I have an oil leak somewhere and I figure the easiest way to figure out where its coming from is to degrease the motor and give it a week or so and look for seepage..... what do i need to shield from water/degreaser? I'm thinking air intake and alternator...have i overlooked anything?

 

^^ I'm curious too. And what method can anyone suggest for doing it? My uncle used a pressure washer, but that just seems like too much water and too much power. lol

 

DO NOT POWER WASH YOUR MOTOR/ENGINE BAY. As cars get old, so does rubber seals, connectors, etc., that when new or near new would keep water out. Now that all of those connectors, seals, etc., are 10 - 15 years old the seals are GONE. Any water or chemicals will likely effect the function of any of the electrical systems that it penatrates. That being said, try not to introduce water pressure.

Any engine degreaser product that you purchase from an auto parts store will tell you what you should cover on the can label. I usually remove the air filter, cover the distributer, coil, and don't spray electrical connectors that much. I also ended up getting water into my spark plug holes somehow and had to dry those out. Not a good ideal, leaving water in your spark plug wells, so don't fell like spraying a lot on top of the motor is safe either.