I'm in a serious cleaning mode and I'd like to get the 13 year 63,000 mile layer of grunge off the bottom of my shark. I've got the front end up on 7" ramps but it's too much like work laying on my back and using degreaser and simple green and a small wire brush. I've pretty well decided to buy a cheap pressure washer (1300 psi for $90.00 at Harbor Freight), but that still doesn't give me decent access. I can't think of anyone with a lift and I've looked for a set of ramps like the used car dealers use to display their cars and I can't find any.
Anyone have any ideas? Oh, and Pam won't let me dig a hole in the driveway!

 

Offer some local shot $50 or so to use their lift on a non-busy morning?

 

Well if the local is "shot" he probably won't care at all, so keep your $50.

 

Ernest, I did mine exactly the same way(well, the front anyway... back is next) but with one additional twist: I used a creeper, coveralls, and eye protection. It's not so bad.

 

One of the things that's bothering me is the geometry of the problem. Those wands are long and some areas are impossible to get at. It would be great to have a setup like a paint spray gun.

 

I took mine to a steam cleaner with a lift and had the entire underside done for $75. He said he would do the suspension and other details for an additional amount, (I think he said $50). I passed, but now I might return for another shot, because the "details" are in the shadow of the steam wand. Of course he knew how to do that and didn't bother to move it around to avoid those shadows. I still think $75 was fair for all the cleaning. It was probably the first such cleansing the car had since new, and generally looked good. Then Devek spent ALOT more than that cleaning the top side of the engine and engine compartment without water.

 

The better pressure washer guns are threaded NPT... The rental yard nearby uses quick-couplings, so you can connect different length wands or even connect a tip directly to the gun. This puts the tip about 4" from your knuckles. You could halve that by threading the nozzle directly to the gun. Then the issue becomes wrist strength.

Is this the unit you're talking about? That's going to suck to use that thing for any length of time. Look at the angle on the handle. You want a handle that's more of a right angle relative to spray direction or your wrist is going to hate you.

Check your local rental yard; they may be able to rent you one of these for something like $30 a day and provide you with a shortened spray gun. 3 uses for the price of the cheapie, and someone else gets to maintain/store it. Honestly, I'd be impressed if the $90 unit lasted 3 days period.

Either way, be very careful spraying around seals, seams, and connectors especially over 2000 PSI. Those things can inject water past seals, strip paint and insulation, cut rubber parts, cut through skin.... dangerous toy.

 

Hey Dave,
I ended up going to Home Depot and springing for an 1850 psi unit for $189.00. It's got the same kind of handle as the Harbor Freight gun. The hot setup would be a tip right on the handle. The wand connects to the handle with a push and twist bayonet mount, so I guess I'll just have to improvise.
Ron,
I figure a treatment with degreaser before the power washer is about equivalent to a steam cleaning.

 

Ern,
Your problem is: getting under the sHARk which, as you know, is a completely separate problem than cleaning the underside of afore-mentioned vehicle. Alas, many fellow rennlister's suffer from the same problem. Age, gravity, wear and tear, and our peculiar American feasting habits have ganged-up on us. Gone are the 32 regular jeans, the ability to weave thru the crowd at the mall and climb a tree like a squirrel let alone 'SLIDE' under a car - and a 928 at that.
Here in Midland most everything is sandblasted for free.
The rest is easily ignored, "crap, if I shimmy under there, I might not get out!" ,see no evil, do no evil.
In a pinch keep your eye's peeled for an old equipment yard with a huge drive-up ramp/bridge out back for $50 .00 you can use it all day.
If you keep throwing money at this you might as well look around for a garage lift, or a couple of skinny teenagers -they will do anything for $50.00.

 

John,
I resemble the insinuation that I'm not as nimble as I used to be. Why just today I managed to climb off the creeper with the help of Pam and Lucy the cat. It took them three hours to pull me out from under the car. I think my belt buckle got caught on the front spoiler. Wait a minute---I wasn't wearing a belt. I think there's a lump on the creeper that pushes my belly upwards.
Are you going to Wichita?

 

It's probably worth mentioning... keep the pressure washer away from sensitive areas! Electrical connectors, rubber boots, seals, etc.

 

Ernest-
After you've had some practice on yours, I'll help amortize the cost of the sprayer and pay you $50 to clean mine!

 

...hehe...me too!

 

yea...after seeing Wally's on the lift for Sunday's SITM Tech Session at DR's, I wanted to start getting mine cleaned up.

I have started in one area (kind of by default - I needed to chang the AT Filter). Luckily, I have a car trailer that is open in the middle. With the car on the trailer, I took a couple of cans of engine degreaser and sprayed down the Tranny/diif and nearby areas. Headed to the car wash and was able to get under there fairly well.

I think I'll continue to do it in small areas.

 

Ernest,
Have you considered this method?



Stolen form "what not to do in garage" thread.

Andy K