Cleaning engine bay
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
This is way too greasy looking. Try some In and Out spray to get a nice matte finish on it that still pops. If it's too shiny when you first spray, you can wipe until the desired sheen is achieved.
Here is a 101k mile engine dressed with the stuff I'm talking about from Adam's. This engine was also cleaned prior to dressing with water, wheel woolies, brushes and APC
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
You can easily clean your engine and no, q-tips are not required. I would put a plastic bag over the alternator and any other electrical items you don't want to get wet. Spray it down with APC from Adam's or equivalent, agitate it with a brush and rinse with a low pressure water source. Once done, you can blow it dry with compressed air or even a leaf blower (electric only).
Here is a great video on the subject
Here is a great video on the subject
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
So tell me how does the op of this thread clean the grease and grime off the windings of his alternator as he has stated?? When you want him to cover it with plastic, I'm assuming that includes all the grease and grime in and around the windings. So when he takes off the plastic bag, what is he suppose to do with all the grease and grime found all over the alternator. As far as flushing a C5 engine bay in that Video, it is counter productive to protection of the knock sensor pockets. How does anyone cover everyone of the 26 weather paks or grounds relays, etc with plastic when many of them are bolted to a substructure. How are you going to get a plastic bag around them all? BTW anyone can make a video... when your engine fails to start one day because of moisture contamination will that guy from that video pay the towing and repair charges??? What is that guy's credentials, everyone on this forum knows mine. Anyone can do what ever they want, I'm just offering my advice, take it or leave it. OH and BTW if you view a video on line and believe its the absolute gospel, then good for you. Everything on the internet is true.
As far as his grimy alternator, he could use a steamer as they clean well and don't put out a ton of water. I doubt he has access to one, so a nice brush and cleaner would be a good start. He'll need to be very careful, obviously. A replacement alternator isn't very expensive, so he could always just swap it out as well after cleaning everything else.
Obviously cleaning your engine will be at your own risk. Larry isn't going to pay to tow your car when it fails to start just like you aren't going to pay to tow mine when it breaks down, even if it's one of the components you designed
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: Fresno California
You need to check the going price of the correct alternator for these cars. Too many people have purchased rebuilt's and new alternators from other than G.M. and had nothing but trouble. Been there done that.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
I've been cleaning my engines with Gunk and water for many years with no issues. I actually use a high pressure washer to do it too LOL
But what I do is keep it far away, to where it mists, and let the mist hit the engine. I stay around 5-7 feet back from the engine when I do it, and I avoid the battery.
But what I do is keep it far away, to where it mists, and let the mist hit the engine. I stay around 5-7 feet back from the engine when I do it, and I avoid the battery.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Good night loved ones, hope everyone has a good night's sleep.
Bill
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
You are absolutely correct on intelligent alternators that are required in C5's..( ive made thousands of information post in open forum and in private message here over the years on C5 alternators, you just can't put any GM alternator ( any cross reference )because it fits the bracket. These clueless legends in their own mind have a quick solution for everything.. Yeah just get an alternator, they are cheap. So little knowledge and so quick to give poor advice.
Good night loved ones, hope everyone has a good night's sleep.
Bill
Good night loved ones, hope everyone has a good night's sleep.
Bill
So I just went to my garage and put a piece of tape down to split the alternator into halves. I used some Adam's APC on a lug nut brush and agitated the case and then wiped clean with a microfiber towel.
Not a great picture, but there you go. The bottom half is obviously clean on the left hand side and the top half has a line where taped off for a 50/50 shot. You asked how to clean the case, so there you go
If my car blows up tomorrow from cleaning my engine bay, I will report back to this thread.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,628
Likes: 397
From: Madison Wi
You can use low pressure water under your hood all day long without covering up a thing and not cause any harm. Everything under there is designed to get wet.
Do not use high pressure spray. The pressure will force water into places it's not supposed to be.
The best way to clean it, as others have stated is to use a cleaner, low pressure and a long bristled brush.
Once done, towel dry everything off the best you can and I like to coat the entire bay in 303 Protectant for a OEM fresh new car appearance.
Go for a drive afterwards with several hard stops to get the engine hot and dry out the knock sensor areas. The hard stops will push the water out and the heat will make whatever is left evaporate.
I'd like the try the Adam's APC on the underhood aluminum pieces... it looks like a good product!
Do not use high pressure spray. The pressure will force water into places it's not supposed to be.
The best way to clean it, as others have stated is to use a cleaner, low pressure and a long bristled brush.
Once done, towel dry everything off the best you can and I like to coat the entire bay in 303 Protectant for a OEM fresh new car appearance.
Go for a drive afterwards with several hard stops to get the engine hot and dry out the knock sensor areas. The hard stops will push the water out and the heat will make whatever is left evaporate.
I'd like the try the Adam's APC on the underhood aluminum pieces... it looks like a good product!
Last edited by TraceZ; May 5, 2014 at 12:52 AM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 337
Likes: 79
From: Smith Mountain Lake VA
Hey guys!
I never realized how much I didn't pay attention to the engine bay. It's a shame. I have to replace the ac compressor components, but I figure it would be a great time to clean it up! It's an old and abused engine bay though, whats the best way to clean up an engine thats grimy, dirty, oily, for someone who has fear of destroying some electrical component by accident.
Thanks!
