Do any San Francisco Bay Area locals have experience with a dry ice detail shop in the area?
https://www.r20motorsports.com/ in the LA area seems to be well versed, but is too far to justify using them.
https://www.cryoblastsf.com/ and https://theblastinglab.com/ show up in a local search so thought I’d see if there were any testimonials or alternate recommendations.
This is not a concours car. There is just 30+ years of underbody and engine grime to clean up. Should make servicing the car less of a pain. I know there are cheaper and more time-consuming options, but I want a one and done.
Dry Ice Blasting in the San Francisco Bay Area
-
toddinmd
- Moderator
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2021 7:42 am
- Location: Ellicott City, MD
- Has thanked: 31 times
- Been thanked: 58 times
What model car? Can't tell since you posted in the 944, 993/964 and air cooled forums the same message. Might be helpful to select one forum and provide some details.
--
2018 991.2 GT3
2022 Taycan CT4
2018 991.2 GT3
2022 Taycan CT4
Yes, I felt each sub-forum has a unique community and would have different feedback. With all three being 30'ish year old cars, the model becomes less important, yet the discussion and results are relevant and beneficial to all. This specific service is for my 944 S2.
The goal is simply to clean up decades of engine/trans grime along with a thorough underbody cleaning. It should make servicing the car less of a mess and time consuming cleaning through grime. Identifying new leaks will be easier as well. And, it will look great!
The goal is simply to clean up decades of engine/trans grime along with a thorough underbody cleaning. It should make servicing the car less of a mess and time consuming cleaning through grime. Identifying new leaks will be easier as well. And, it will look great!
-
Tom
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5301
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:04 pm
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
- Has thanked: 498 times
- Been thanked: 2337 times
- Contact:
I have no experience with any of those shops, or doing dry ice blasting. Found a nice video below showing someone blasting all the factory cosmoline off their S2.Renn937 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:49 pm Yes, I felt each sub-forum has a unique community and would have different feedback. With all three being 30'ish year old cars, the model becomes less important, yet the discussion and results are relevant and beneficial to all. This specific service is for my 944 S2.
The goal is simply to clean up decades of engine/trans grime along with a thorough underbody cleaning. It should make servicing the car less of a mess and time consuming cleaning through grime. Identifying new leaks will be easier as well. And, it will look great!
Honestly, for a basic cleaning of caked-on grease and grime, you might try a good old-fashion steam cleaning. I took a very grungy old Mercedes (with a decades old oil leak) in for steam cleaning and the results were great. Not trendy, but very effective for decades of grease and grime. And cheap by comparison. In the old days, every corner gas station could steam clean, but you have to hunt for them now because they need to be set up for environmental requirements. Here is where I went:
https://detailplussunnyvale.com/our-services/
As for which forum to post in.... We are getting to critical mass as a forum, but still young. For now anyway, we have it set up so that every post, in every forum, will show on the front page in the list of 'recent topics' for a while. When you post it in several places at once, they all get listed in a row on the front page, making it look kind of like a software glitch or something. As we grow, it might help to post in several forums on questions like this that aren't really car-specific, but for now that was the intent behind our "All Things Porsche" forum. Either way, just very happy to have you here and see you posting!!! Now, if you can just solve the mystery of your avatar for me....??
@Tom Thanks for the insight. I'm familiar with Rainbow car wash. I did not know they did steam cleaning. Do you recall if they had a lift? My engine bay is in great shape, it's mostly the underbody that needs a good cleaning. Steam will definitely be cheaper, but dry ice is quite appealing!
RE the post - I did not know the 'recent topics' list existed. I've always been so quick to jump into the forums. Good to know. I've been a reader since the start, joined a few months later, and getting more active now.
Ahh, my avatar. Your guess is as good as mine. That is how I found my air compressor when I bought the car many years ago. It seems the PO thought a pair of underwear was a good way to keep it closed... I do vaguely remember one of the clips was broken, as is common. I suppose that was their fix.
RE the post - I did not know the 'recent topics' list existed. I've always been so quick to jump into the forums. Good to know. I've been a reader since the start, joined a few months later, and getting more active now.
Ahh, my avatar. Your guess is as good as mine. That is how I found my air compressor when I bought the car many years ago. It seems the PO thought a pair of underwear was a good way to keep it closed... I do vaguely remember one of the clips was broken, as is common. I suppose that was their fix.
-
Tom
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5301
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:04 pm
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
- Has thanked: 498 times
- Been thanked: 2337 times
- Contact:
Renn937 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:02 pm @Tom Thanks for the insight. I'm familiar with Rainbow car wash. I did not know they did steam cleaning. Do you recall if they had a lift? My engine bay is in great shape, it's mostly the underbody that needs a good cleaning. Steam will definitely be cheaper, but dry ice is quite appealing!
