Rep Power: 258

Hi, I'm planning on cleaning things up a bit and have somewhat of a shameful question

From what I've gathered, before hosing everything down, I need to cover: fuse box, alternator, and an intake (I have an 01 model so there is no distributor).
Could somebody be kind enough to outline the alternator on this picture:


Also, is there anything also I may need to cover - I really don't want the engine light to come on. Thank you!

 
Rep Power: 812

what kind of car is that? any pics? ive never seen the brake/clutch fluid on the opposite side, and no power steering? and the headlights and grill seem new to me too...anyway for your question, the intake air filter is inside those black boxes so no need to cover anything. you could put a piece of tape over that snorkel piece by the battery if you want, just remember to remove it before starting the car. cover the alternator and thats pretty much it. i would let the car dry completely before driving it tho like at least overnight. alternator should be down below on the right side where that thick a/c hose is. sortof near the washer fluid tank.

 
Rep Power: 258

That's actually not my Civic. I thought I found the fitting picture but come to think of it, it does look different.

I'm guessing the location of the alternator should at least be the same...and would still like to know where it is at. Thanks again.

 
Rep Power: 812

check down below between the header and washer fluid area where the empty space is in the pic. should be below the power steering pump and reservoir.

 
Rep Power: 0

this is what I did. took me about an hour and a half - but i was very careful and was very quick with the hose.

1) Taped off the intake, fuse box, battery with tin foil
2) Altnerator is impossible to tape off because its under the power steering pump so i just took tin foil and slide it down as far as it can go near the alt, it wont cover it perfect but it will help
3) Spray the entire bay with simple green and let it sit for 5mins
4) take a toothbrush and scrub tough dirt.
5) let sit for 5 more mins
6) hose it down with your house hose with the nozzle adjusted to its widest spray
7) i was very quick with my hosing, i only hosed it for about 30secs tops cause didnt want water to get in spots where its not suppose to go
8) let dry for overnight

 
Rep Power: 294

I'm glad I live in a relatively clean area, without dirt roads, salt in the winter, etc. My engine bay looks a bit dirty during the one month rainy season in SoCal. I'd rather have a filthy car on the outside, but a clean interior and engine bay. The interior is for the ladies and my OCD. Dates can live with a dirty car, but not a car with crap all over the seats and old McDonald's cups in the cupholders. I don't know about you, but I spend the majority of my time driving on the inside. Clutter = chaos. As for the engine bay, not a lot of gearheads I know have a crappy looking area under the hood. Their car car may look like crap, but their engine is their pride and joy. This is my reasoning for keeping the mechanical portions of my car immaculate. When you take your car in for servicing and your engine is clean, they know you are serious about the upkeep of your car. If your car is detailed to the max and you have a crappy looking engine bay full if grease and dirt. It seems you only care about appearances. 20 years of hosing down engines, without a problem. I try not to do it when everthing is hot, however. Just wipe everything down thoroughly. You should never have an engine bay looking like that, unless you live in the snow.

I clean my engine bay at least once a month. If it's a little dusty l'll hose it down and wipe everything down. Unless you're degreasing, which I really don't understand, because I tend to fix/clean any leaks before it can get that far gone, I only cover my intake with a plastic bag. When I was stock, nothing. Alternators, distributors, etc, are designed to get wet.

 
Rep Power: 0

you just use water and paper towel? no simple green or degreaser?

 
Rep Power: 294

Pretty much. Not a lot of grease or oil. Maybe a little Windex, cause that's all I keep in the trunk.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well your bay must be really clean so probably no need for simple green. It would be nice to hose it down once a month. I should do mine again this weekend

 
Rep Power: 198

My engine bay is a nasty greasy mess. But winters here are 5 months and god bless any little soul who tries to keep a car clean up here during winter.

 
Rep Power: 0

My only question is this, did you think about what would have happened if the foil had touched the terminals on the battery?

 
Rep Power: 285

Just a reminder guys, if your doing serious degreasing work please spend a few dollars and go to a car wash where they'll actually capture the run off and filter out the oil and containments before it enters storm drains and eventually the river systems.

It's a small thing to do, but if everyone did that it would make a big difference.

 
Rep Power: 0

I just covered the alternator and doused the whole engine in simple green. Worked well for me.




After

 
Rep Power: 812

so much better. if you have more time, you could get a plastic protectant and wipe down some of those black plastics. and metal polish some of the a/c lines.

 
Rep Power: 812

lucky for him there is an "idiot protector" cover over the + terminal just for reasons like this lol

 
Rep Power: 294

^ LOL

Nice before and after. Yeah, I agree with Gearbox, about protectant and metal polish. Back in the day, I waxed everything, dust/dirt would never stick. I got that tip from him years ago, when I saw a pic of his engine bay. Now that's an immaculate engine bay!

 
Rep Power: 0

Yeah I need to get something to coat the plastic. But meh.

 
Rep Power: 198

This soooo makes me want to do this. My bay is NASTY.

 
Rep Power: 0

I could be wrong but its safe to get the power steering hose and pump wet? I covered mine.

Just regular car wax on the metal pipes? Wont the heat melt it off?

Well i would like my bay to look like this. This guy spent 3 days cleaning his bay.

 
Rep Power: 0

I haven't noticed too many stock pics of our engine bays, but when I got my car the positive terminal didn't have one of those protective covers. I just assumed they didn't come with one. lol

 
Rep Power: 812

i dont have one either but i had to buy new terminals once the stockers lost their grip and wouldnt tighten anymore. and i have a metal battery tie so i have to be extra careful having + and - few inches apart

 
Rep Power: 198

Mine has a little protective cap. Well.. it had one. It broke off.

 
Rep Power: 0

tipnitty, AWESOME job on the engine bay. You just inspired me to go kill the rest of this evening doing the same!

 
Rep Power: 0

haha no sweat man. It really only takes about an hour to and hour and a half. And it looks great.