Steam cleaning

[Capitol]

Has anyone tried steam cleaning an engine bay with one of the very small (200cc) water content steam cleaners? Just curious.

[Andy Burns]

I was given a second-hand 'Polti Vaporetto Pocket' which has 3x the capacity you're thinking of, it struggles on a grimy sink, let alone an engine compartment ...

[Tim Watts]

No.

But on an older car with less electronics, I got it hot, sprayed the bay with "Gunk" and drove it down the garage.

Then pressure washed the bay hoping the bloke wasn't going top come out as see how much black shit was everywhere.

Not sure I'd do that with a modern car with wires and sensors everywhere...

[Gazz]

it wont do much,

an engine steam clean is done using a pressure washer with a water heater jobbie built in (i mention the obvious as any kettle type devise with a nozzle on it is called a steam cleaner nowadays, but before those gimmicks arrived, a steam cleaner was known as something used by mechanics to clean the underside of trucks prior to an mot, or engine bays that have been mucked up by leaking oil)

The steam softens the muck but it's the high pressure jet that actually shifts it, with those home steamers you are softening the muck, but use cloths to wipe away to muck,

[meow2222]

A pressure washer is the thing to use. Or you can apply paraffin & wipe clean if you want to take all day.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Pointless. Nothing like as good as Gunk and a watering can.

Proper steam cleaners for cars etc use a detergent and high pressure.