Poor mans steam cleaner
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 947
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From: I can explain it to you, but I can't comprehend it for ya.
Poor mans steam cleaner
I connected our garden hose to the hot water outlet feeding the washing machine. The laundry room is adjecent to the gargage which made it convienent.
It made for a great way to clean grease and grime from underneath the car without having to use a lot of degreaser.
Use a rubber coated spray hose end (the metal ones get too hot).
It made the front and rear suspension rebuild a much cleaner project.
It made for a great way to clean grease and grime from underneath the car without having to use a lot of degreaser.
Use a rubber coated spray hose end (the metal ones get too hot).
It made the front and rear suspension rebuild a much cleaner project.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
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From: San Francisco, CA
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Dwaynes69BB)
This is really a great idea! I have the perfect set up for this in my garage and can even run the water though my spray gun and compressor. I wish I had thought of this.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Dwaynes69BB)
Thanks much -- I will be doing just that soon -- with about a gallon of simple green.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,206
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From: WANTED: '68 rear valance with b/u light assemblies IM, e-mail, or PM me here. Thanks!
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Dwaynes69BB)
I love that trick. I thought I posted it once before. At any rate, I'm happy you found it out on your own. Just remember to stay away from the body paint.
Also, ever consider trading for a blue/blue convertible? I just LOVE the looks of a white chrome bumper shark!
Also, ever consider trading for a blue/blue convertible? I just LOVE the looks of a white chrome bumper shark!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,183
Likes: 2
From: Des Moines Iowa
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Dwaynes69BB)
Gee, guess not everyone has hot and cold running water in their garage, huh?
I use one of those "Y" hoses which connects both water spickets to the garden hose, that way I can get anything from cold, to warm to very hot water!!! Also works great for giving the family Shannon, the family black lab, a shower at the end of the driveway!
I use one of those "Y" hoses which connects both water spickets to the garden hose, that way I can get anything from cold, to warm to very hot water!!! Also works great for giving the family Shannon, the family black lab, a shower at the end of the driveway!
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (john's '81 mouse)
That's a great idea. Wish I had thought of it. I have hot and cold going out to the garage and when I routed an outside water line to the back of the house, I hooked up the hot and cold too!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 765
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From: Canton GA
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Koz)
Great idea. Maybe I'll hook hot water through my power washer.....that would work even better.
I would definitley bag my carb and dist when spraying under the hood. The HEIs are pretty water tight, but better safe than sorry.
I would definitley bag my carb and dist when spraying under the hood. The HEIs are pretty water tight, but better safe than sorry.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
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From: Moon Township PA
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Koz)
Koz, my first Corvette, a 66, was GREASY :eek: on the under side. WHEW! I took it to the local car wash, along with my floor jack and jacked up one side at a time for a hot, soapy wash of the frame, engine bottom, tranny, differential etc. I lowered the car and did the same thing to the other side. You can also use a set of ramps. Do not get under the car in this situation. You WILL get wet though. You do not need to cover anything, just don't spray the distributor directly. I have been cleaning engines this way for years. I let me engine sit for 20 minutes or so while I do the underside. Make sure you pop the hood to allow excess heat to escape from the engine.
Gary
Gary
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Koz)
I've been looking for a place that does steam cleaning.. Rather do it myself. Is there anything that can not get wet? Do I need to bag the carborator or distributor? Can I do any damage? :confused:
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 10,787
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From: My own state of mind
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (chevyman)
Don't think I could do it with my laundry room in the upper level of the hose. I don't know who came up with the idea to put it up there but I'd like to smack em in the head!
Matt
Matt
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: olean ny usa
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Dwaynes69BB)
I did mine last winter and want to pass along my experience..
under my '78 was gobs of grease and caked on dirt. tried several passes with engine cleaner and hot water thru the garden hose with a blaster nozzle and it was coming off a little at a time. at that rate it would have taken 20+ tries and 20+ cans of engine cleaner.
went to Walmart and got a $179. pressure washer and it blew all the crap off in one pass. after it dried I gave it one final shot of engine degreaser/ hot water and it was clean enough to get surface rust in a couple days.
my goal was to clean and paint the entire underside and it worked well.
under my '78 was gobs of grease and caked on dirt. tried several passes with engine cleaner and hot water thru the garden hose with a blaster nozzle and it was coming off a little at a time. at that rate it would have taken 20+ tries and 20+ cans of engine cleaner.
went to Walmart and got a $179. pressure washer and it blew all the crap off in one pass. after it dried I gave it one final shot of engine degreaser/ hot water and it was clean enough to get surface rust in a couple days.
my goal was to clean and paint the entire underside and it worked well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,738
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From: Bogart GA
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Dwaynes69BB)
For cleaning the engine compartment, I used a paint spraying gun at 100 psi with a hot water/Simply Green solutioin mix. Then I rinsed with clean water. Works great if you have access to compressed air. I recently found a nozzle that is designed for engine cleaning from Harbor Freight. It has a tube that is placed ina bucket of cleaner, it is sucked into the gun by the compressed air in to a high pressure stream that can be easily directed where you want it. I used to use a pressure washer but was hard to control and it ended blowing grease were I didn't want it....belts etc... in aging cars with old wiring and cracked insulation, I would be very carefull hosing water around the engine compartment.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 765
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From: Canton GA
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (Koz)
I beleive this is the device KJL is referring to. Looks pretty good for $8
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3885
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3885
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 1
From: Hagerstown MD
Re: Poor mans steam cleaner (ZORA_RULES)
I have one. I'm not terribly impressed by it. Ran it at 100 psi and it didn't seem to have a heck of a lot of "oomph".
I borrowed an electric pressure washer from a friend and that puppy had enough power to get all of the loose grease and dirt, etc. off the underside of the car.
Ken
I borrowed an electric pressure washer from a friend and that puppy had enough power to get all of the loose grease and dirt, etc. off the underside of the car.
Ken
