I saw the pictures when first posted – and decided to pass on comment as I just didn’t have the guts to be the first post ... and in the first post say I really wasn’t crazy about the results, but I have to agree with “KnuckleBucket�.
In the shop, we use the steamer in the engine bay, but that’s after cling-wrapping some critical electrical parts. It’s great for loosening heavy oils (as seen in the pictures, and obvious on the valve-cover), but then a good cleaner, sprayed generously, as an old wash-mitt (either old wool or the micro-fiber ‘reggae-hair’), and hand wipe each and every part, line, corner, grove, etc. as if you’re feeling up your first girl, and not missing one inch. Then follow with a second steam rinse (probably a little more pressure than you get with the home model you’re using), and in most cases, depending on level of soot and crud, do it all over again immediately from scratch.
As for the rims, I don’t touch them with steam. Wheel cleaners, brushes of several varieties to get into the webbing of the gold rims. The same brushes and a good sponge would certainly improve the curves of the center-cap and inside the holes of the chrome (Ford, I think) rims. Then blast ‘em with the hose – never mind the steam.
On the white surface, you can see an improvement, but certainly some good cleaners and some elbow-grease will bring substantially better results.
Steam cleaners have their place, but I don’t see any improvement over the standards used and discussed on this site.
Hope you take this as it’s meant ... I’m certainly not trying to ridicule, but only posting what I see and offering alternatives to steaming based on what you’ve shown.
, but does that mean that others wouln't want a "bigger one" to do the job better? :drool: