ML55CLA45

has anyone in here sprayed down their engine with a hose to clean it??? any recommendations on how to do this.... areas to watch out for.. products to use... i my engine has been cleaned since i purchased the car.... i looked under the hood today... and it was alittle dirty under their.


-thanks
carino

Deutscher_Wagen

Little dirt; rinse and wipe

Lost-o-dirt; go to an auto store, get engine cleaner, then follow instructions

Don't use silicone products, stuff looks great after use, but dirt sticks to it and it will crack rubber and hoses if used regularly.

ML55CLA45

thanks- any areas that i should keep the hose away from?

Deutscher_Wagen

Oh, sorry... forgot about that...

Good places to aviod:

- Battery
- Distributor or Coilpack (depending on what the car has)
- Air intake area (if you have K&N, cover with plastic bag)

mctwin2kman

Watch your hood pad. I had mine replaced twice due to shrinkage from water. Funny I never washed or sprayed the engine ever. I rarely pop the hood let alone clean the engine.... Dealer asked me if I cleaned the engine I told them the only three times I have popped the hood the hood pad was coming off. I told him after they fix it this time I am not popping the hood until I need to do my first oil change after 50K.....

taylor192

1. The engine bay

Please don't hose down your engine bay. Take some time and hand-clean it with damp towels, degreaser, and rubber/vinyl protector.

I detailed my engine bay by hand last year, took 3 hours yet the car looked like it came out of the showroom. Excellent thing to do if you're selling a car.

CDP

Good info guys, so those Degreaser sprays aren't recommended? I'm not talking about the spray can, I'm literally talking about a degreaser spray. My friend dad has one at his shop and said I can come by on the weekends to use it. I'm still debating whether or not because I don't want to ruin anything in the process.

TOGWT

Cleaning Methodology:
•Remove any excess debris, leaves and etc from the hood, grille or air-vent openings
•Spray all electrical connectors with WD40, which repels water.
•Use cling-film or Saran wrap elastic covers to cover any sensors, electrical black boxes, electrical devises that could cause an electrical short-circuits if subjected to water spray.
•This will not guarantee that you won’t cause a problem when cleaning an engine bay but it will greatly reduce the risks.
•Start and run the engine to get it warm, not hot, this will enable the de-greaser to work more efficiently on a warm surface.
•Apply an engine de-greaser (Autoglym Engine Cleaner) by lightly spraying the lower parts of the engine first and then working upwards.
•Do not allow the de-greaser to dry or remain on painted surfaces, and be sure to dilute with water and dry with a cloth.
•For heavily soiled areas agitate with a nylon engine cleaning brush and a diluted general purpose cleaner (P21S® Total Auto Wash)
•When the grease and grime is dissolved and you're ready to remove it, spray with a light (garden type) pressure water hose.
•Use the blower side of a vacuum (avoid area that may be sensitive to a forced air flow) or allow the engine compartment to air dry and then thoroughly wipe down all accessible surfaces and then remove cling-film or aluminium foil.
•When everything is dry apply a vinyl/rubber protectant to hoses, shields and wires, and spray engine parts with CD2 Engine Detailer or Groit's Spay on Engine Gloss
Wipe off any excess with a clean cloth and apply a wax/sealant protection to painted surfaces
JonM

wily

Would anyone recommend using a steamer? I was thinking about using one the other day, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea?

Scambo

When I picked up my '04 E500 today from the dealereship, there was a thin film almost like WD40 on the hoses, engine cover, and other areas of the engine compartment. Is this normal for a dealer to do this to a new car with 125 miles? I thought at first when I opened the hood that the power steering, trans, brake, hydro, or similar fluid was leaking and had been sprayed throughout while I was driving home, but then I thought it also might be some type of conditioning done by the dealer since the fluid was colorless. You can only imagine my level of panic. Anyone have experience with this?

mbbodytech

Every few months I mercilessly power wash the engine bay of both my wife's ML and my C, and so far I haven't had any problems.

Maybe I've just been fortunate, but so far so good and I don't intend on changing my method.

inFiniTE LooP

do you mean cleaning underneath the plastic covers or the plastic cover for the engine itself? i use Eagle One 20/20 Perfect Vision Auto Glass Cleaner throughout my engine bay with a soft cloth. i prefer this glass cleaner to others because it is ammonia free so will not discolor any of the plastics or harm anything else under there. so far it's worked perfectly and makes the engine bay look like new again

Scambo

Dealer details the engine and coats it with a dressing that keeps it looking clean and new, looks like WD40...The car is fabulous with no problems whatsoever at 312 miles. Absolutely perfect.

MTI

Most of the household steam units are too wimpy to be effective in an engine bay, unless the dirt is fairly light.

As for using a power washer under the hood, as components get older and more brittle, that jet powered water will eventually get an engine into trouble. It's not a question of "if" but "when."