Engine cleaning - covered in oil

[wrichardson1999]

Hi,

About a year ago I left behind my under-engine tray, hitting something in the road, I called the dealer and they said it would be around £180 for a replacement....

Oh I wish I'd bought one.....

Anyways....

I now have an engine that has developed a leak and due to the volumn of oil under the engine I can't trace the leak,

Please can anyone advise on cleaning method and how I can avoid getting it all over my drive/road or do I just get the gunk and start scrubbing....



Cheers again

 

[tom7035]

Do it in somebody else's driveway!

Seriously, owing to the lack of a steam-cleaner, the latter would have to be my own method. The residue left after 'gunking' washed away from my drive under a hose, no problem. Gunk is actually good for cleaning a driveway of oil stains.

That's my tuppenceworth!

(P.S. Another tray wouldn't be difficult to fabricate yourself from a sheet of fibreboard or the like.)

 

[wrichardson1999]

Thanks Tom,

I'm just going to give it a try on the weekend with gunk, as I say I've a shed load of oil on the drive anyways, fingers crossed it may even take up some of the oil already deposited.... lol

Any ideas were I might get a sheet of fibreboard? guess you can't just pop down to B&Q for it ?

Thanks for you help

 

[tom7035]

Material to fabricate an under-engine tray?

Not sure where to source it, not used it for many a long year, but some bright fellow may come in here with a suitable alternative, more easily available.

 

[paulcallender]

You can't avoid getting the stuff onto your drive. It will follow the drainage path, to the nearest drain, too. Focus DIY did a special offer of a small pressure washer for £30 or so. Also, if you do it on a concrete or patio drive, its possible to clean oil off these. Tarmac drives can't be cleaned so easily, because they simply absorb (some of) the oil instead.

 

[42864]

I have used JIZER in the past and found it to be extremely good and water soluble, just spray on with one of those small hand sprayers for the garden, leave for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse off with low pressure water from hosepipe, any stubborn areas, scrub with an old paintbrush.

dave

 

[Ramius]

Halford own brand of degreaser is great for the crappy stains, i got it and traced a leak that I thought was bad to a small and "unworthy of repair" problem.

A tray from a breakers yard is worth a go. Also if you are an MB club member, theres a guy called Dave that advertises Mercs Only being broken for spares.....if your not a member someone here may be able to help with a telephone number.

Meanwhile.....remember to check ya oil a lot

 

[tom7035]

Been thinking about something from which to fabricate an under-engine tray. In the absence of fibreboard or the like, how about a sheet of acetate or thinnish perspex (pseudo-glass) available at any DIY store? Clear stuff would have the advantage of being relatively easy to mark out once offered up in position for marking the cutaway for sump plug, fixing points, etc.
Worth a thought?

 

[wrichardson1999]

Went along to Halfords and opted for the 'Auto Glym' engine cleaner, they didn't have any gunk and wasn't quite sure about getting foam cans with the volumn of oil I need to clean.

Says on the bottle you just spray, leave for 10 minutes and either brush away (soft) paint brush OR wash away with normal hose pipe???

I'll try B&Q and see what board/perspex/plastic they have to offer over the weekend, although I'll have to also try and make a new right braket as it's vanished ;-)

Thanks for you help guys....

 

[c250 turbo diesel]

Cleaner for oil

Jizer can be bought at "Brown bros" say your trade ya get it cheaper ! Roy

 

[tom7035]

For your tray you will also have to 'introduce' a couple of new fixing points inner edge of valance, due to lack of a moulding to secure it there.
Nice little project to keep you out the Pub for a few hours, and as they say if you're saving money you're also not spending it!

Would it be too much to hope someone out there has his (or her) tray lying on a bench somewhere who could give us some measurements or even a template to help?

Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

On motorcycle engines we used to clean the engine and then use talcum powder to find any leaks or wet spots or cracks in casings. Works a treat.

 

[colechelle]

wot model and age is your car, might help in norrowing your oil leak!

 

[wrichardson1999]

It's an E200 on an L-Reg, 1994 saloon.....

I think.... it may be due to me re-fitting the radiator last year, the oil hose at the bottom was quite difficult to get on as it kept twisting....

The amount of oil under there at the moment means I can't even see.....

Cheers





Wayne