Can you wash alternator

Repeated exposure to water can also cause these brushes to rust which can cause them to come out of contact with the slip rings. If your car is submerged in water, things like sand and dirt can get into the brushes and freeze them out of contact with your slip rings.

Water is recommended over petroleum-based engine degreasers when it comes to cleaning your alternator. Get a can of CRC electric clean or a similar product and spray it into the alternator, then let it sit for 24 hours.

Your alternator should be good to go afterwards. It can also help to leave the hood open to allow airflow through your engine bay to dry it out. Again, alternators are designed to handle water. Normally this is an issue when someone washes the engine bay while the engine is still on. This is also an issue when you use a power washer — which can destroy your alternator.

It is the main component in allot of electronics cleaners since it evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. Quoting wikipedia :. Isopropyl alcohol dissolves a wide range of non-polar compounds.

It also evaporates quickly, leaves nearly zero oil traces, compared to ethanol, and is relatively non-toxic, compared to alternative solvents.

Thus, it is used widely as a solvent and as a cleaning fluid, especially for dissolving oils. Together with ethanol, n-butanol, and methanol, it belongs to the group of alcohol solvents, about 6. Examples of this application include cleaning electronic devices such as contact pins like those on ROM cartridges , magnetic tape and disk heads such as those in audio and video tape recorders and floppy disk drives , the lenses of lasers in optical disc drives e.

Isopropyl alcohol is used in keyboard, LCD and laptop cleaning, is sold commercially as a whiteboard cleaner, and is a strong but safer alternative to common household cleaning products. It is used to clean LCD and glass computer monitor screens at some risk to the anti-reflection coating on some screens[citation needed] , and used to give second-hand or worn non-vinyl phonograph records newer-looking sheen. It is effective at removing Hot-Melt Adhesive from a large variety of surfaces.

It is effective at removing residual glue from some sticky labels although some other adhesives used on tapes and paper labels are resistant to it. It can also be used to remove stains[clarification needed] from most fabrics, wood, cotton, etc. In addition, it can also be used to clean paint or other oil-based products so that they may be reused, commonly known as "repainting. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top.

Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. How can I clean the dirt build-up in my alternator? Ask Question.

Asked 7 years, 6 months ago. Active 2 years, 10 months ago. Viewed 57k times. So, questions: What options do I have? What precautions should I take? The dirt usually accumulates from the external environment. Hi There, I am R. Hasan Tito, a mechanic, and owner of this website. My friend and I created this website to share our knowledge, expertise, and experience with our fellow mechanics' community and car users. I have been working as a mechanic for over fifteen years. From the massively sized trucks to motorsport vehicles often used in truck racing and off-road trials, diesel keeps their engines running.

Australians call it distillate, while Indonesians refer to It's possible that your car won't start with new battery. Of course, a damaged or dead battery will not work.

But what happens if it is a new one? You have thought that changing the battery is all Skip to content Good maintenance practice is great for car parts, and the alternator is not left out. How to Clean Alternator Step By Step Guide The car gets its electrical power generated by the alternator, and as such, it is one of the major components. The dirt in alternators can make it develop some faults, which can cause some issues for the car The process involved is pretty easy, and you do not need any sophisticated tool for cleaning the alternator.

Nevertheless, you can follow these steps below to help you out: Step One: Choose a Suitable Cleaner There are various cleaners available in auto stores, and you can get a suitable one to clean the alternator. Step Three: Diluting the Degreaser Once you have the degreaser, you should make a mixture of water and the cleaner, mixing in a ratio of Step Four: Applying the Mixture Using a piece of cloth, soak and apply the cleaner to the alternator.

Step Six: Flush Rinse gently with some water and let the alternator dry to prevent rust or any damages. It is recommendable that you avoid engine degreasers with a petroleum base. Joined 21 May Messages 78, Location Here or there. Champagne Murphy Active member. Joined 5 Jun Messages 5, Location Suffolk. How old is it? Why not treat yourself and get it refurbished? There are lots of specialist firms doing starter motors and alternators. Yngmar Well-known member.

Joined 6 Dec Messages 2, Location Gone cruising. Isopropyl alcohol aka Isopropanol. Commonly used for cleaning electronics, including circuit boards. Evaporates without leaving a trace and is non-conductive. Got this handy spray bottle on board. Use a q-tip cotton bud to get into the corners. Now to be controversial. Remove the rotor with the bearings mounted, although for a few quid I would change these.