From a purely mechanical stand point, a steam cleaning done right can be awesome and effective. A steam cleaning done wrong, is worse than running a life time of the cheapest, most contaminated gasoline and lowest grade oil.
Done right... should include: experienced personnel who know your engine, and settings, and have rebuilt more than one of your car manufacturer's engines; rev-limiters so as to not perpetually red-line your power plant; controlled conditions, including emissions monitoring; a cognizant check to make sure all of your engine's sensors, gaskets, hoses, and seals are not hydrophyllic; deinonized or reverse osmosis water used to generate the steam. Under these conditions, and in experienced hands, a steam cleaning can boost output and heat rate several percentage points. Done poorly (which is usually, anything less than $100, mot often) and it can really ruin things.
I think you probably made the right choice. But.. if your detailer is incredibly fastidious and experienced, it might've been a good thing. =)
Now.. if you were referring to "steam cleaning" of the upholstery and cabin interior... and you live in Chicago, whose summer time ambient RH is close to 65%, I think you've also done a good thing in opting out. Residual moisture in the interior can and will grow mold down to 40% RH, which you won't see consistently until November - more than enough time for lots of spores to reproduce abundantly.
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From a purely mechanical stand point, a steam cleaning done right can be awesome and effective. A steam cleaning done wrong, is worse than running a life time of the cheapest, most contaminated gasoline and lowest grade oil.
Done right... should include: experienced personnel who know your engine, and settings, and have rebuilt more than one of your car manufacturer's engines; rev-limiters so as to not perpetually red-line your power plant; controlled conditions, including emissions monitoring; a cognizant check to make sure all of your engine's sensors, gaskets, hoses, and seals are not hydrophyllic; deinonized or reverse osmosis water used to generate the steam. Under these conditions, and in experienced hands, a steam cleaning can boost output and heat rate several percentage points. Done poorly (which is usually, anything less than $100, mot often) and it can really ruin things.
I think you probably made the right choice. But.. if your detailer is incredibly fastidious and experienced, it might've been a good thing. =)
Now.. if you were referring to "steam cleaning" of the upholstery and cabin interior... and you live in Chicago, whose summer time ambient RH is close to 65%, I think you've also done a good thing in opting out. Residual moisture in the interior can and will grow mold down to 40% RH, which you won't see consistently until November - more than enough time for lots of spores to reproduce abundantly.
I will get off my moisture soap box now.
i trust very few people with my engine, and certainly not guys who spend most of their time waxing paint.
they shampooed the inside, and did a nice job. i _think_ it's all dry now :-)
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