Just curious, do you have your "underbelly pan" or "splash pan" installed underneath the engine compartment??? This prevents dirt, mud, rocks, debris and other "crud" from splashing or bouncing up into the engine compartment.

On the way to work a few months ago, I and several other cars had to brake and swerve as tree branches and pieces of wood fell off a truck up ahead. If my splash pan had not been installed, there is a good chance that my belts may have been damaged. The splash pan works to keep my engine nice and clean.

For the alternator, I would use gloves and clean it with a towel soaked in [name your favorite engine cleaner]. Do not spray the alternator, just hand-wash it, then wipe it dry with another towel.

[[ southern fried volvo '91 240 143k mi ]]