Anyone ever take their truck to a detail shop and have the engine steam cleaned?

I'm considering this to get the 100,000+ miles of sludge removed and then keep it clean.

Any problem doing this to be aware of?

 

If you do it just becarefull around any electronics.

 

Although I have never steam cleaned a computerized diesel, I would be concerned that the condensed steam (water) might get into the electrical side and cause problems down the road. Also you do not want water introduced into the brake reservoir. "Engine Brite" and a garden hose followed buy a good hard run might be a better chose. I'm sure someone else haas done this before and has a better handle on it.

 

Every weekend in thr summer I pull out the high pressure washer and wash down the truck and the engine. This includes the under body too. So far I never had any ill effect from high pressure washing. So I really doubt that steam cleaning would hurt it. I would stay way from main wiring and electronics...

 

Ditto, i power wash mine all the time just don't hit the alt and electronics for to long.

 

i dont power wash cause it may take some pieces of paint with it off the pump or anywhere else so i just run a garden hose and take my time hosing off the cleaner agent...I cover all the goods with plastic bags first as well

 

Powerwash here every oil change. No, I'm not sloppy. I just like a clean engine.

 

You shouldn't have a problem if they actually steam it. The amount of water is small and the heat of the steam helps dry it quickly. I've even used ours on old gassers, when it wouldn't start I just dialed down the water (had a valve for water and one for steam)include so it was just steam and put it straight to the distributer, it took all the drips out and she started right up. It's really the best way to clean engines. The hot water/steam is less likely to crack things from thermal shock and any chem strong enough to take off oil sludge can also soften plastic and remove paint ...plus the spotted owl loving tree huggers aren't to crazy about em either.

 

I powerwash mine all the time. The only issue I have is that the WATER IN FUEL light will come on after. It goes off after driving a little.

 

NEVER get (relatively) cold water on a hot injection pump... tight tolerances and thermal stress don't go well together.

 

I never wash mine all that grime and sludge is free undercoating to keep the Rusties away!! Besides I don't feel comfortable firing pressurised water under there if it may accelerate wear on certain lubricated parts and/or electrical.
I guess if you're super careful where you point the hose it should be good but a low pressure jet with scrubbing brush and soap would work better maybe.... at least safer.

 

My motor is getting a GOOD cleaning this summer. Gonna let some gunk soak all over it, and pressure wash it off real clean after i replace the valve conver gaskets and get my injectors all stopped leaking. Its due for a good cleaning. My engine is filthy.

Eric

 

I hate opening a hood and checking the oil then end up with a dirty hands because no one wants to clean under the hood... Or a simple job as changing the fuel filter and now you got to take a shower and degrease your arms from your elbows down to your fingers... There is no reason for that kind of dirty engine...

I've been pressure washing engines for over 20 years now and at the worst you will get is a wet spark plug boot or distributors cap. As for the cummins... I've hear of WIF light coming on... Hurt me... Nothing a little compressed air won't fix...

As for wearing parts out... The dirty grese and oil on part tends to wear them faster because of the grit that the truck has picked up from the road. So I tend to power wash the truck and then re-grease or lubricate the chassis afterward to push any water back out of ball joints and tierods and other parts.

 

...ditto...