Jet washing engine bays.

[Bobthebuilder58]

I have always been obsessed with cleaning the engine bays on my cars and up until now I have got away with it.I have just bought a 1992 500 SEL with a reasonably clean engine bay.I don't think anybody has cleaned it before.As I said I am wanting to clean it but I daren't,given that there is a lot of wiring,relays etc.
I know I need to see my G.P about this obsession,but in the meantime has anybody done it without destroying all their electrical systems??? :???:

Bob.

 

[television]

BoB there are a lot of cleaners in aerosols now it make the job very simple, using a small paint brush to move the dirt and oil. you have a large amount of electrics on your car and its all expensive, do it a few pieces at a time and play safe, you have a nice car, an all time great.

Malcolm

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Electronics + water = trouble

Use a dirty rag and a bit of elbow grease, together with some aerosols like television says.

 

[psmart]

I have always been obsessed with cleaning the engine bays on my cars and up until now I have got away with it.I have just bought a 1992 500 SEL with a reasonably clean engine bay.I don't think anybody has cleaned it before.As I said I am wanting to clean it but I daren't,given that there is a lot of wiring,relays etc.
I know I need to see my G.P about this obsession,but in the meantime has anybody done it without destroying all their electrical systems??? :???:

Bob.

I've done it since new on my ML, not a problem, I always run the engine hot and avoid direct spray on the cat/turbo! BUT I did it on my Ducato 2.8JTD whilst running, it spluttered and died and wouldnt restart for a few hours!

I have done it on all previous cars and not a problem (at least not a problem that I have directly seen).

All I can say is it depends on the engine, try it and see. Use a light spray pattern as most things are splash proof, but not water proof.

To contradict all the above, I took the family C class for a hand car wash and it damaged a sensor in the door!!!!!!

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Jet washes are the devil incarnate.

The bestest and cheapest way to clean your car is with a bucket of hot soapy water and a sponge, with a chamois and then a good polish

 

[psmart]

Jet washes are the devil incarnate.

The bestest and cheapest way to clean your car is with a bucket of hot soapy water and a sponge, with a chamois and then a good polish

Your probably 100% right, but like BobTheBuilder, Im a cleanliness nut, and whilst hosing down the car, it just seems like the obvious choice to hose down the engine, get rid of the dust, dirt, grime, and what better than something with a little spunk to do it with!

 

[psmart]

Just to add though...

...I think its a good idea to swill your radiators over and get rid of all crap attached to them. If the enamled or plastic coating breaks loose, use a little light oil or spray grease on it to prevent it rusting.

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Smart,

i think the reason your ML shrugs off the jetwashing is because it is designed as an off-road car so presumably has better connectors etc than most road only vehicles. The fact that 99% of ML's never get further off-road than sainsburys car park is irelevant at the design stage. My Landrover has been in water to halfway up the windscreen inside and out and still kept running. the only items that weren't happy was the radio and the aftermarket immobiliser(since removed).

I do occasionaly have a clean around the van engine bay with a soapy sponge but limit this to items like the engine cover and fluid reservoirs and any easily accesible bits of paintwork then hose off with a low pressure hose, avoiding bits like the ABS and similar.

 

[psmart]

Smart,

i think the reason your ML shrugs off the jetwashing is because it is designed as an off-road car so presumably has better connectors etc than most road only vehicles.

Very good point! Merc sent me on a 4x4 course and I got presented with an engine adapter so that I can wade bonnet deep into water! My offroading is in snow and ice, so never needed to have this feature.

ps) What is Sainsbury's?

 

[Blobcat]

What is Sainsbury's?

Probably one of the most dangerous places to take you Mercedes (or your partner and wallet for that matter)

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

ps) What is Sainsbury's?

Sorry, I forgot you are a Yorkshire man. I should have said Morrison's car park!!

 

[psmart]

Sorry, I forgot you are a Yorkshire man. I should have said Morrison's car park!!

Aaaahhh! Now I understand. All those people staring at me, mumbling Chelsea Tractor, Sainsbury's and School runs.... they are all just admiring my enormous go-anywhere shopping trolley

 

[Myros]

and in one stroke

unify at least three threads by going down to Morrisons and buying lard, porkpies and filling up with petrol. That should keep Angus happy for a while.

 

[bibamus]

ps) What is Sainsbury's?

Like Aldi, but more expensive....

Allan

 

[psmart]

Call me a retroverted snob....

Like Aldi, but more expensive....

Allan

... I hate it when people laud money over others to try and pretend there better.... but, I too suffer this dillusion! I hate going to places like Aldi, Netto, Lidl.... I joke above, by Sainsburys, Morrisons, Waitrose, M&S are where I venture, even though I fully know there ripping me off!

Isnt life strange

 

[psmart]

unify at least three threads by going down to Morrisons and buying lard, porkpies and filling up with petrol. That should keep Angus happy for a while.

Went to Newcastle at the weekend, stopped off at Morrisons on the way back, just off the A1 (boroughbridge) and was horified to see them dishing out City Diesel, and at a premium! Waited until I got back to Esso, dont want any of that City muck in my car, country muck ok

 

[Bobthebuilder58]

Don't knock Aldi.............it can become very addictive We actually choose to do about half of our shopping at Aldi because most of their stuff these day's is actually pretty damm good!!!!!!!!!!! The service is usually first class and the columbian ground coffee is mega.I defy anybody to walk round the central non food area and not purchase something!!!!

Bob.

P.S their 99p pepperoni pizza's are superb!!!!!!!!

 

[Myros]

Lidl's not that bad either

but the staff are worked off their feet. I ran my BMW on their engine oil for years, £3.99 for 5ltrs. My neighbour runs his MG Midget on it now.
I got some great wipers for the SL there at £1.49 a pair. and the headlamp bulbs we were on about, and a trolley jack, and jump leads, and all sorts of useful stuff at very competitive prices. they do lovely wine and nice Stuttgart beer, for the purists amongst us.

 

[Bobthebuilder58]

Previous Thread On Jet Washing.

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Bob. 500 SEL.