if you want to clean up the alternator you can get a good stiff bristled plastic brush and use some water to get it clean, it ought to work.

 

I'd like to chime in on this one if that's ok. I've been power washing my engine since i've owned the truck, ever time I go to the carwash, and sometimes in between just for fun. Same goes for every other car i've ever owned before it. Not once, not even a single time, on any vehicle I have ever owned, have I had a problem resulting from power washing my engine. As long as you take a few simple precautions:
-I do not spray the PCM directly
-I do not get the air filter wet
-I do not spray the distributor directly
-I do not spray the alternator directly
-I use light water pressure around any sensor or location that I think might allow water to get in (dip stick tubes for example) or get damaged by the high pressure.

That's it. In my opinion from having done it for years and years on many many vehicles, there is very little risk of anything bad happening from power washing your engine using the precautions I listed above. I'll continue to do it with no worrys in my mind. I think my engine speaks for itself as far as how well this works too.

 

Do not use a steam cleaner under youre hood, you can mess up youre electric system, if seen a lot of people who messed up the pcm with cleaning under the hood.
I run a car cleaning center here in the netherlands and i always use ordinarry WD40 to clean the engine room.
But if you really wanne use water under the hood, just let the engine run and after the cleaning drive a few miles.

 

Ditto. I use an electric PW. The gas-engined ones are too powerful.

 

Wow, what a bad idea. WD40 is flammable. That's the last thing you want to use under the hood for cleaning purposes. The only chemical I use under the hood is Simple Green and a non-flammable tire shine product. Even when I need to use a degreasers from time to time, I make sure it is the non-flammable variety.

 

Water is bad...

Wow! & years of breaking out a 1-1/2" fire hose from a fire truck and power washing both my 2002 Dodge Cummins and my 1996 Dodge Ram V8 and I hose either thing down at 150-200 PSI. Under the body, the engine, alternator, etc... I mean everything gets hosed... Just for fun I break out with a video camera and shoot some footage...

20 years later I never have a electrical problem on any of my vehicles I ever owned...

 

Ha, good post. Like I said, there is really no risk from spraying your engine with water, and i'll continue to clean my engine that way.

If people could see some of the water abuse i've seen from trucks that are mudding and going through deep water. Spraying your engine at the car wash is really no big deal compared to that.

 

Wouldn't worry about water. I've also power washed the engine bay of every vehicle I've ever owned, and never had a problem.

On several occasions I've driven through 3+ feet of standing water, and the only damage from that was a shorted out radio.

I'm pretty sure water is safe...

 

I washed my engine this weekend and this morning I had to leave it at the shop with the check engine light on. Hardly no power and it shakes really bad when she's running. I am waiting on a phone call from the mechaninc to tell me what I messed up.

 

Update: #2 fuel injector and #2 spark plug needs to be replaced!

I will never rinse off an engine ever again.