PopsC8

I have a lot of complaints about having water getting in the engine bay when washing the coupes. Towels seemed to be the quick fix (if you like dealing with wet towels). Instead of towels, etc., - Here's what I did to keep my engine compartment from getting wet when washing my C8 Coupe. (PATENT PENDING / LOL).
Suggested posts:
"I am just careful".
"My wife takes care of the wet towels".
"Water on the engine makes me clean it when I normally wouldn't".
"Yada, Yada"
Just thought I'd share.


I made a pedestal out of 2" PVC for a roll of 6" blue painter's tape (Amazon). I screwed the pedestal down on a shelf in my garage near the rear of my car.

I pull off enough tape to cover the vent from the top of the hood to a few inches past the bottom of the vent.




I raise the hood and put the tape inside an inch or so and lay the tape over the vent.




For the void on the glass at the bottom area, I cut a piece of foam pipe insulation and stick it under the glass. Looks odd but it works.




No more wet towels for me. Throw the tape away and store the foam for the next washing.

hot_rod

Great tip, I think it will work better than what I’m trying to do.

peter pan

Very nice

LT2/3LT

Lol....I do the same, yet not on the PVC spool dispenser like yours and instead of the foam backer rod...I just follow through with the painter's tape across that opening also!

Although, my last washing I got ahead of myself and hit the car with water prior to taping the openings. Since vehicle already wet, I proceeded with the wash and carefully directed water away from the openings and guess what?...Lol, I feel I'm wasting my time with the tape as so little water entered the engine bay, I may just proceed with washing with care around the vents and save a bit of time and tape!

Vetteman Jack

Thanks for sharing your wash tip.


Looks like it would work well for the job.

Zormecteon

I just wash the car. I've rarely cleaned an engine bay and don't intend to start now. .. i.e. the water is SUPPOSED to come in, otherwise .. Why make it that way?

Greg_c8

I drive my C8 every day. Sometimes it rains. The car does not melt...the car does not break....the car is perfectly fine having water go into the engine compartment. I really kinda don't understand these posts. Its a car. Do you drive any other car in the rain?

With that said I wouldnt use a high pressure sprayer in the engine bay but i wipe every thing down post hose wash in the engine compartment with a damp cloth and it still runs fine.

If you have any kids.....water getting on that sexy engine is the least problem you will be dealing with.

lv89019c8

I don't think anyone is saying that the car will break or the engine will suddenly stop working if it gets wet.

It's just a matter of water getting in a hard to reach place, and then having to try and dry a very awkward area. I'm a young, tall guy with long arms and I have trouble reaching all the areas in there to dry, so I can imagine other people probably have the same trouble.

Yes, it's a car, but not all of us take it out in the rain, nor want to spend the extra time drying the engine compartment to avoid water spots.

I'm not bothered by other people who want to drive their C8 in the rain or get the engine bay wet, why would you be bothered by someone who doesn't?

PopsC8

There are some people on most forums that have NP. Negative Personality presents itself by trolls that read every post and make negative comments no matter what is posted. Some are minor while some are because They Just Don't Get It.

JDSC8VETTE

I wash my C8 a couple times a week and honestly I don't see a lot of water getting in the engine compartment. I use a pressure washer t rinse and I'm not careful while doing it. After I'm done I open the rear and wipe everything clean and dry it. It's my way of keeping the engine compartment clean.

Markamen

Thank you for sharing. My first wash will not be until sometime in late 2022 or early 2023. Until then . . .

PopsC8

Since you asked it is made that way to let heat out. Obviously from your negative post, you do not care about car care and I don't care that you don't care. So there! LOL

PopsC8

"So little water" - Obviously, you do not care about car care and I don't care that you don't care. So there! LOL

JockItch

I’m surprised no aftermarket company has come up with a “solution” for this yet. I’d think they could make form fitted plugs for those rear window vents… simply pop them in before washing.

bluman

Been doing this since day !, but ty for the tip on the foam insulation !

GMX

I've only washed mine once so far as it doesn't get very dirty here in the desert.
I did notice a bit of water in the engine compartment and I just wiped it up with the drying towel as I always did on the C7 to keep the engine bay looking good and benefitted from a bit higher resale value after years of ownership on all my vehicles. To me a clean car just drives better as does one that is paid for, a "pride of ownership" thing I guess, but to each his own.
I'm surprised someone here hasn't 3D printed a plastic strip to drop into the vents on each side for a quick wash cover...they might be able to sell quite a few pairs to C8 owners.

LT2/3LT

Say Pops....GEEZ!!! Obviously, you do not know how to interpret my post. Where in my post does it state or give you the idea I "don't care about car care"?! Or where I state in my post "I don't care" about how you care for your car?!

Not only did I state I myself use the same method as you with the painter's tape and two thumbs up on your part for taking the same path I have with the tape since purchase, but I also only pointed out that one time I failed to "tape" prior to getting car wet and my experience which, with care I had "little water" enter the engine bay.

BTW...please note color of my car and please review numerous prior posts of mine....then you may wish to back track on your comment of "don't care about car care".

So Pops....So there! LOL

NextOne

I'm very particular about the hand wash and dry routine on my coupe. The engine bay gets some water into it with no special protection. No direct sprays with the power washer either. I just use the flexible hose nozzle on the blow dryer and get it dry. Does great on the rest of the car, too. Eliminates all towel drying for me.

PopsC8

So Sorry. No offense meant. When you said " I may just proceed with washing with care around the vents and save a bit of time and tape!" I made the assumption. I was wrong.

PopsC8

I bought several kinds of rubber mold kits and found that even though the vents were sealed when I removed the plugs water still fell in the vents. Not much, but I was looking for -0- water intrusion.