Steam cleaning engines

Don't do it. Put down the remote control, and step away from the info-merical you're probably watching.

Use Simple Green, careful water, and lots of baggies & twist-ties.

 

I understood everything except the baggies & twist-ties, what do you use these for??

 

Sandwiches, of course I'm guessing any open area that water could get in and ruin something.

 

Yes, stay away from steam cleaning and try to stick wtih a good degreaser and as little amount of water as possible. Cover all the electronics and wires with plastic bags and dry the engine immediately after rinsing. Then run the engine for ten minutes to try and burn off all the water you could not reach with the chamois. Hope this helps.

 

In other words Ferrari engines and water are like oil and water.

 

Simple green, a good nylon brush, and don't laugh, a bug sprayer with clean water. Easier to control the spray.

Be very careful with pressurized water and any cloth covered hoses on old cars. You can do a lot of damage...

 

Best method as professional detailers do, Spray the engine down with a good degreaser or a APC aka All purpose cleaner let it dwell. Then brush the soiled area's then rinse and dry and spray with a water based dressing. Pressure washing also works well but I never really detail engines that require so much punch after good brushing and degreasing you shouldnt need that much water power.

Its good to use water based dressings instead of solvent or as some people have been using WD-40 because there flammible and they also attract dust and dirt and grime up after a while there for causeing your self more work the next time you detail. Good water based dressings are Meguiars W-dressings,303 Aerospace protectant. Meguiars Detailer line has some new ones now I forget there names.

Good place for degreasers and detailing supplies

www.properautocare.com
www.premiumautocare.com
www.topoftheline.com
www.autogeek.net
http://www.meguiars.com/store_meguiars/product_list.cfm?store=pro&line=detailing&catagory=1&subcatagory=1

Some good ones I like Meguiars APC+, Eimann Fabrik HI Intensity Cleaner,EF Citrus Engine Degreaser... Work well and are dilutable.

 

Of course you can do a search on here for "Simple Green" to get links to reports, including one from the Air Force, that describe the corrosive effects of Simple Green on Aluminum. I've used it on my engine, too, but have noted that it dulls Aluminum in other applications. Degreasers that claim to be 100% Al-safe are rare. :|

 

Yes simple green does react with uncoated alumnium but there are other degreasers that work better and are totally safe on alumnium. Simple green works well but I always avoid getting it on headers or other bare alumnium parts in the engine bay.

 

I don't steam my engine in the traditional way....but I do use one of those hand held units you see on TV to remove road debris where it is next to impossible to reach....especially near cross members, bolts, etc. Keep it away from electrical....mostly frame components. The long wond can get to places I can not reach even with a fine engine brush.... Got mine at Pep Boys for around $70.

 

It may be a dumb question but aren't the headers made of steel?
I usually spray watered down simple green and bristle brush (paint brush) in some small areas where oil or dirt collects, rinse and air spary thoroghly and then take her out for a spin to dry off the moisture in the bay. I only do it once a year and it works well.

 

No one has mentioned GUNK yet. Is it too Pep Boys or is there too much greasy residue w/ the product. Isn’t there something called “Agent Orange” that is good for engine de-greasing? Oops, maybe that was for de-foliating…never mind. Love the orange hand cleaner. Isn’t Simple Green sort of like 409?

 

make sure you do it when the engine is cool as well.

 

Before I purchased my 308, the dealership had attempted to steamclean the engine....twice! On both occasions, they ended up having to repace some of the electrical components. Good grief. I would never steamclean or pressure spray parts of the engine where there are electrical components...which almost includes all of it.

On the topic of Gunk: I have used it with good success and no side effects. Although, I am very careful in its application.

Question: There are some brownish spots on some of the aluminum brackets that look like rust or corrosion. These spots will not yield to anything I have tried. Does anyone have a recommendation on what to use to remove these spots?? Does anyone have a recommendation on something that will return the new-like shine on the aluminum engine parts??
Note that the engine is very clean, it is just very dark and dull looking.

Thanks for any help.
Mark

 

Mark - Try Flitz ...available at any boat shop...Boat US, West Marine, etc

 

Be careful with the use of simple green. I ruined the bell housing finish (aluminum) on my old Testarossa.

One thing I have not seen posted before is the use of mineral spirits. The mechanics that work on my helicopter told me about this when I threatened to use my pressure washer on the engine compartment at one time. Mineral spirits are nice for engines (not advocating for exterior painted surfaces) because it evaporates quickly without a residue and therefore electrical components are not damaged or corroded. Just buy a cheap siphon sprayer from Harbor Freight, hook it up to your air compressor, stick the tube in the mineral spirits container and use it like you would a pressure washer. It works great on grease or grime. It helps to use some old cardboard to let things drain on so the floor is not stained with the stuff that comes off.

