steam cleaning - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

asti84 · #1 09-09-2002, 02:14 AM

Are there any drawbacks in steamcleaning my 84 300d turbo.They are going to put the car on a lift then blast it with from the bottom then hit the engine bay. There are a lot of small leaks (which accumulated over time). Also my trusted mechanic recommends that I fix my oil filter housing gasket leak($190), lower oil cooler hose leak$210) and front crankseal leak($265)....Is it true that plugging all these leaks in a 617 engine is a looosing battle. The car runs solid at 256K...I just had the valves adjusted and a pre-filter change+ redline diesel additive( smokes no more!!!)Thanks for the input guuys.

Proverbs 3 5-6

_______________
84 300D Turbo - 255K daily driver
99 430 ML - Wife and my littleangel's car

#2 09-09-2002, 03:04 AM

I don't see any problem. I regularly wash my engine with some gunk engine bright and high pressure water at the do-it-yourself car wash. I let the engine cool for about a half our before I spray it down, just to be careful.

#3 09-09-2002, 08:41 AM

You can try a product such as "Simple Green" as well, it's non toxic and works great -- something to use if you DIY from time to time.

P.E.Haiges · #4 09-09-2002, 10:51 AM

Asti,

I had my '80 300SD steam cleaned after a trip to Alaska. It started OK but ran terrible, like a gasoline engine with bad points.

Water must have gotten into some of the engine controls. The next day it ran OK, as before. I guess it dried out and I never did find out what the problem was. That was 10+ years ago and hasn't happened since.

#5 09-09-2002, 11:21 AM

I had the same thing happen to my Saab years back... had it "professionally" detailed and afterwards it ran like crap for a day or so. I would not really recommend steam cleaning an engine, but degreasing the bottom end shouldn't be a huge problem.

#6 09-09-2002, 11:37 AM

You may also get some belt chirping and squeal after the wash. No biggie.

#7 09-09-2002, 03:39 PM

I am thinking about steaming my engine in the near future. In the past I have degreased it with Simple Green, and I have had the same problems as others have had after steam cleaning the engine. It didn't run that well, and the belts squealed bad.

anhydrous7 · #8 09-09-2002, 04:33 PM

It has been my understanding and experience that steam cleaning an enging, either gasoline or diesel is not good. The temperature of steam is approximately 212°F. At this temperature, electrical wiring insulation can and does become comprimised. It may not affect the wiring immediately, but may cause interesting electrical glitches in the future. When washing a gasoline engine there are important areas to protect from water exposure, such as the distrubtor, plug wires, air filter intake etc.

It is my belief that you are much better off going the degreasing route and using relatively cool water (compared to steam temperatures) to rinse of the degreasing agent.

I go to my neighborhood DIY coin operated car wash. They have an engine/tire cleaner mode that I use. You can open the engine compartment and wet it down and then apply the degreaser and let it soak while you wash the rest of the car. Then you come back and rinse off the engine compartment. You can't clean the bottom like you could if it were on a rack, but I am able to get on one knee and get to most items under the car.

This is my opinion for what it is worth.

dieseldude · #9 09-09-2002, 04:45 PM

To address your other questions Asti84, about repairing the oil leaks. I would definitely listen to the mechanic on those suggestions. I don't think fixing oil leaks on 617 motors is a losing battle at all - does anyone else dissagree? I've fixed mine over the years and it doesn't leak a drop.

The oil cooler lines are pretty crucial - if one of those puppies blows, it's bye-bye motor unless it happens when you're creeping around a parking lot, and even then...

I don't think the other leaks are as vunerable to 'blow-outs', so repair those based on how clean you like your engine (and more importantly - driveway/garage floor). I personally don't like fluid leaks or any kind, especially oil, so I fix them all.

Regards,
- Ryan

mikemover · #10 09-09-2002, 06:19 PM

Be careful around the vacuum lines...I've blown some of them loose with a DIY car wash sprayer, so I imagine a steam-cleaner would be pretty rough on them too.

Mike

190D22 · #11 09-10-2002, 06:05 PM

I just don't like the idea of spraying things under the hood. There's just too much that the water can get into and mess up. I am mostly worried about wiring. But since it IS diesel and has no ignition system it isn't as much of a worry as it is with the jeep. I think I may use the tire/engine degreaser stuff at the DIY car wash place near my house and then rinse down with the low pressure rinse setting (I think it has one!). After I change my injector cloth covered lines, I may go ahead and do that.

Percautions you guys have about doing this, like where NOT to spray (duh on the battery, fuse box, and other major electrical components such as GP relay)?

Whenever I clean my wheels I get my 'replace brakes' light on the dash to come on solid. Then it goes out after driving a while or the next start up. Similar stuff may happen here possibly, right?

#12 09-10-2002, 07:12 PM

I had an oil cooler line get a small leak last winter on a long trip and it coated everything under the hood with a nice even coat of black oil. After fixing it I sprayed everything down with "purple stuff" and used a high pressure cleaner to get the grime off. Big mistake, the tach didn't work for days, the brake warning lights were on, seatbelt warning buzzed every now and then etc. If I do this in the future I will cover ALL electronic boxes.

devil · #13 09-11-2002, 10:08 PM

most shops make it a practice to wash these engines after a major
service. i would reccomend a product called steam supreme. the
stuff works great on older diesels, washes off with a garden hose,
and best of all, doesn't stink like hell. just be sure to stay away from
your a/c low preasure switch and the turbo overload switch on the
rear of the intake.

william rogers · #14 09-11-2002, 10:57 PM

I use Simple Green , cold engine ,let it soak then I use a bucket of warm water and small engine cleaning wand that has pick up hose for rinse water. These little gadgets hook to your air compressor and only cost about ten bucks , you can direct the narrow stream of high pressure water much better than the flood of water at a car wash,when done rinsing you take the pick up hose out of the water and blow dry with the same wand works great........
William Rogers......

Wasuchi · #15 09-11-2002, 11:35 PM

I didn't see this mentioned anywhere, might have missed it. Drive your car a ways after it's been wet under the hood, get it hot enough to evaporate most of the water quickly, you don't want it sitting in there any longer than it needs to be.