My engine looks like its been driven 48,000 miles with grime all over it and needs to be cleaned. How much would it cost to get it cleaned at a shop? Has anyone done it before? I know that its dangerous (or at least I heard), to clean an engine with so many electrical connections.

Whats the MBWorld word?

Thanks.

 

wat do u mean? like u mean like detailing it? the engine has a cover over it. if u just wipe it and then put some armor all on it.. it will have the wet look? can u try to be bit more specific please?

 

You can get some 303 cleaner and gently spray areas and use a brush to scrub the really dirty areas. Take a hose with spray nozzle and use the mist option so it is not hard jets of water. Mist down the engine and let it dry, electrical components should be fine as they're pretty well insulated.

 

My detailer charges an extra $50.00 to clean the engine... I do it about once every six months or so on all of my cars.... If the ignition electrical gets wet, you dry it out with a little compressed air and its fine...

A CLEAN ENGINE IS A HAPPY ENGINE!

 

there really is no need to clean the engine from the outside or the inside for the most part. only thing that needs to really be cleaned or replaced is the maf

 

Watch the air intake. Don't let any water through. Personally, I would never hose out my engine. My $0.02

 

It's not that bad as long as you cover up your electrical stuff.

I'm moving this to the detailing forum, you might want to try a search as well

 

http://www.eastcoasteuro.net/forums/...0&postcount=36

 

You may find these posts helpful-

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...gine+detailing

 

It's a great idea to clean the engine! I dunno why some disagree here, grime and sludge can cause all kinds of problems and hide problems that lie underneath. The biggest word of caution is to cover the electrics and engine air intake, i.e. alternator, smog pump. any electric device that has vent holes. TOGWT pointed out an excellent how to - I use aluminum foil to cover them (electrics) and be careful about where you apply a high pressure hose to. If you routinely do this - the job is only minimal thereafter.

FUSION - you mentioned the MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor), I've never had any luck cleaning a MAF. It inevitably will illuminate the check engine light.

 

I wouldn't recommend taking a hose to it and just let water stream out free flowing. There are some good grime and dirt cleaners out there, actually something pretty good is called "KrudKleaner" available at Targets. Mist down a warm engine, spray some around parts of the engine, use a brush to lightly agitate it and use and then mist the stuff off. Misting won't cause water to go in unwanted places unlike blasting an engine with a hose. But electrical parts will be fine but feel free to cover them if you want with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

 

Here is my detailing process which has worked great on Mercedes engine bays and many other types of vehicles.

1. When doing an engine detail we recommend the engine be a little warm, so turn on the engine for about 1 – 2 minutes and then turn it off. If the vehicle has been driven or is hot from previous driving it may be too warm for an engine detail.

2. When the engine is at a safe temperature you can start the process. Cover any exposed electrical components (usually there are a few electrical plugs you can cover) and anything else you do not want water in with aluminum foil. Cover any exposed air filters and intakes so they don’t flood with water.

3. Spray the engine with a light mist of water. Spray degreaser over areas with grease build-ups and other heavy deposits. Avoid spraying metals and other mechanical pieces. We recommend a 3:1 dilution of Poorboy's World Bio APC. Start spraying it low or deep in the engine and work your way up towards more easily accessible areas. Let it sit for approximately 1 - 3 minutes. If you use a stronger degreaser you may want to rinse it sooner.

4. Spray down everything to remove all the degreaser and dirt and grime with a light mist from a hose. You don't want to use high-pressure water or tons of water if avoidable. Some areas may need to be wiped down with a rag or with a brush to break up heavy deposits. The debris should be loose now and fall off easily, don't rely on pressure from the hose to break up the debris.

5. Now I spot treat any areas that didn't get clean and the metals. I'll use an old rag and spray some degreaser on it and clean up any areas I see that need a light touch up. Don't forget to clean the hood that has been flipped up.

6. Make sure you have removed the tin foil and all other products used in the detail from the engine bay. Start the engine and let is run for at least 30 seconds to help dry some of the water. Be careful touching the vehicle after because it can get hot fast. Then finish drying anything that may need it.

7. Now I recommend treating all the (non-mechanical) vinyl, plastic and rubber pieces with a protectant such as the 303 Aerospace Protectant. Apply this to a cloth and wipe down anything that’s rubber, vinyl and plastic that’s non-mechanical. This will help prevent premature fading and keep the surface looking great. The 303 Protectant has a low gloss matte finish that looks great and helps prevent dust build up. Additionally if you have any exposed metal you can polish them now. We really like the deep polishing power of the P21S Finish Restorer. You can also apply a sealant to any painted areas in the engine bay or the under side of the hood.

8. Step back and admire a clean and sharp looking engine bay.

Engine detailing is not that hard and very rewarding when you learn to do it. If you follow this process and start just doing it to gain confidence and experience, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well you can detail your own engine. Let me know if you have any questions about this process and products.

Greg @ Detailed Image