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.
On Jan 26, 10:39=A0am, "-->> T.G. Lambach
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 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.
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