Nothing Is More Satisfying Than Giving Your AMG Engine a Deep Cleaning
Alex Palmeri from Legit Street Cars is cleaning literally every component of the V12 engine in his CL65 AMG.
Know how satisfying it is to use a pressure washer on concrete? After you’ve blasted the dirt and moss away, it looks brand new. Well, the same can be said for vapor honing, and aluminum engine parts. Alex Palmeri from Legit Street Cars has done just this with his CL65 AMG, as he’s completely removed the engine from the car and is about to do a deep clean, literally down to every nut and bolt.
Why? Because it’s an old CL65 AMG and the M275 V12 engine can use a little bit of love. By the time we join him, the engine is already out of the car, and has been mostly disassembled down to the short block.
Palmeri sets the scene, saying “we have to clean a bunch of parts, so I’m going to show you how I do it here at home.” Using a small cleaner, Palmeri shows how you can get most of the grease and grime off of any part. De-greaser fluid circulates through a pump, and is the main ingredient used. “This is about as gentle of a fluid as you can use,” Palmeri notes. This approach can do a good job with some elbow grease. But it still leaves a bit to be desired. Aluminum can get stained, and that’s exactly what happens with a leaky AMG motor. Want to get things looking near perfect? Get your parts vapor honed.
Using Fluid Motor Union, a local Chicago area shop, Palmeri plans on getting his parts vapor honed. At the shop, Palmeri is told how this is different from a sand blaster. “In theory because this is a honing machine, you’re actually treating the surface. You’re not just blasting it.” So instead of being abrasive, this process actually brings a high-quality finish.
And quality finish is an understatement. The part looks absolutely brand new! And you get the benefit of a new looking part without the cost, either. Both valve covers, the front timing cover, the intake manifold and a bunch of other parts come in at about $150.00. Considering the outcome, that’s not a bad price at all!
Lets not forget the small parts that need attention, too. Palmeri uses a cheap jewelery tumbler that you set and forget. Come back a bit later, and your hardware is free from oils and grease. It makes things quite easy as you tend to other items on the car.
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