Mason
I never realized how much I didn't pay attention to the engine bay. It's a shame. I have to replace the ac compressor components, but I figure it would be a great time to clean it up! It's an old and abused engine bay though, whats the best way to clean up an engine thats grimy, dirty, oily, for someone who has fear of destroying some electrical component by accident.
Thanks!
Mason
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: Fresno California
You guys can stroke each other all night if you prefer.
So I just went to my garage and put a piece of tape down to split the alternator into halves. I used some Adam's APC on a lug nut brush and agitated the case and then wiped clean with a microfiber towel.
Not a great picture, but there you go. The bottom half is obviously clean on the left hand side and the top half has a line where taped off for a 50/50 shot. You asked how to clean the case, so there you go
If my car blows up tomorrow from cleaning my engine bay, I will report back to this thread.
So I just went to my garage and put a piece of tape down to split the alternator into halves. I used some Adam's APC on a lug nut brush and agitated the case and then wiped clean with a microfiber towel.
Not a great picture, but there you go. The bottom half is obviously clean on the left hand side and the top half has a line where taped off for a 50/50 shot. You asked how to clean the case, so there you go
If my car blows up tomorrow from cleaning my engine bay, I will report back to this thread.
Nobody is trying to put you in your place but they are trying to offer others here sensible options that are less risky. Some people will take your information and run with it and some won't.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
Water intrusion is one of the most discussed problems on this forum. If that is what you want to do with your alternator, that is your business. Just don't try to come off as the only "expert" on the forum and say that is the way to do it. I have to ask who is doing the "stroking" here? There are others here that have experience and are not really concerned with you because you just may have been lucky so far. It is about others here that will follow your advise and end up with some expensive and frustrating problems. If your car does happen to "blow up" tomorrow there are people here that will help you get it fixed again.
Nobody is trying to put you in your place but they are trying to offer others here sensible options that are less risky. Some people will take your information and run with it and some won't.
Nobody is trying to put you in your place but they are trying to offer others here sensible options that are less risky. Some people will take your information and run with it and some won't.
I am not trying to come off as an expert, I'm just giving the OP some ways to clean various things in the engine bay. I posted the video of an actual expert to help with methods and to give more detail. I am not the one bragging about my "pedigree" or suggesting everyone else is a "clueless legend", I'm just trying to help. Some of you people are so caught up with yourselves and brag about your past and how much you help, that your posts become nothing more than that.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: Fresno California
Did you even read any part of my posts? I don't suggest blasting the alternator with water. I suggest covering it with a plastic bag when washing your engine bay, along with the other sensitive items in there. When I posted that, it was pointed out how would I clean the grimy alternator if it's covered. So I posted another solution to that. You use a wheel lug nut brush, spray the cleaner onto the brush and agitate the case with it. Then you wipe it off with a towel before it is dry. This loosens the dirty and allows you to wipe it off without getting water or cleaner into the alternator itself as everything stays on top of the case. I would never suggest blasting the alternator with water, especially from a high pressure source.
I am not trying to come off as an expert, I'm just giving the OP some ways to clean various things in the engine bay. I posted the video of an actual expert to help with methods and to give more detail. I am not the one bragging about my "pedigree" or suggesting everyone else is a "clueless legend", I'm just trying to help. Some of you people are so caught up with yourselves and brag about your past and how much you help, that your posts become nothing more than that.
I am not trying to come off as an expert, I'm just giving the OP some ways to clean various things in the engine bay. I posted the video of an actual expert to help with methods and to give more detail. I am not the one bragging about my "pedigree" or suggesting everyone else is a "clueless legend", I'm just trying to help. Some of you people are so caught up with yourselves and brag about your past and how much you help, that your posts become nothing more than that.
You may not be telling others to spray their alternators but you are telling them to spray the rest of the engine. I probably would have paid more attention to your post had you not started off by saying "You guys can stroke each other all night if you prefer." I haven't bragged about my "pedigree" or called anyone a "clueless legend" and I believe you are trying to help but the odds are you may not be helping everyone. I may not agree with they way some people say things here but I do agree with what they are saying. I will never spray water from a hose or a sprayer in my engine bay for any reason. There are are other ways to get it clean. These cars have enough problems with grounds, connectors and a number of other things that are related to moisture and even a one time shot can cause problems that may not show up for a while but they will show up.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
I've been cleaning my engine compartment out for at least 25 years. I go to the car wash and spray it down with a degreaser and high pressure wash with soap and then water. I sometimes keep the engine running if it is really hot but generally turn it off. I spray everything. Grease eats conduits and fittings and everything else over time. Never had any problems with alternators or air cleaners. That includes my veraram on my c5. It really isn't that complicated but a good habit to keep the inside clean as the outside.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 346
Likes: 24
From: Selma, NC
Just from personal experience, I would never use a direct stream of water on an open engine compartment. I acknowledge those who have do so without an issue, however I've had to replace an expensive ECM and various other electronics on a Supra for that exact reason, and I have no intent of dealing with that again.
When I get around to detailing my car one weekend (once this pollen lets up), I intend to go through each visible component with cleaner of choice, damp rags, and brushes as needed. It's tedious, but if done right and maintained it should be a one-time ordeal.
When I get around to detailing my car one weekend (once this pollen lets up), I intend to go through each visible component with cleaner of choice, damp rags, and brushes as needed. It's tedious, but if done right and maintained it should be a one-time ordeal.