Do any shops around here steam-clean cars?

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

Do any of the auto shops or car washes steam-clean the engines and undersides of cars?

It's spring and there is a lot of sand and presumably salt stuck under my car and around the engine. I'd like to get it cleaned up. I might be getting new spark plugs, wires, the transmission flushed and adjusted, and do not want sand to get into anything. Plus the job will go a lot more smoothly if everything is clean.

Comments

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

most regular car-washes (drive thru kind, not do-it-yourself) have under-carriage options. whether it really gets up into the engine block, I have no idea. I imagine that an under carriage cleaning would get as far up as road gunk would get on its own. I'm blanking on the name of the car wash on Somerville Ave, at the intersection where Elm meets Somerville Ave (Kenmore Car wash?), but I've gone there.

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

Yes, I always get the undercarriage wash, which is important.

But what I'm looking for today is something much more involved, where they put the car on a lift and clean it with pressurized steam.

For the engine, it would involve removing the battery, wrapping certain components, and using steam or degreasers under the hood. A car wash wouldn't clean the engine because there is a splash guard under the engine. Hopefully I can find someplace that will take that off and steam it from underneath.

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

wow, you take really good care of your car! I've never heard of the steam cleaning thing--sorry, didn't know it was so different from an undercarriage wash--how necessary is it?

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

Most people never do it; it's usually classic car enthusiasts. I haven't had it done before.

I would also like to hear about typical costs, and if its something they can just do while you wait.

[aidoneus.livejournal.com]

If you head out on Fresh Pond, there's Chico's Sunoco (next to the Dunkin Donuts) that does steam cleaning of engines. I've used them in the past when I wanted to get a good look at exactly where a leak was coming form in the engine of my 89 Corolla (there was enough grime in there that I couldn't pinpoint the source).

out of curiosity...

[julishka.livejournal.com]

about how much would something like that cost?