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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / January 2008Diesel Engine Degreasing
I have replaced the front seal on 300D engine. While the engine had synthetic oil, a fair amount of oil bypassed the seal and is all over the lower engine. Oil leaked in various areas in the upper engine area as well. Bottom line: I want to degrease and clean up the engine and engine compartment. Does anyone have any tips or cautions regarding using degreasers, steam cleaning or hot (car wash) spray on or around the engine, etc.? If it were my car I'd leave it as is. The motor doesn't care, you do. To answer your post, don't spray a hot motor, especially the exhaust manifold as its sudden cooling may crack the cast iron. Before spraying the motor cover the alternator and engine air intake to keep them dry and don't spray the starter. I'd use a garden hose and nozzle; wear eye protection as some water and dirt will be deflected and do the job where the residual dirt and oil ought to be left.  Signature© 2008 T.G.Lambach. Publication in any form requires prior written permission. On Jan 26, 10:39 am, "-->> T.G. Lambach <<--" <"T.G. Lambach at NoHamorSpamcomcast.net"> wrote: > If it were my car I'd leave it as is. The motor doesn't care, you do. > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > © 2008 T.G.Lambach. Publication in any form requires prior written > permission. I would leave it as it is, except that I don't like working on an engine or in an engine compartment that is fouled with oil. Had it not been for these recent leaks, the engine and compartment were pristine up until a couple months ago. I will take you advice on doing the job, and hope that I only have to do it once. Thanks again. I would wash your engine warm... soak the whole compartment except electrical relays with Simple Green or any biodegradable degreaser... Then just hose it off with your garden hose. Do not use pressure washer period. As far as self car wash... you can do it with the degreaser and then gently with the pressure washer wand... keep it as far away as possible. A good MB mechanic I know actually did it in front of me... engine running and all at the self service... he soaked it with degreaser and then procees to pressure wash it off while enigne is running. Clean as a whistle in the end.... I am not sure if I got the gut like that to do it. > I would wash your engine warm... soak the whole compartment except > electrical relays with Simple Green or any biodegradable degreaser... Then [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > wash it off while enigne is running. Clean as a whistle in the end.... I am > not sure if I got the gut like that to do it. Don't know about your region but in europe it is simply forbidden to clean engines without using a oil trap. The waste water of one motor bath is enough to contaminate some 100 tons of ground or the drinking water for a small community for all times. SignatureRoland Franzius > > I would wash your engine warm... soak the whole compartment except > > electrical relays with Simple Green or any biodegradable degreaser... Then [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Roland Franzius It's illegal in the US as well -- not to mention poisonous to all life once it's in the water. They have grease traps at car washes though so that's the place to do it. I don't like to work on a part/engine that is fouled with grease either. However, the dirt/grease works like protection coating. The bare metal oxidizes fast if it kept too clean. So degrease/wash it only as necessary. Since I do most of my car jobs by myself, I save the used ATF. It is excellent cleaning agent, especially for the engine grease. Diesel fuel also cleans pretty well but it smells bad and eats gloves quickly. > On Jan 26, 10:39 am, "-->> T.G. Lambach <<--" <"T.G. Lambach at > NoHamorSpamcomcast.net"> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Thanks again.
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