How To Wash Your C8 Corvette’s Engine, Not Your Trunk

Moving the engine changed the Corvette, especially when it comes to detailing. A cool product makes the job easier than before.

The C8 Corvette changed so much about what makes America’s sports car what it is. And it all comes down to that 6.2-liter LT2 V8, and where it lives. Shifting the big V8 from the front to behind the cabin means better weight distribution, leading to better performance on and off the track.

However, the rear mid-engine Corvette also adds a few new twists to the formula, especially when it comes to detailing the LT2. Before, you just opened the hood, cleaned up and dried off the V8, closed the hood, and rolled out. Now, you must also worry about getting your rear trunk wet. Luckily, Matt of RearWheelDrive not only hires someone to detail the engine, but has a product that’ll protect your ‘Vette’s trunk.

It’s All in the Manual

“Supposedly in the owner’s manual, it’s supposed to tell us that we’re supposed to wash the engine,” said Matt.

Right on page 275 of the manual, Chevrolet recommends not only hand-washing the engine bay, but also to avoid automatic car washes altogether due to clearance issues some places might cause. They also recommend using water only, though they do allow for use of a pressure washer, so long as the pressure is below 2,000 psi, water temp is below 180 F, and the nozzle is kept a foot away.

Also: the manual tells you not to wash anything with a “no wash” sticker on it. If you do, the result “could cause damage that would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.” And speaking of covered, let’s see how to keep the wash out of the trunk.

Cover It Up

“This cover is supposed to cover up the rear compartment of your engine bay,” said Matt. “It’ll keep it dry whenever you’re pressure-washing your engine, getting this all detailed. Also, it doubles as a cover for at a car show. You can leave your whole compartment completely covered.”

The cover, made by C8RallyDriver, goes on like it would upon a truck bed. All that needs to be done is to remove all but two of the factory Torx bolts from the trunk area, replace them with the provided screws/snaps, then attach the cover upon them. The final step is to attach the two bungie cord hooks to either side of a spot near the intake, and the whole thing is sealed. Time to wash!

“I’ve never washed this engine bay,” said Matt. “It’s got 27,000 miles on it. The only thing it says in the manual is to avoid areas that say ‘Do not pressure wash.’ Otherwise, it wants you to pressure-wash the engine bay at 2,000 psi or less.”

C8RallyDriver also told Matt it would be best to wash the engine from the rear and sides, but not front to back, lest the water forces its way past the cover’s seal. With all this in mind, Caleb Cruz of Hands On Detailing FL goes to work. A low-power pressure washer, diluted brake detailing solution, and a brush were all that’s needed to clean the grime off the engine. From there, he opts to use a leaf blower to dry off the engine, mainly as most owners would have one instead of the specialist tool he would normally use.

The Moment of Truth

“For the moment of truth,” said Matt. “We want to see if it’s still dry in this compartment […] Completely dry.”

There’s one drawback to the cover, though: it can only be used while the car is not in motion, as there’s no notch for the trunk latch to go through. Yet, it is handy for when it comes to keeping those golf clubs dry and secure.

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