Cleaning Dirty Inverter, Advice Please.

Damp rags and old toothbrushes. Don't dislodge any connections. It's not likely that you would anyway.

 

Not likely that dust is causing any problems. The inverter/converter is water cooled with its own reservoir and water pump. The check engine system would let you know if cooling was a problem. Get the firmware update at the dealer when available.

 

Yeah clean-up is really just cosmetic. That said, I like a clean ship, use an old paint brush, sometimes supplemented by a wet/dry vacuum on blow: cleans it up good. A damp cloth may be warranted, especially if anything oil was ever spilled.

Judging from the picture you posted, I think it'll clean up good. A lot of pictures show bad corrosion on all the bolt heads, due to constant parking outside, brutal winters, road salt I guess. Your's looks pristine under light grime.

 

I just cleaned my engine bay: first sprayed "cleaning" spray (really cant remember what it is, we use it at work for all kind stuff and its not too heavy, suitable for plastic also etc), let it sit little bit, then brushed all including inverter and then gently washed all away with hose.

My 2014 inverter looks about same as OP's. two Small pins are rusted, but otherwise OK. My car is living harsh Finnish winter salt enviroument. Parked outside always, a lot salt during winter times.

Edit: Gave WD40 for all electric connectors after wash.

 

I'm really reluctant to spray the engine bay. There's one electrical connection in particular, atop the AC compressor, that's really prone to trapping water. And it's nigh impossible to repair if it corrodes out, leading to a very expensive compressor replacement.

I would take a look at it, try to direct some compressed air at it, if it looks at all wet. The female part of the connection is atop the compressor, like a little cup, with copper electrodes inside. Standing at the front of the engine bay it's at the lower left corner of the engine. The connector is incredibly hard to pull off too, and hard to reach.

Corroded AC wiring harness 2010 - anyone heard of this? | PriusChat

 

I justified myself to spray water gently to wash off because, a) engineers has to think about engine bay wash b) engine bay gets whole lot of water when driving in rain. c) salt water during winter time

But for example pressure washer would be 100% no no.

 

What small percentage of car owners ever clean their engine bay or have it cleaned? My last maybe 40 cars I haven't. Now the insides of an engine I treat fanatically ...

 

Maybe not so much? A screen-grab from page two of the link I posted:



This view is looking down. The connector is basically a little cup, and it's impossible to repair, the 12 volt connector to the AC compressor.

 

I would still rather wash winter salt away sometimes than let it sit and do damage.
And if it would be so bad to wash gently engine bay, then it would be impossible to drive behind truck in rain...
Like i wrote, i gave WD40 to electric connections after wash, but i didnt open any of them to let water in, since connectors are sealed.
Also drive after washing to heat up engine and get moisture out.

That AC connector seems to be also sealed and seal has leaked. Would be nice to know if there is any changes to that connector in different years, since Toyota has changed some another connectors also(for example one next to fuse box)

But yeah, i could wash more of my engine bay, but i am also quite careful on that. Just enought water to rinse, not too much. And only light ”rain” rinse, no heavy water.

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Some years ago i was washing my Ducati on self washing garage. Older gentlemen came up to talk with me that can you really wash motorcycle? How about engine getting all wet?
I replied to him ”emh believe or not, i can also ride this when it rains outside”

All tho that Ducati had problem when riding on rain, air filter got wet if trip was long enought and it started running rich. Air intake was kind a direct input from front. So if there was car infront, all water got sucked to intake basically.

 

Hmm, maybe mine is worth a look at. I wonder if the rubber seal around the outside of the plug gets grimy/hardened/flat; maybe I'll pluck it out / wash it / put it back with a rub of fresh silicone ....

-Chap

 

I'm one of the small percentage of car owners who cleans engine bays. I don't spend much time doing it - a couple of times a year with 409, foam cleaners, paper towels and cloths. I usually sell our vehicles privately when we're done with them and a clean engine bay really catches a buyer's attention.

 

I have managed to disconnect that once before, was trying gamely the other day, without success. @Ragingfit in his engine swap videos (I should check if there's more uploads) struggles with that connector. He finally get's it off, off-camera, think he resorted to prying with screwdriver.

Swapping in a Gen 4 Prius' 2ZR Engine into the Prius v | PriusChat

I forget which part the AC disconnect is in, maybe the struggle commences in one, and in the next he shows the plug disconnected, shows how it's release mechanism works. It's accessable (once you have the air intake off), but just very tight quarters, and takes extraordinary pressure on the tab. I think screw driver, prying, is pretty much the only way.

 

I'm sure glad I went out there and tried before reading that! I just moved the air resonator out of the way, reached down, squoze, and pulled.

Mine looked ok, though the camera flash glare makes it a little hard to see.

The plug isn't a very easy design to pluck the gasket out of, so I left it alone.

-Chap

 

I could not get it come off just now, let it win. I tried levering up on the latch while pulling on it, no soap...

So it wasn't for nothing I pulled the throttle body out instead and cleaned it up, and the intake manifold, as much as I could reach, plus the MAP sensor, with a squirt of MAF sensor cleaner. The intake manifold now exhibits just a "patina" of oil, since my Oil Catch Can Install.

 

Tab is under the 90 degree bend. The wrong side if you ask me.

 

at 18:25 in Part 1 shows how to remove the A/C connection

 

Well I had the air box off today, to replace screw clamps on my oil catch can with kosher hose clamps, and I couldn't resist trying that AC 12 volt connector one more time. I knew it was a typical tab needs to lift at the bottom, to unlock. I'd been trying to pry with a slim flat-blade screwdriver blade, but thinking it was too blunt to get in there, I tried the small blade on my pen knife: it popped off like nobody's business, easy.



Looked like new in there, and it does seem the connector that goes over it would mostly shed water away from it. Still I'd rather not chance it.

Screen grab from @Ragingfit 's video, there's where you pry. Again, it takes a real thin blade, either a jeweller's screwdriver, a pen knife blade, something like that: