simonpelly Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 Hi Folks, Looking for a bit of advice. Hopefully you can help. In process of blanking off the EGR on our 1996 Defender 300Tdi - Around 84,000 miles on the clock - Been meaning to get round to this for a while. Anyways, the inlet manifold is really dirty as are the inlets on the engine block - images attached. The gasket has a number of rips which *may* explain the mess on the side of the engine block. Wondering what is the best way to get this all cleaned up. The inlet manifold is no problem as it has been removed. The ports on the engine block are a different matter. Keen to clean this but in a way that does not cause more problems. Thanks in advance, Simon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 (edited) As it's off the engine, I would scrape and brush it with Gunk (as I have a tin). You could use anything that is cheap and releases grease, diesel or paraffin works too but are smelly. Gunk will then just wash off (with water 😀). For the ports, I would stuff them with rags (not paper) and do the same but obviously taking care. The washing-off in this case would mean rubbing with wet rags or paper. Edited November 27, 2020 by Peaklander Added second paragraph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 Maybe an aerosol of Mr Muscle oven cleaner? And rinse out well after a good soak? Not on the cylinder head though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 Don't use anything caustic like Mr muscle containing sodium hydroxide near aluminium. It will attack the metal. I would use a solvent like petrol or paint thinners then soapy water. For the ports just carefully scrape the worst away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 I’d soak it in diesel, and then once it softens up, scrub it with a brass brush, ideally like a small toilet brush for the interior and ports. Brass is soft enough not to do any harm and I don’t think it sparks, but that’s why I’d use diesel rather than petrol (that and the fact diesel level won’t drop much in the bucket while it soaks, unlike petrol evaporating off). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 I use diesel for cleaning stuff like this just because it's easy to get hold of and easy to store. It's not as effective quickly as some other specialist cleaners but a good soak and regular returns to brush the carp off will see good results. HTH Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Petrol will also clean it up pretty quickly - I use brake/clutch cleaner for a lot of cleaning these days for smaller parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpelly Posted November 28, 2020 Author Share Posted November 28, 2020 Thanks folks for all the speedy replies. Got some diesel in a jerry can in the garage. Will give it a good soak in that. Just need to find a container - suspect not the bath! Looking to pull out the exhaust manifold also so that can get access to the engine block side to give it a proper clean and in readiness for a new gasket. However, the three bolts on the exhaust flange are not budging. Used Plus Gas repeatedly. Might need some heat but it's a little tight in there for a blow torch. Might be near the point of putting a blade to the exhaust and then tackle on the bench - due a replacement exhaust but was not planning on doing so at this step. Any other tips for removing the exhaust flange bolts would be appreciated. Still a little cautious about cleaning the inlet port holes. Really do not want anything dropping in there. Wondering if removing the head (bigger job) might be an option. Thoughts? Thanks Simon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Diesel will be leave a residue all over it. I often use cheap paint thinners sprayed from a cheap spray gun to clean messey parts. A good half way house that isn't as volatile as petrol nor greasy like diesel is white spirit. Plus its pretty cheap from toolstation and the likes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Brake and clutch cleaner, or isopropanol alcohol are the best for it, but relatively expensive. So I tend to clean stuff up with diesel and then a little rinse after if it needs it with brake cleaner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Brake and clutch cleaner is expensive but great, it is mostly hexane, a none polar solvent like petrol, paraffin, diesel. This is why I use thinners from a spray gun with similar effect. Isopranol is a polar solvent and won't be anywhere near as good as cleaning up oil based stuff like this compared to the none polar solvents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Screwfix heavy duty degreaser is good for stuff like this, swill it in there, let it sit for a while and hose it out. Works even better if you can warm it up first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 3 hours ago, monkie said: Diesel will be leave a residue all over it. I often use cheap paint thinners sprayed from a cheap spray gun to clean messey parts. A good half way house that isn't as volatile as petrol nor greasy like diesel is white spirit. Plus its pretty cheap from toolstation and the likes. The diesel is just a cheap first step for removing the carbon and grease. The diesel can be washed of with warm soapy water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 You say you're struggling with the exhaust bolts? I assume you mean the downpipe? If so, there's no need to seperate the downpipe to renew the gasket, you can pull the manifold away far enough to get the gasket in and out, i don't usually