My WRX engine bay is looking pretty nasty these days (30,000 miles of Arizona dust) and I was considering having it cleaned next time I take it in for fluids. Yet the WRX manual warns me against this -- can anyone explain why? Our Legacy GT wagon has had the bay steam-cleaned twice (once to help localize a coolant leak, which was actually a cam gasket failure ) and it suffered no ill effects. What parts of the engine might be affected by a steam clean? My local Goodyear shop only charges $25 for one, it seems like a nice way to keep the engine cool (less dirt and oil insulating surfaces) and looking neat...

 

I did mine and had no ill effects. Just a clean engine. I did it myself and left the car runningwhile i did it. nly thing was I degrease the bay 1st and dint get it all washed out. Car stunk for a day or 2 of degreaser.

 

did u cover any electric parts??? with plastic or anything?

 

I didn't cover anything, just avoided spraying around the battary/fuse box and the airbox.

 

Wait... did you degrease your engine bay, or steam clean it? The steam cleaning I am talking about uses a cleaning fluid at high temperature and pressure, so there is no need for a seperate application of degreaser. It is just a "spray wand" that they hit the engine bay with, both from above and below while it is up on the lift. If you are talking about just spraying the engine with GUNK and hitting it with a hose, I'm definitely not doing that.

 

I had a degreaser mixed in with the steamer mix. It cleaned much better than just the normal steamer mix.