RE the post - I did not know the 'recent topics' list existed. I've always been so quick to jump into the forums. Good to know. I've been a reader since the start, joined a few months later, and getting more active now.
Ahh, my avatar. Your guess is as good as mine. That is how I found my air compressor when I bought the car many years ago. It seems the PO thought a pair of underwear was a good way to keep it closed... I do vaguely remember one of the clips was broken, as is common. I suppose that was their fix.
They call it something fancy on their list of services, but it's just good old fashion steam cleaning. I don't know if they have a lift, but distinctly remember they did not use a lift when steam cleaning the underside of the Mercedes. They drove it up on extra high ramps and the guy did the whole thing on his back under the car. It was high enough for him to get it done, but remember thinking that guy had the dirtiest job ever. The car had thick caked-on grunge from decades of leaking and driving, and it all just melted off with the steam -- but it came down all over him and he was just a filthy wet mess when done. As best I could tell, that was just how he spent his day. When he was done, someone else (clean) got the car down and put a new one up there, and he was right back at it.
You have indeed been here awhile -- you were the 251st person to join Carpokes, so very much appreciate the early leap of faith. We just increased the 'recent topics' to include the last 10 posts (by default), so it's harder to miss now than in the past. It helps concentrate the daily activity in one place so there's always something new for the folks who log in frequently. As for the tire compressor, I'm not sure I would have kept it if I found it like that. Maybe skip the undercarriage and have that case steam cleaned.
-
dr bob
- Moderator
- Posts: 207
- Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2021 9:30 pm
- Location: Central Oregon
- Has thanked: 63 times
- Been thanked: 70 times
Having some experience with both...
I'd definitely start off with the steam cleaning option. Discuss with them in advance if you want to keep the cosmoline. There are different schools of thought about keeping it, and a LOT depends on how you might show the car, and maybe more important how you might use it. Cosmoline serves a purpose, protecting the undercarriage from impacts and corrosion. On the forged and cast aluminum bits under there that aren't anodized, cosmoline plays a vital role if you drive where salt or related deicers are used on the winter roads. FWIW, my 928 started in SoCal, moved to Denver area where it was a very limited use car, then back to SoCal with me. So I cleaned off the cosmoline. Now in a spot where there's snow and "not-salt" deicer in the winter, the car is restricted to not-winter duty now.
My neighbor's SIL has a dry-ice blaster biz, and operates out of Boise. He offers to drag the rig over here (a few hours or so) for a group cleaning. I haven't made the proposal to the local PCA region yet, but that might come up on the radar. I've been really religious about maintaining original labels and badging on on the car, including manufacturing, parts and assembly labels, QC paint marks, stuff like that. Dry ice blasting removes all of that stuff indiscrimately. Steam cleaning will do that too, but you can work with the operator to save some of that. Take a ton of detailed pictures before you start. I had to recreate some of the parts labels, for instance, and that was after only a chemical wash. Point is, know in advance and plan for how you want it all to end up, and choose the method that has the best chance of getting you there.
And... Welcome to Carpokes!
I'd definitely start off with the steam cleaning option. Discuss with them in advance if you want to keep the cosmoline. There are different schools of thought about keeping it, and a LOT depends on how you might show the car, and maybe more important how you might use it. Cosmoline serves a purpose, protecting the undercarriage from impacts and corrosion. On the forged and cast aluminum bits under there that aren't anodized, cosmoline plays a vital role if you drive where salt or related deicers are used on the winter roads. FWIW, my 928 started in SoCal, moved to Denver area where it was a very limited use car, then back to SoCal with me. So I cleaned off the cosmoline. Now in a spot where there's snow and "not-salt" deicer in the winter, the car is restricted to not-winter duty now.
My neighbor's SIL has a dry-ice blaster biz, and operates out of Boise. He offers to drag the rig over here (a few hours or so) for a group cleaning. I haven't made the proposal to the local PCA region yet, but that might come up on the radar. I've been really religious about maintaining original labels and badging on on the car, including manufacturing, parts and assembly labels, QC paint marks, stuff like that. Dry ice blasting removes all of that stuff indiscrimately. Steam cleaning will do that too, but you can work with the operator to save some of that. Take a ton of detailed pictures before you start. I had to recreate some of the parts labels, for instance, and that was after only a chemical wash. Point is, know in advance and plan for how you want it all to end up, and choose the method that has the best chance of getting you there.
And... Welcome to Carpokes!
dr bob
1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
928 Owner's Club Charter Member
Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus
Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!
1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
928 Owner's Club Charter Member
Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus
Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!
-
flapjackflyer914
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2023 1:57 pm
I have a friend in the Fresno area who is a professional engine builder and has just purchased a laser cleaner. He is still in the process of working some bugs out, but I'm really looking forward to seeing it in action. I'm not really sure if it's suitable for an entire underbody job, but I'd be happy to keep you posted.