The Internet was abuzz over the past few days with the revelation that water – gasp! – can actually get into the engine compartment of the new 2020 Corvette, thanks to a C8 owner, Morgan Crosbie, who posted a YouTube video about this issue that was first picked up by CorvetteBlogger last week.
Car and Driver, however, isn’t so concerned about water touching the new Stingray’s 495-horsepower engine.
Writes Car and Driver: “We didn’t reach out to Chevrolet for comment because what Crosbie demonstrates happens in every car driven in the rain, through a carwash, or through a puddle. Engineers know water will get into the engine compartment, and they design rain trays, drain channels, and watertight electrical connectors specifically because of that.”
The magazine points out that air, mixing with fuel, is required for a vehicle’s engine to operate, as well as more air to remove heat from the radiators to keep the powerplant running at its optimal temperature. “If engineers made a car’s engine compartment watertight, they would also choke off that crucial supply of air,” Car and Driver explains.
They note that the vents over the Corvette’s 6.2-liter engine allow hot air to exhaust through them, and that those same vents will also allow water to enter in some circumstances.
Ultimately, that leakage is nothing to worry about, Car and Driver concludes, “because Chevy engineers designed their car to be impervious to both rain water and carwash stupidity.”
So, all you current and future owners of C8 Corvettes, do you actually think chief engineer Tadge Juechter and his team of super-talented geniuses didn’t realize that water would be able to touch the engine when they were designing this supercar? Just take a deep breath and relax; your C8 is much tougher than you think and won’t self-destruct in the next thunderstorm.
Source:
caranddriver.com and Morgan Crosbie / YouTube
Related:
[VIDEO] The C8 Corvette’s Innovative Hatch Allows a Surprising Amount of Water Inside the Engine Compartment
[VIDEO] First 2020 Corvettes Land in Canada!
[VIDEO] YouTuber Takes Museum Delivery of His 2020 Corvette with High Wing
-
![[SPIED] Corvette ZR1 Mules Testing in Ohio Ahead of the NCM Bash](https://www.corvetteblogger.com/images/content/uploads/2024/04/042224_8-218x150.jpg "[SPIED] Corvette ZR1 Mules Testing in Ohio Ahead of the NCM Bash")
I think the issue may be water spots which can be very difficult to remove , especially if left in a hot environment for any length of time.
As a longtime Vette owner, I feel a need to point out that a lot of Vette owners feel a need to carp about unimportant/dumb stuff. Most of that stuff has to do with issues normal folks don’t even notice, and experts dismiss. It’s a Vette thing. I comforted knowing that owners of other enthusiast car owners are as bad, or worse (Porsche).
Cat I agree most of these owners have never driven a real Vette. One that rattles and needs a little kick in the but to get started on a cold morning They get a new one roll it out of the garage so the neighbors can see it. Then sell it in 3 years with 2200 miles on it.
Water hitting a hot engine is probably not a good thing. New parts will look old in a hurry. If you owned a new C8 you wouldn’t like it either.
I think Morgan Crosbie’s concern was the amount of time & effort it might take of keeping the engine compartment spic & span with all the nooks & crannies inherent to an engine compartment. Just another good reason to not order the over priced engine compartment appearance package as well as the open architecture without that package (even though it is louvered) should provide better airflow throughout the bay! Car and Driver should have had better sense that he was not concerned about water actually harming the engine itself.
Water will not hurt the engine but yes water spots can be an eye sore. GM put channels in to divert excess water. Have a similar set up on the back hatch on my C7 coupe. And I get water spots there. That being said I always chamois under the hatch after washing my car.
Unlike the “experts” posting here, I actually own and drive a C8. Does water enter the engine compartment… of course. Does it create some water-spotted, unclean able, tragic mess… hell no. The compartment materials don’t water spot and cleanup composed of simple wiping/drying takes about 3 minutes. So, those who love being “victims” and love to subscribe to the “sky is falling” mentality will be sadly disappointed should they ever get far enough in life to actually own a C8.
Notice the hang tax on the turn signal lever and notification in the owners manual noting to hand wash the car, not to use an automated car wash!
Also, notice the top fender bolt protruding into the drivers door opening, when fully opened, taking a chunk out of the leading edge of the door. Do not push the drivers door to the full open position if your car has the bolt issue. Recall time?
Comments are closed.