Ehgine Steam Clean

[Jim deCordova]

Anybody in the South bay area (near LAX) know where I can get the bottom of my engine steam cleaned? I have tried several places and because the car is low and the oil cooling lines scare them, they refuse to do it. Any info would be helpful

Thanks

[rusnak]

Just take your floor jack, two jack stands to a coin operated car wash. Or buy a pressure washer.

[speeder]

Go to a place called "Doctor Detail" in OC somewhere. You will pay some $$ but they are the best in the country and will put it on a rack and get it to showroom condition. No chemicals, no detergent, just hot pressurized steam. Check their website. They do Pebble Beach cars, etc.

If the car is really worth something to you and it's a keeper, it's worth it. Especially if you do your own maintanence. A cold pressure washer at the coin car wash does not remotely compare. And I use the coin wash all the time, as well as own cold and hot pressure washers. I know of what I speak.

[speeder]

This place right here, Costa Mesa. Check some of the photos in the gallery:

Undercarriage Steamcleaning,Detailing - Doctor Detail, Costa Mesa,CA - About Doctor Detail

[Jim deCordova]

I have seen Dr Detail ads, its a bit of a drive but I think your right they seem to know what they are doing.
Thanks again to all.

[Nostril Cheese]

I've used Dr Detail in the past. Really good results on my old leaky 911SC.

[1990C4S]

Can't you spray it with engine cleaner and then go to a pressure wash place? Repeat as necessary.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

Can't you spray it with engine cleaner and then go to a pressure wash place? Repeat as necessary.

Sure you can. Just depends how clean you want it, (or should I say, how dirty it is). Older air-cooled 911s frequently still have their factory installed cosmoline still present, now baked-on and mixed with leaked oil and grease, etc. It can be a nasty mix, it's nice to just get it really clean once by the pros on a rack and then just do minor sprays at the car wash in the future.

Then there was the time that I sprayed Gunk Engine Bright on the bottom of my hot SC engine at the car wash and it flamed-up on the heat exchangers just like lighter fluid on an outdoor grille. (Thought I let it cool long enough).

People were contemplating running to the store for hot dogs and marshmallows before I quickly pumped coins into the machine and used the pressure washer as a fire hose. That was exciting. My 6-hole hasn't fully relaxed yet and it was over a decade ago.

For a 911 or something of real value, I'd get it steamed by the pros. I bring a lot of stuff to a truck wash in DTLA that has steam and is cheap but you get what you pay for. Take it to Dr Detail and then post the results here.

[Mrmerlin]

Just wondering, was the engine running as you were spraying it down?
I had a similar tale, only on a running 928,
a few sprays of the engine gunk,
to the intake area to remove some spilled oil; and whoosh .
instant flamo caused by leaking ignition wires,
lucky i had a charged hose laying on the ground,
2 passes and the flames were out, no damage either.

[rusnak]

Never would have thought anyone would say that "steam cleaning" is more gentle on a finish than a pressure wash. Boy that Doc Detail guy is one hell of a salesman.

BTW, he's using a pressure washer in his video. But it's one hell of a magical wonderful pressure washer I am so totally sure of that I can just giggle.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Never would have thought anyone would say that "steam cleaning" is more gentle on a finish than a pressure wash. Boy that Doc Detail guy is one hell of a salesman.

BTW, he's using a pressure washer in his video. But it's one hell of a magical wonderful pressure washer I am so totally sure of that I can just giggle.

You are correct in that the term "steam cleaning" is pretty freely interchanged with just hot pressure washing, (which creates steam when it gets hot enough). IOW, a lot of steam is present.

What he does is nothing but hot pressure washing but it's all in the time you take and technique, (I'm sure that you're laughing at me but bear with me), you need to really take your time and let the combination of heat and pressurized water do its thing. It's time consuming and really needs to be done on a lift to do it right. The most harmful thing in cleaning engines or under carriages is using harsh chemicals that hack detailers use, ie. etching or caustic products. This guy claims to use nothing but hot water. It also cannot be at too high a pressure or all kinds of damage occurs.

If you think that going to a coin car wash is just as good, be my guest. But we're not talking about cleaning a farm tractor or old truck here.