find the gasket leaves much mess behind, clean up is usually just brake cleaner on a rag and a sharp scraper. If you use brake cleaner, don't spray it in the ports, spray it on a rag and wipe round, diesels will run on brake cleaner but it's not kind to them, they knock pretty bad if there's any left in the inlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 I think oven cleaner, the one in an spray can lifts the diesel soot. Not used it myself though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 Yes diesel will work there are just so many more readily available better alternatives. Again, do not use oven cleaner anywhere near aluminium. Aluminium will react with either acids or bases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maborgeneral Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 if you remove the rockers from the pushrods on the inlet valves you can clean the ports and blow them out with an airline, keeping the valve shut will stop the carbon getting inside the engine , biodiesel is good for cleaning carbon . I recently cleaned a vw alloy Inlet manifold with mild caustic solution which worked fine , don't leave it too long as it will eat the alloy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 ^^^ as Mabor says remove the rocker shaft ,clean with your chosen solvent and blow out with an airline . I use Brake cleaner to clean stuff like this , it evaporates nice and quickly and you should be able to move the manifold out of the way with the first joint undone to clean the block . Be very careful with any cutting discs or blow torches you want to remove the downpipe if you have been cleaning .... Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpelly Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 Thanks for all the advice folks. Currently reading up getting at the rockers, pushrods and valves. Liking the idea of being able to keep valves closed to clean the inlet ports. Some pictures for today's effort. Diesel soaking overnight had impressive results - the inlet manifold is actually somewhere in that tub. Washed off the outside with some brake/clutch cleaner and a toothbrush. Currently soaking with some more degreaser inside. Will have another play after work tomorrow. Thanks, Simon... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paime Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Wow! Can't believe how good that looks compared to the first pics. Did it clean the internals as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 That's a vast difference, you've done a good scrub up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Good job Simon ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger110 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 That has given me hope as the inside of mine is coated in this Was it just diesel you left it soaked in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpelly Posted December 1, 2020 Author Share Posted December 1, 2020 19 hours ago, Badger110 said: That has given me hope as the inside of mine is coated in this Was it just diesel you left it soaked in? Yep. Marigolds on, plunged into a tub of diesel, gave it a good rub down in the tub with a cloth, left over night soaking and good rub down next day with the diesel again and finish off with a bundle of elbow grease and brake/clutch cleaner. Having a decent cloth that can take a bit of pulling helps. Fed the cloth in the front main inlet and carefully used a tent peg, grabbed the cloth, pulled from one of the side holes and then a bit of "back and forth" action.. Then repeated for the other remaining holes. Probably invested around 3 hours of effort so far. The inside still needs a little more work (will update when get chance free from work). Using some "Gunk" and brake/clutch cleaner again. It's worth it. Simon... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Hunter Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 It's a good job you're doing on the manifold, but just think where all that mess came from. Basically it has come from either the oil feed to the turbo itself, or, more likely, from the rocker cover via the little plastic cyclone in the breather line. Oil from here is supposed to return to the sump and the vapours go into the air inlet line to the turbo, but the vapour/liquid separation isn't all that effective and some oil gets carried forward to the turbo. The turbo discharges to the intercooler, where more liquid oil is deposited and then to the inlet manifold, where it can also make a mess, as you have found. I have just completed cleaning my 300Tdi intercooler, and it was mega filthy. First I soaked it overnight in my parts cleaner, which contains a mixture of proprietary parts cleaner solution and regular diesel. I then spent a good hour or so part filling the i/c and swishing cleaning solution from end to end through the finned tubes, totally emptying the i/c every minute or so. Eventually the emptied solution started to look about the same as the inlet solution. Of course, the carp in the intercooler isn't your regular engine oil. The oil deposited there has been stripped of all its lighter ends and baked on more or less as soot, probably causing a significant reduction in i/c efficiency. I finished with a thorough wash in hot water and dishwashing detergent since I didn't want any residual cleaning solution to cause fueling of my engine. So, perhaps a peak at your i/c should now be on your "to do" list. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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