Hello everyone. I am thinking about cleaning my engine bay, but I want to take some basic precautions first. I am going to cover up the MAF sensors and the alternator with plastic. I can see the MAF sensors, but I am having a difficult time finding the alternator. Where exactly is it, and could I cover it up? I have been looking down into the engine bay with no luck. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Facing the car it's on the left side down low. Follow the belt. IMO it's not necessary. I've washed my engine bay numerous times using a hose and didn't cover anything. No problems. I wouldn't recommend that you intentional stream water directly into it, but other than that it'll be fine.

 

Is it even accessible through the top of the engine bay? And when you say that you have hosed the engine bay down before, what do you mean? Would it be okay to have a stream of water just come straight out of the hose into the engine bay, or is it better to use a spray pattern nozzle? I am really looking forward to cleaning the engine bay, as it is the only part of the car that is still dirty. It is bothersome that it looks the way it does, when the rest of the car is sparkling. It would really blow if I screwed something up.

 

There's a DIY floating around the Internet from a guy who details the bay of his WRX fairly frequently with no problems. I'll see if I can post it up when I get home.

 

No, it's not accessible from the top. It's low. The pulley for it is below the AC compressor pulley.

I mean I sprayed my engine bay down with P21S Total Auto Wash, let it sit, brushed away the heavier grime, and rinsed it all down thoroughly with a regular water hose. I used a nozzle. I use the mist, not a strong stream. Make sure fluids are tightly capped as well as the oil fill and the dipstick. Go to town.

It's not rocket science.

 

LOL.... i wash under my G37s hood when I'm at the car wash... my car still drives like normal... as stated before, don't keep the water on sensitive parts like your fuse box or your intake or known sensors...

 

Not much effort here!