Great post,Thanks for providing us this great knowledge,Keep it up.

Fleeing The Complex

German garages don't touch dirty engines. They wash before service. Their garages are immaculate. You could eat off the floor if need be.

Thanks, kenatminimania, you have answered my question in great detail and I appreciate it. 
I have heard horror stories from persons who have had almost disastrous results following an engine wash and did not want to fall into that situation.
I hadn't thought about using a dilute detergent like Simple Green, but I will try it. Now my ony problem wil be to find a wash rack that allows engine cleaning.
Thanks again
GPken

You should be careful when pressure washing the engine - the modern engines are packed with electronic sensors where continuity can be affected with a high pressure stream of water.  If this should happen, it may prevent the engine from starting and you may need to let the engine dry out before it will start.

If the main computer and its connectors are exposed in the engine bay, you may want to cover it first.

Let the engine soak with non-corrosive mild degreaser (like diluted simple green). 

Use a low pressure wide stream tip 2 to 3 feet from the engine.

Hi all. I just bought a used R57. I am new to the forum and have a question: Is it okay to pressure wash the engine? I need to replace the valve cover but would like to clean the engine first.