comments about steam cleaning the engine

[yob_yeknom]

I have quite the dirty engine. It's not oily or anything (no leaks yet) just covered with baked on mud. The entire underside is basically the same. I have taken a pressure washer and gotten as much off as I can after I go wheelin', but after many trips it has built up all over everything.
Should I have the engine and underside steam cleaned? A car lot here will do it for ~$20 and coat the underside with some kind of protectant and spray that shiny stuff in the engine bay that makes it look brand new. It sounds like a really good deal to me, but I've heard steam cleaning can be bad. What can be bad and what do I do to prevent it?

 

[mrboyle]

For $20 bucks I say go for it! The price is less than half what a shop I use to work at charged ($45). The only thing steam cleaning can hurt is the same thing washing the engine at a car wash will hurt. Just make sure they keep from spraying directly into the alternator, coil pack, fuse box, etc.. The only thing I would suggest would be to ask them NOT to spray the engine compartment with the hose dressing. It only makes the engine look good until you drive down a dusty road, then it works as a dirt magnet, making the under hood look as bad as it did before you cleaned it. The dressing also has a tendency to either break down the rubber hoses (like Armorall does to tires) or form a invisible barrier that causes the hoses and block to retain heat, plus it leaves everything all slimey for the next time you (or your mechanic) has to work on it.

 

[PLRBEAR]

Cleaning Engine & Bay

Dude...you were part of the discussion the last time round.... tsk tsk... LOL!

 

[yob_yeknom]

Originally posted by PLRBEAR
Dude...you were part of the discussion the last time round.... tsk tsk... LOL!

That was about using a pressure washer though. I know nothing about steam cleaning. What they use, how they do it, nothing. I'm sure they'll cover the alternator, fuse box, and ignition. I was just wondering if theres any negative effects from steaming like ruining seals and hoses or something like that.
What kind of tool do they use for steam cleaning?