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Beware of steam cleaning older engines. High pressure steam can and will blow through old gaskets and introduce moisture where it should not be. That being said, steam, not chemicals is the best solution for a lot of reasons but the most important is environmental. When you use a degreaser or chemical it supposedly breaks down the oils and greases so they can be rinsed away. Now where does that go? For those cleaning their engines at home, it goes into ground where you live, your kids play and pets roam around. Eventually it ends up in ground water or if it rains shortly after you're done, floating around and contaminating your property or that of your neighbors.
When you steam clean you can place a cloth or paper wrap underneath the engine to trap what comes off. Steam has little water compared to a high pressure rinse job. What comes off is what was on the engine plus some water and nothing else, no other chemicals. That material can be wrapped up and disposed of properly because it is hazardous waste.
In our efforts to have that clean looking ride, we often forget the price paid by ourselves and others. What good is that clean engine if all you accomplished was making the ground you live on unhealthful or worse? If you read the warning labels on oils and greases notice that they all can contribute to causing cancers and other ailments. Why simply rinse that off onto the ground? Think about that before you simply spray on a degreaser and hose off that engine in your driveway or lot.
There are alternatives, use steam and a paper or cloth collector and dispose of the catch material properly or go to a place designed for such cleanings and that isn't the local car wash. Most I've seen specifically prohibit engine cleaning because they don't filter out the chemcials (oil and grease) and recycle that water so it eventually ends up on the other guys car or flows into the return water system.
Steam isn't the same as a pressure washer either. Those $99 pressure washers at Home Depot or the auto parts stores don't steam anything, they use high pressure water and there isn't much worse for an engine. Even the smallest high pressure washers can destroy gaskets, seals or force water where it isn't supposed to go.
I know, lots of people use pressure washers and say they never have problems. Well, there are also lots of people who've ruined engines, especially older ones using pressure washers.
Anyone cleaning an engine where the materials you blast off run onto the ground or into a sewer or storm drain are irresponsible. It contributes to lots of diseases and illnesses and few people think about that when they open the hood for everyone to ahhh an ohhh about the clean engine.
Not saying don't keep your engine clean, just that there is a best way to do it and simply hosing off your engine and letting all the oils and greases run onto the ground isn't it. While that happens when you drive in the rain, why add to a problem instead of reducing it? You never know, your child or someone else's might end up playing in the dirt you contaminated with oil and grease, not to mention the chemicals you used to clean it with.
"Mack Knife"
Your points are well taken,and I believe they are points most don't even think about when it comes to cleaning an engine bay.
For me, I have never used a hose on my engines, and never will.
Nor do I use any chemical cleaners.
Just like the exterior of the vehicles, I clean the engine and bay often, and use only a damp rag, then buff with a soft dry rag.
On the underside of the hood, and the exposed areas of the fenders, I use a detail wax spray once the areas are clean.
Doing that makes the next clean up job that much easier.
Cleaning is all about effort, not chemicals.
If one spends enough time in maintaining a clean engine bay, chemicals are not necessary, unless you are working on something that has not been cleaned for a long time.
Bob.
Our car needed a new gasket for the intake manifold( ouch $$) and after the work was done it reeked of antifreeze in the engine compartment. So I took it to the car wash and for $20 had them steam clean the engine. That took care of nearly all the smell and made the engine look nearly new again. Hoses, wires, the plastic housing, metal. Spring a year ago I had to get a jump start and the AAA driver commented on how good the engine looked for an older car.
If I'd ever go to sell a car the $20 I'd spend to have the engine cleaned would be well worth it by making it look well cared for and in good condition engine wise.
Our car needed a new gasket for the intake manifold( ouch $$) and after the work was done it reeked of antifreeze in the engine compartment. So I took it to the car wash and for $20 had them steam clean the engine. That took care of nearly all the smell and made the engine look nearly new again. Hoses, wires, the plastic housing, metal. Spring a year ago I had to get a jump start and the AAA driver commented on how good the engine looked for an older car.
If I'd ever go to sell a car the $20 I'd spend to have the engine cleaned would be well worth it by making it look well cared for and in good condition engine wise.
I'm all for keeping the engine clean, but if I were looking at an older used car I might wonder what leaks the recent cleaning was hiding.
I had a relative years ago that would change his oil at the self serve car wash! Yep, just drain the oil right into the drain. I was infuriated with him as I am very much into saving the environment! This is why the shops charge a disposal fee so the oil can be disposed of properly!
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