Engine Steam Cleaning

[Fleet 500]

A friend told me about someone who details cars. Mobile, he comes to your house.

He already did my '76 Limo. Came out nice. Even though the paint is original and faded, it looks a lot better after he buffed and waxed it.

He charges $80 for exterior and interior cleaning/detailing. (He charged more for my limo because it needed more work due to the faded paint.) And $20 more for engine steam cleaning. I heard years ago that it's not a good idea to steam clean an engine because of the wiring which is sensitive to heat and water.
Is that a valid concern?

[johnnynumfiv]

He's doing that detailing for practically free.
Do you drive your car in the rain? I've done it plenty of times, directly hitting the alternator, coil, wires, etc. No issues as of yet.

[Fleet 500]

He's doing that detailing for practically free.
Do you drive your car in the rain? I've done it plenty of times, directly hitting the alternator, coil, wires, etc. No issues as of yet.

It is a very good price.

I occasionally drive my car(s) in the rain. I am more concerned about the hot water getting on sensitive parts.

[johnnynumfiv]

What are these sensitive parts? Your engine is hotter than the water going on those "sensitive" parts.

[clutch-monkey]

What are these sensitive parts? Your engine is hotter than the water going on those "sensitive" parts.

i'd be more worried about steam and humid air roiling around and carrying moisture to places that would normally stay dry though. but still, the guy does it for a job, must be good enough at it to not **** anything up

[Fleet 500]

What are these sensitive parts? Your engine is hotter than the water going on those "sensitive" parts.

Sensitive parts like wiring, the inside of the alternator (although that is usually covered during the process) and paint.

[johnnynumfiv]

i'd be more worried about steam and humid air roiling around and carrying moisture to places that would normally stay dry though. but still, the guy does it for a job, must be good enough at it to not **** anything up

If you run the car afterwords, it'll dry right up.

Sensitive parts like wiring, the inside of the alternator (although that is usually covered during the process) and paint

If your wiring can't get wet, something is wrong. Take this for example, rings go in an engine, so the combustion pressure then pressurizes the crank case. Which in turn makes oil shoot EVERYWHERE inside the engine bay, inside the alternator, over wiring, etc. Hitting it with a pressure washer and degreaser doesn't hurt it. If you are worried about it hit it with compressed air to blow any out. Again, the engine bay is hotter than steam.

[Fleet 500]

If you run the car afterwords, it'll dry right up.


If your wiring can't get wet, something is wrong. Take this for example, rings go in an engine, so the combustion pressure then pressurizes the crank case. Which in turn makes oil shoot EVERYWHERE inside the engine bay, inside the alternator, over wiring, etc. Hitting it with a pressure washer and degreaser doesn't hurt it. If you are worried about it hit it with compressed air to blow any out. Again, the engine bay is hotter than steam.

I guess it would be okay to steam clean. I don't plan on having one of my cars detailed soon, anyway.