You can paint the alternator while it'* on the engine. In fact, you can paint almost anything without taking things apart. Just use a brush if you have my patience. Get engine paint and spray it in the cap, and use a decent quality natural hair brush. I do think that painting the coils, valve covers, and things like that to be a bit overboard.

Here'* some examples of my engines.

Current 94. I painted too many things to remember alternator, LIM, TB, trans case, water pump, etc, etc. EMs were painted with a black satin thermal coat (not pictured).



Old 94. I went overboard a bit, but I had a gold theme going with that car.

Your suspension won't fall off by removing the strut tower brace. I take mine off everytime I replace the rear plugs. Just be sure to reinstall it BEFORE driving the car.

It'* changed since this pic. That intake is on the 95 now, and a FWI is being fitted to the Zilla. Other minor changes cosmetically, but you get the idea.

Thanks for all the suggestions. You've given me some great ideas, this weekend will probably be spent cleaning everything up so that next weekend I can start working on painting and wire looming, etc.

Question for you all though, how do you get your black plastic and rubber parts to look so shiny? I tried clearcoating stuff and that worked for a while, but eventually it burned off and made some things look kind of splotchy.
.
.
.

Don't use clearcoat. We (some of us) use CD2 engine detailer. It also makes things easier to clean later.

That was my secret for 2 years, and it 'leaked out' at WCBF05.

Armor all wipes work nice for getting some black stuff shiney again, and fast. Props to bonnie94ssei for that one..

Yeah, I think you're going SLIGHTLY overboard. You would be amazed at what simple, small color changes can do. Painting EVERYTHING gives no contrast, and a nice sporty contrast is the point to begin with. But like alot of guys, I'm more of just a fan of a nice...clean..engine. I have not had the chance to give it another cleaning, and it currently looks like trash from all the road crud, but after the first cleaning of the life of the car, I think it looks pretty good.

Before:


After:


Definitely a fan of a clean engine bay. Once you've accomplished that, go slowly, paint different things slowly. Get used to it, decide if you wanna go more or if thats enough, but I definitely don't recommend going all out.

And no, you don't have to take off most things in the bay, but things like the alternator which simply come off with two bolts, two wires and a belt its probably one of the simplest things to replace. Ad far as the STB goes, yeah, you can take the two bolts out, the weight of the car holds it it up. Thats why the nuts aren't very big because they really only keep the struts attached when the car is raised and they keep the strut alignment in place. Just do make sure that when you have them out, to not bump the car, the slightest movement can throw off your alignment, and make sure that when you replace it, that you put it back EXACTLY as removed to retain exact alignment.

1. take that sticker off your valve cover

Thank you all for the advice!

That worries me, but it should only be out for maybe a couple of hours while it'* drying.

You sure? That orange reflector gives it kind of a surreal look.
.
.
.