanks for sharing your methods.

Brian (Darkon) was taking parts like the valve covers off of his SEC and polishing them with jeweler's paste. There are some pictures on the forum somewhere of his engine, I think. I've never seen an engine on a daily driver as shiny as his is.

[MBeige]

Dee8go (how do you pronounce that?),

Thanks! Yes, that's my 300D's engine. Feel free to check out my gallery, see my sig for links

By the way I've posted pics of how the engine looked from 2004, 2005 and 2006

http://www.maj.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=156760

2004


I think there was somebody else with a 300SD (blue) that had an immaculate engine (more so than mine, I admit). I don't remember his username though...

[Dee8go]

"Dee8go" is just pronounced like Diego.

Pumpish has a 300E in the performance section that is blue. I don't think his engine stays in the car long enough to ever get dirty, though. If you haven't checked his thread out, you should. It's pretty amazing what he's done with that car.

[TX76513]

A couple other easy tricks you can do: Use a metal brightener such as Fast Eddy on metal/aluminum parts other than valve cover. After they are bright and dry just spray with a cheap hair spray like Aqua Net to help maintain. Apply wheel dressing to hoses, lines and fitting with a sponge. You can get at that back firewall with a long handled scrub brush from any dollar store.

Looks good though!

[75Sv1]

I used simple green and a micro fiber towel. Worked very good. I took off all the parts I could. I did spray down the engine bay at the car wash. It needed(s) it again. I do/did have off the battery tray and brake booster. Made cleaning the firewall much easier.
I hear a product called Car Brite Blue Max works wonders. I hear you need to get the engine bay warm. Spray it on, let set, then rinse off with water. It think the stuff is sold to dealerships.
My 240D is white so, eithier it was dirtier than the one pictured or the dirt showed up more. Mine had dirt under the CC braket and the relay housing. I don't have pictures, nor is it completed. But the painted surfaces look about as clean as the one pictured afterwords.
I used an Eastwood product to do some of the Cad plated parts. Its basically a gold paint though, with other spray over red and green highlights.
Tom

[florissantti]

I just bought my first MB (83 300D) and the engine compartment was *nasty*. I didn't even want to check my oil. I took it to the DIY car-wash, sprayed a full can of engine-bright, or gunk-b-gone, or something hokey (white spray can), all over the engine. Then I just sprayed the crap out of it. It honestly looks brand new. Oh, here's a pic.

[Dee8go]

That looks good, but be careful with engine degreasers. Some of them will eat up your rubber parts.