Our hot pressure washer uses diesel fuel and gets Hot. Really don’t need chemicals with these systems. Works great on all the little nooks and crannies of a transmission. 5-10 minutes to get to bare metal.

I agree there is a big difference in function when you up the heat, but for a fraction of the cost, you have to find out if it will work to your satisfaction with water heater hot water.

Once you use a powerful steam cleaner, it is hard to go back. It is often possible to rent one, and I have in the past. That is how you find out if you like them.

Once again, it's the combination of heat and pressure that works so well. And you don't need a lot of pressure.

Cold pressure washers are a completely different tool. I own one. It's not for cars.

Everything I own looks like this under the hood. This is a 20 y.o. truck w 200k miles:
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Better cover that 6637 when washing! BTW, you can't really brag about a clean engine by until your engine looks like that when you live in the rust belt. Nice job on the IC pipes getting all the heat foil off. Good looking 7.3

If you're buying an asset, buy one with hot water. They are a time saver. You can find them relatively cheap on C.L.. 100F is a warm water washer. When mine heats, you don't want to touch the metal part of the wand or spend much time with your hand holding the rubber pressure hose.

Go rent two washers (I know... seems like a waste) and use both on job you are planning. This way you have a side by side comparison. My guess is after a few minutes you'll stop using the cold washer hooked to 100F water and be using the hot water to finish the job. I'd rather rent two to determine which one works best for me than to buy one and find out it didn't work the way I had hoped.
I sell construction equipment. I do a lot of HEAVY degreasing and cleaning off grime. No better way to do that than with a hot water washer. Your time has a price associated with it. I'd calculate your time savings using the tool designed for the job into the equation as well.

Did you make that? Details?

He wouldn't even need 2 machines, just get a hot pressure washer and try it w the furnace turned off and on. :cool:

Yeah, I thought about that after I wrote that :( Too early for me to engage my brain I guess.

Electric is a little cheaper, haven't used one though Hot-Water-Pressure-Washer-Industrial-2HP-3-GPM-1500PSI-18M29

That is basically exactly what I have.

Here's the scoop. Nick makes a strong point about buying the unit that will save time and result in a cleaner finish, and given what he does, I am sure the net-net on the hot water pays real dividends.

My issue is two-fold and uses Nick's logic introducing the fact that I'm saving for a vapor blaster that I will use 10 hours per week every week at a minimum, and the one I need is a significant purchase. That's what my capital equipment account is focused on right now. Since I'll do just 4 cars per year with a pressure washer, it's a long amortization schedule to spend $2K on a hot unit.

Like I said, there is some serious clay-like material on this tub near the front fender wings. That's the real test. The rest is grimy but I think (we'll see) will manageable with cold/100F water.

Good advice all around.

A friend of mine did, I can ask him if he as instructions/materials list. I think it's just a nichrome coil over lamp oil. I'll see what he says.

EVAP Smoke Machine Diagnostic Emissions Vacuum Leak tester *BRAND NEW* | eBay

I've used the water heater "pressure washer" and a 50 gallon water heater runs out of "hot water" quick. Lots of engine cleaner, brake cleaner and a pressure washer have gotten me by over the years.

Thanks for the link. I've pressure tested when I was stuck, smoke would be nice.

Ypu’ll Want something that can clean the parts well before you vapor blast. You don’t want grease, oil, tar, dirt, etc running through the machine. You will love the vapor blaster. Makes aluminum look like new. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1508246751.jpg
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If you go cold/warm water, look into a turbo nozzle that is designed for the unit pressure you're using. I used a turbo nozzle to remove stuck on concrete on several machines. I'd think if it'll take off concrete, it'll get whatever you're working with off unless it's that undercoating Porsche used. Then you're going to need heat.
If you go the cold route, I'd go as high pressure as you can find.
BTW, what's vapor blasting?

Shaun I really think the purchase of a legit steam power washer is worthwhile for you. I'd imagine you could pick up some side work that would make short work of the cost of such a thing. maybe even just using it to help friends in the trade/business and swapping work.

IMO either buy a $200 sams club cheapie and replace it from time to time or go whole hog and buy the real deal. consider speeders pic of his engine bay. using cold pressure (or warm pressure) you would destroy lots of rubber and have water intrusion issue to get even half that clean.

Nick, you were right, at least in the grand scheme of things. First, the 2500 psi washer was weaker than I thought it would be. No reason to believe the unit (Karcher) was defective, I just thought 2500 psi was stronger. Should have gotten the 3500 for the front wheel wells.

The washer completely failed on the aftermarket tar on the driver side but did a decent job on the passenger (it was lighter) and did a really good job on the rest of the tub. I ended up "painting" the heaviest/thickest tar with a mapp torch and hitting it with a plastic scraper and brass bristle brush. That worked pretty well. Was careful to move the torch around so as not to disturb the factory coating. Then I hit the area with gas and a super scouring pad. That got it down pretty clean, the gas dissolved the tar slowly but effectively. Then the washer to clean up and then wiped down with brake cleaner and a towel. Honestly not that much work and I'm not even sure how well a heated pressure washer would have worked on the tar. But I am sure it would have worked better than the cold water.


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Those do look nice. I typically bead blast and then tumble Al and Mg. I can control the surface sheen with media and various techniques and I like that the media micro-peens the surface to seal it. The Mg 915 below is 2 years done and still glows. My sense is the vapor blaster will shorten the time I need to get to the final finish and sometimes give me a final finish.


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