Steam cleaning is ok but will take the paint off surfaces an may leave some rust.

Just a few thoughts.....

 

"Steam Cleaning" automatically implies low pressure and high heat. I sell these for a living and clean my TR with steam a couple of times per year. As long as you don't "concentrate" on your electricals, you have very little chance of harming anything. Believe me, the REAL professionals use a steam cleaner. It's faster and does a much better job. No degreasers needed and you can get every nook and cranny. Fear not men, your Ferraris will not melt!!

 

I have never steam cleaned a Ferrari engine but I have steam cleaned many others.

My parents business used to use a steam cleaner for this task, as did the business I worked at during my Uni holidays ... and also my Mothers later job working at a Porsche dealership also I believe used steam cleaners.

They are the easy way and work great.

I cannot see what harm would come from using a steam cleaner on a Ferrari engine.

- If the paint comes off during a steam clean ... it was going to come of anyway.
- If an electronic component gets stuffed by a steam cleaner ... then it was not sealed properly and would have suffered one day.

Anyway each to their own, but buggered if I would be manually cleaning an engine when 5 minutes with a steam cleaner will have it looking far better.

Pete

 

Aaaaaaaamen Pete. As you say, to each their own, and I realize that not everyone here has access to one, but if you do give it a try.....you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

I think the real question is how to clean a steam engine?

Now that would be a big job!

 

WOW! I've never heard of this, and normally I'm not the big enviro-weenie, but one application of this technique would counteract the work of my entire company at producing air-quality friendly vehicles for the 2005 model year! I'm pretty sure it'd also be bad to breathe such a high concentration of vapors as you'd generate from this.
Christ, if you did this on blacktop you'd dissolve the driveway right under your car! You could also spray gasoline on your engine to degrease it, only the mineral spirits isn't quite as flammable and will take longer to evaporate (that's part of why it's good for parts washers). But it is still plenty flammable, if you were to do this it would not be a wise idea to start your car for, say THREE DAYS!
Oh, and don't let it drip onto your painted undercarriage...
I just can't support anyone doing this, although I suppose it IS cheaper than dousing your entire engine in brake cleaner!

P.S.-I believe that this IS the correct way to clean a steam engine! LOL

 

I have to concur that spraying mineral spirits is insane! That sh*t will do all of the bad things that Don mentioned and if you got caught, the EPA would hang you.

 

It would be good if people stated which Ferrari model that they're referring to - unless the comments are general. I'm told that old(er) Ferraris and water don't mix. However, I asked my dealer about my 360's engine and cleaning, and they said go ahead and gently hose it down (non high pressure) to clean it. They also said that I didn't have to worry about baggies and twist ties (on the 360). Again, all assuming that you don't direct a tight stream into connections, etc... Hmmm... - Tim

 

I know it sounds insane, it does smell for a bit, you should not do it over asphalt without laying something down under the area you are working on (mostly because it leaves the dirt dried up on the surface the dirty mineral spirits falls to) and, work in an open area, but, it works great, the stuff is gone in a few minutes, hasn't harmed any of the painted surfaces I've used it on, and since it evaporates quickly you really don't have to wait that long to start your car. Environmentally I can't argue with you but if you think about the solvents and cleaners that go off down the water drains and into the ground water, evaporate off anyway, etc, most cleaning is not environmentally friendly anyway. Most mineral spirts evaporate off no matter how they are used as well. When I was first told about it my biggest concern was fire which I guess is always a possibility so you would have to exercise some caution while doing it, like in an open space, without a lit cigarette or with the engine running. This method is not something I would recommend other than on an occational basis like preparation for a concourse cleaning anyway.

In any case, I am not advocating this for anyone, just bringing it to the attention of those who might be interested in another method of cleaning difficult engine compartments with those difficult to get to places inaccessable by hand where you don't want to have water or other chemicals left behind to do their own kind of damage. Youv'e got to admit I've peaked your interest?!

No...I don't think you will find this method in the Sierra Club Handbook or the Ralph Nader Political Guide to Utopia, but neither will you find techniques to clean your Ferrari in those locations. Let's face it, insanity is a given if you are a Ferrari owner and clean your own car (as I am and do). It is never clean enough, shiny enough, or new enough looking for most of us as we seek perfection in our cars.