# Engine cleaning steam or? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** engines\ **Created:** [October 1, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355 "2007-10-01T17:09:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anbanshee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Anbanshee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Anbanshee)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/1 "2007-10-01T17:09:21Z")
I just spent a week in the desert at Burning Man, through lots of wind storms, and my engine is covered with a layer of desert dust, with a high alkali content. Do I just leave it? or clean it? If I clean it, what’s the best way? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/2 "2007-10-01T17:12:42Z")
Cover electrical components and steam clean it. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/3 "2007-10-01T17:28:36Z")
Depending on the year, make, model of your vehicle, you can expect the same results you would get if you high-pressured or steam cleaned the inside of your television set…Computer controlled engines and ignitions don’t tolerate aggressive cleaning very well… ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/4 "2007-10-01T17:28:42Z")
I would cover the electrical components and clean it with cold water from a garden hose. No high pressure cleaning. High pressure can drive the grit into places it shouldn’t go. Just wash it off. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/5 "2007-10-01T17:32:31Z")
There’s a chance that water (a component of steam) will still get into electrical connectors and components. What’s wrong with a blow off and a wipe down? The term “flood cars” comes to mind. OH! What the heck! We can take chances, can’t we? A sparkling clean engine is worth a lot, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/6 "2007-10-01T17:41:39Z")
Just desert dust? Alkali content? A garden hose will take care of it. Cover the battery. No need to get fancy here. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-cleaning-steam-or/5355/7 "2007-10-01T18:11:04Z")
Cover the electrical components and use one of the new foam sprays (low pressure) from a can (works like oven cleaner). Let stand for a while and then just hose off with a garden hose. I would not steam clean a modern car with expensive computers and other electronic gear!