Engine Bay Bath

[Threehz]

Just picked up my first E30, I'll do a separate thread on that when I get everything sorted out...

Anyhow engine bay is dirty as hell and I was just going to take it down to the self wash down the street and degrease the bay. Easy enough, but my concern is getting electrical things wet.

I've always read you should cover up thing like the alternator and such with plastic bags to keep them from getting wet, which makes sense to me (and I think disconnect the battery as well..)

My dad has always said it doesn't matter and as far as I've seen it doesn't.

I just don't want to ruin anything so what should I do? Cover certain things up? Disconnect the battery? Or just wash it as is and it'll be fine?

Thanks

[Pantless Spency]

pull engine, shave and re-spray. put engine back in :D

[Threehz]

My girl would die laughing if she saw that, long standing joke about me doing that to every car I buy. I'm at the re-spray stage with my 280Z...

The bay actually is nice besides the layer of filth that needs to come off. Thanks for the advice though ;)

[Jand3rson]

Just put a couple of plastic grocery bags around the fuse box, and the distributor, and you should be fine. Just don't spray high-pressure directly into the spark plug holes or into the alternator, but getting water on/around them is fine. Your engine gets subjected to a hell of a lot worse when you drive in the rain.

[Threehz]

Good point hopefully it'll work out fine, thanks and niccceeee avatar haha

[dreamer420]

yea just cover the electrical things. like Janderson said, as long as you dont high pressure those things you'll be fine. if you drive it around right after the heat from the engine and any wind will dry everything out for you.
also I like to cover the alternator and electrical stuff with foil (disconnect battery) because its easier to get the things wrapped up without blocking too much stuff from being cleaned. most other detailers ive worked with also use foil

[Threehz]

Yeah foil was recommended to me a while ago and it's day and night compared to tape or anything else. At least in these kind of situations or masking certain things.

[dannyyisntt]

yea just cover the electrical things. like Janderson said, as long as you dont high pressure those things you'll be fine. if you drive it around right after the heat from the engine and any wind will dry everything out for you.
also I like to cover the alternator and electrical stuff with foil (disconnect battery) because its easier to get the things wrapped up without blocking too much stuff from being cleaned. most other detailers ive worked with also use foil

In the plant we use foil and plastic to cover electrical items when cleaning a machine before rebuild. If it's good for the high voltage machine that builds cars, it should be good enough for the car itself.