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How has other members clean and detail the engine bay?
Due to the LT1 optispark design I don't spray any cleaner or water on the engine compartment. Strictly wet cloth or shop towels with cleaner or water and wipe areas off, no spray. In the "old days" I would just cover alternator, distributor, & coil with walmart bags and spray away.
All the spooky information about wetting the optispark is overblown. These horror stories are from the 2% of C4 owners who had a bad experience that could be traced directly to the optispark, and some of these issues were their own fault. I agree that it's located in a tight spot but it is not this delicate flower that must be isolated from all elements like so many people say.
You can wash the engine with water, just wrap the obvious items (ignition, alternator, etc) and stuff a bunch of rags down into the water pump/optispark area. Then simply avoid that general area while you are washing. Doing this, you can clean about 80% of the engine. Clean the remaining 20% by hand, if you really want to. I have washed my LT1 with a garden hose and nozzle, no issues.
Personally I would not use a power washer on any motor vehicle because the focused high-pressure can get past seals and cause problems if you're not careful.
All the spooky information about wetting the optispark is overblown. These horror stories are from the 2% of C4 owners who had a bad experience that could be traced directly to the optispark, and some of these issues were their own fault. I agree that it's located in a tight spot but it is not this delicate flower that must be isolated from all elements like so many people say.
You can wash the engine with water, just wrap the obvious items (ignition, alternator, etc) and stuff a bunch of rags down into the water pump/optispark area. Then simply avoid that general area while you are washing. Doing this, you can clean about 80% of the engine. Clean the remaining 20% by hand, if you really want to. I have washed my LT1 with a garden hose and nozzle, no issues.
Personally I would not use a power washer on any motor vehicle because the focused high-pressure can get past seals and cause problems if you're not careful.
Excellent Advice
I have used plenty of soap and water over the years on my '96.
Hot soapy water, Simple Green, various scrub brushes, etc.
No High Pressure power washing though, just a normal household garden hose.
There's a cool detail guy on YouTube that I got this idea from, I bought the Avanti Airless Paint Sprayer at Harbor Freight and use it to clean the motor and engine compartment. It infuses and atomizes the water as you spray. Just put the supply hose in a 5 gal bucket of water. Works great. I use simple green and a couple cans of Gunk degreaser and use the sprayer to rinse off. I've sprayed directly in the area of the Optispark with no issues. After I'm done, I take my leaf blower and wedge it in front of the motor and blow out the Opti area just to be sure it's all good. $250 bucks for the sprayer and it comes with the gun and attachments...
