Hot Water Pressure Washer for Engine Compartment?

Discussion in 'Technical' started by dmhines, Jan 24, 2004.

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  1. dmhines

    dmhines Dixie Maverick Boy

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    Getting ready to pull the 6-cylinder out. Has anyone rented a Hot Water Pressure Washer to blast out the engine compartment and get it cleaned up for paint. Is there a better or easier Method? Figure I'll rent it and blast the entire engine compartment, undercarriage and front supsension areas before paint. THanks ...
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2004
    dmhines, Jan 24, 2004
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  2. jacka

    jacka Member

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    Invite the folks from Home Shopping Network over and have them demo the hand-held steam cleaner. :) We all know it works on toilets, grout and the kitchen sink. Put in to a real test. Just kidding. ;)
     
    jacka, Jan 24, 2004
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  3. dmhines

    dmhines Dixie Maverick Boy

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    Almost ready to come out ...
     
    dmhines, Jan 24, 2004
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  4. dmhines

    dmhines Dixie Maverick Boy

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    No rust ... just a little dirty ...
     
    dmhines, Jan 24, 2004
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  5. 71gold

    71gold Frank Cooper Supporting Member

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    d, i use oven cleaner. if you don't care if the paint and all come off. get the cheap( buck a can) unsented kind. it is stronger. foam it on and let it set, wash it off with a water hose. j.m.o...frank...
    p.s. the chair makes it look like the car is in the kitchen.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2004
    71gold, Jan 24, 2004
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  6. dmhines

    dmhines Dixie Maverick Boy

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    Yeah - I have heard of Oven Cleaner. Don't car about the paint - I just ordered the EastWood UnderHood Black kit to black the whole thing out before dropping the 302/Toploader in ...
     
    dmhines, Jan 24, 2004
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  7. riporter

    riporter Member

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    Im with Frank on the oven cleaner. I would use the Castrol purple cleaner and elbow grease initially and then hit the hard spots with the oven cleaner:)
     
    riporter, Jan 24, 2004
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  8. Cleaver

    Cleaver Member

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    71 Gold is right on the cheap oven cleaner. I get mine from Family Dollar for --- you guessed it $1 a can. If the paint is not real tight, the oven cleaner will strip it off.

    The pressure washer helps out and makes the job go a lot faster than a regular hose. I have never rented a hot water pressure washer before, but I have a small electric washer that works well with greasy stuff if I hook the hose straight to my hotwater tank or to the faucet in my garage and only feed the washer hot water.

    Cleaver
     
    Cleaver, Jan 24, 2004
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  9. Kelly Evans

    Kelly Evans Member

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    Hot Water thru pressure washer

    Cleaver? have you ran hot water thru your pressure washer much without any problems? I thought about piggybacking off my hot water heater to do that but was told the hot water would mess up the pump somehow on a pressure washer not built for hot water. Mine is gas powered (2400 psi I think). Anyone else ran hot water though theirs without problems or know if it will mess up the pump. Thanks
     
    Kelly Evans, Jan 24, 2004
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  10. riporter

    riporter Member

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    I run hot water (125 degrees) through mine all the time...been doin it for over a year now with no probs...its a gas powered Wally World special.:D
     
    riporter, Jan 25, 2004
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  11. MaverickGrabber

    MaverickGrabber MaverickGrabber1972

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    sand blaster :D :bananaman :bananaman
     
    MaverickGrabber, Jan 25, 2004
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  12. Cleaver

    Cleaver Member

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    Kelly - I run my hot water tank through mine a several times a year. My washer is a 1700 psi Harbor Freight electric. I haven't had any problems. My tank is somewhere around 110-115 degrees. I never thought of that kind of temp doing any harm. I guess it could if the motor couldnt dissapate enough heat on its own. I know there is a big difference in the amount of grease 115 degree water will take vs. 50 degree water straight from the well. It also dries a lot faster using hot water. I don't want to tell you to go ahead and do this to your washer - each person has his own level of comfort in using his own tools - but it works for me. Besides - I've got a reputation for demanding the most out of my stuff. Dedicated hot water pressure washers run temps over 200 degrees - so they are really true steam cleaners. I'm sure they have some dedicated parts to make this happen.

    Cleaver
     
    Cleaver, Jan 25, 2004
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  13. Country Mav

    Country Mav Die-Hard Ford Guy!

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    You prolly thought of this........

    I used lye on mine...........just don't get it on you.. (OUCH) :rolleyes: Just mix it up in a sprayer with water.......and it'll eat anything. Get really hot though, :p And before I painted it, I sprayed the whole thing down with Carb. cleaner. Gets rid of the grease, and evaporates off of there. Just a thought.........Country
     
    Country Mav, Jan 25, 2004
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  14. mercgt73

    mercgt73 Member

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    Yep, I liked the oven cleaner on mine. I just sprayed and let it soak. I let it soak all the way to the car wash that is. I didnt want the mess near the house, so I dolly'ed the car to one of those do-it-youself car washes. The hot high pressure rinse make no work out of the oil / grease / dirt combination. Also, if you are an enviroment guy, they recycle the waste water there and seperate the oil etc.

    The owner didnt seem to care. Just got a few raised eyebrows from some of the customers...
     
    mercgt73, Jan 26, 2004
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  15. CometGT1974

    CometGT1974 Gearhead

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    I used a pressure washer with hot water running through it. Does a great job but it is rather messy!!!
     
    CometGT1974, Jan 26, 2004
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