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Cover the alternator and get in there with the hose / pressure washer. You can use a wax free soap also. I lather all the plastics up really nicely and get into the grooves, lettering, crevices, etc with a small brush or toothbrush. Rinse it all off and repeat as you see spots you missed. I let the engine bay completely dry before turning over the engine but I'm probably just being paranoid.
Once it's clean, the best way to keep it clean is...to keep it clean. Don't wait until it's dirty. It takes no time at all to raise the hood every week and wipe it down. This turns an hour job into five minutes.
Cover the alternator and get in there with the hose / pressure washer. You can use a wax free soap also. I lather all the plastics up really nicely and get into the grooves, lettering, crevices, etc with a small brush or toothbrush. Rinse it all off and repeat as you see spots you missed. I let the engine bay completely dry before turning over the engine but I'm probably just being paranoid.
NOOO!!! I don't want to force water into places it shouldn't be.
When mine gets really bad I use Wesley's whitewall cleaner (I have it cause I like the way it leaves my tires a non-shine black) and spray it on, brush or mitt it around, and use a low pressure hose to rinse. Because the water spots so bad I usually dry what I can.
Other wise, I just wipe it down with some detailer spray.
NOOO!!! I don't want to force water into places it shouldn't be.
When mine gets really bad I use Wesley's whitewall cleaner (I have it cause I like the way it leaves my tires a non-shine black) and spray it on, brush or mitt it around, and use a low pressure hose to rinse. Because the water spots so bad I usually dry what I can.
Other wise, I just wipe it down with some detailer spray.
I've done it on multiple vehicles, no issues yet if you're smart about it and not blasting it into things like intakes, alternators, coil pack areas. Makes the job go quicker and less passes than with some detailing spray.
Cover the alternator and get in there with the hose / pressure washer. You can use a wax free soap also. I lather all the plastics up really nicely and get into the grooves, lettering, crevices, etc with a small brush or toothbrush. Rinse it all off and repeat as you see spots you missed. I let the engine bay completely dry before turning over the engine but I'm probably just being paranoid.
I can agree with everything minus to pressure washer thingy. That could be a disaster in waiting.
NOOO!!! I don't want to force water into places it shouldn't be.
When mine gets really bad I use Wesley's whitewall cleaner (I have it cause I like the way it leaves my tires a non-shine black) and spray it on, brush or mitt it around, and use a low pressure hose to rinse. Because the water spots so bad I usually dry what I can.
Other wise, I just wipe it down with some detailer spray.
WOAAAA.....you gots to be careful with that Wesleys white wall cleaner. It does work great on tires, but it will permanently spot/eat up/discolor certain types of metals. Ain't gonna argue about it....am just sayun.....
I keep a 2 gallon garden sprayer filled with distilled water from Walgreens. This water will not leave spots and there's less chance it will foul up electrical connections. Don't use the dollar store stuff. I do water treatment at an oil refinery and have tested it. The cheap stuff has higher conductivity.
The BEST way is to take to a qualified detail shop and let THEM clean and detail it. If YOU want to do it, get a bucket of old rags, a couple of bottles of Armorall, and start cleaning. Initial cleaning may take several hours, depending on how dirty/clean it is and how dirty/clean you want it when done.
The C6 engine bay picks up a lot of dirt (which looks like sand) and I find that I have no choice but to rinse it down (sometimes using Gunk Engine Degreaser). I would not be able to wipe it down to keep it clean.
I cover the alternator with a plastic bag with a rubber band around it before using the garden hose.
Having worked my way through high school and well into college as a detailist, I can attest to using a power washer on literally every engine bay. Never once had an issue. Up close, far away, having soaked some nasty cars in caustic chemicals and spraying from all three side. So long as you don't go too crazy around wired connections, any carbs/exposed throttle bodies (not applicable here), and the engine is cool, you're good. If it's hot, it will make a bunch of steam and will be unpleasant. Ideally, use a garden hose with an attachment. Use a wash mit to scrub as much or little as is needed. Rinse off. If you wanna get fancy, do this before washing the rest of your ride and hose down everything that is black plastic or rubber with some armor all. Close the hood, finish washing your car. Come back to the engine once you've finished washing/drying the car and use a rag to wipe down everything that you've sprayed. This turns out looking great, and is used on literally every used car. The down side comes with dust sticking to everything the more you drive it. To each there own and I implore you to use as much care as you want. But trust and believe there's literally nothing I've not power washed on and in a vehicle. Farm trucks were the worst!
Power washers are fine on modern engines. Its the people who use them wrong who mess it up. Keep at distance and don't try to power wash the crap out of an area with electrical connectors or joints like the intake/throttle body. Also anyone who has had the low beam recall done, ensure that the GM tech really did a good job with the electrical box on the passenger side.
Those that use chemicals; be careful that the chemical cleaner used does not adversely affect the leaf spring underneath. I've heard horror stories of people using something like a rim cleaner or aluminum cleaner which eats up the leaf spring.
I keep a 2 gallon garden sprayer filled with distilled water from Walgreens. This water will not leave spots and there's less chance it will foul up electrical connections. Don't use the dollar store stuff. I do water treatment at an oil refinery and have tested it. The cheap stuff has higher conductivity.
07-17-2018, 09:58 AM
