Today, YouTube user Chevy Dude, a car sales guy for Chevrolet in Louisville, Kentucky, posted a video where he tests just how much water can get into the engine bay on his new 2020 Corvette C8.
First of all, he does go for a bit of a drive in his Corvette C7 (with a lovely sounding Corsa exhaust), to go pick up his camera gear and a bite to eat.
With his GoPro in the engine bay, his wife drives the C8 through into a touchless wash. As the C8 has the “chicken wire” vents along both sides of the engine bay cover, a surprising amount of water does make its way into the engine bay.
However, GM thought about this and there are two drain holes in the engine bay side covers, under where the vents are. These catch about 90% of the water and drain it off. Water will still make it to the engine, however.
He then repeats the same test at home, with a pressure washer. The results are exactly the same: the engine bay does allow water to get in, but again, most of it is caught and drained off.
It should also be made clear, that these are situations with pressurized water against the vents. During a normal rainfall, little to no water would accumulate on the actual engine, which is what the guards on the sides under the vents are mostly for.
