backfiring after engine shampoo?

[kmj 4g63t]

Hey guys, I cleaned my engine bay today and covered all loose wiring and have the valve cover over the spark plug wires. I washed everything dried it and waited about 2 hours before turning it on, once I did it started to smoke and it backfired.

I turned the car off took the wires off, checked each one and dried them properly and checked around for anything wet and dried it. After doing so I turned the car back on with no smoke coming from the headers, it now idled fine but after 5 minutes it backfired(I do have a full straight pipe with no muffler). That hasn't been a problem as of yet. Is this backfiring happening because my spark plug wires are still wet or is my engine not running on all cylinders.

I checked around the forum and no other person had this trouble after an engine shampoo. I don't want to drive my car until I find out whats up with it.

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[95TalonOwner]

I would wait till tomorrow and see if it goes away. Something else most likely got some moisture in it.

 

[Silver99GSX]

Some people keep there car running during a engine clean. Are you running a stock air filter?

 

[kmj 4g63t]

nope I took the whole intake out, covered my turbo also taped up all electrical that I thought would get damaged then started the shampoo. I asked Bohrn about the engine shampoo and I was pretty careful about everything I did.

 

[kmj 4g63t]

Started the car this morning it backfired at startup and I ran it for 15 minutes with no backfire. Turned it on again and it backfired. What would cause backfire at start up?

 

[BrandonDSM]

Not saying that this is your problem, but maybe the engine shampoo just triggerd a problem that was already there? Because i have an aftermarket intake, and i didnt cover a single thing, wires/intake/alternator, nothing. And i didnt have a signle issue. I even started the minute after i was done without letting anything dry.

 

[corsair231]

You may still have some lingering moisture somewhere. When the car sets and cools it will condense and pool. That may be enough to cause it to burp once or twice. Once it gets running the moisture dries up and no more problem until it cools again. I would suspect the spark plug tubes in the v/c or the wires themselves. Should go away soon if this is the problem. Of course the wash could have loosend some grime and moved it to where it is interferring with a sensor or the distributor.

 

[babyviper]

From my experience, backfiring has always been related to an ignition problem. The only other time it wasn't the case is when my battery terminals were not put on tight. I always say try the easy stuff first so check the battery terminals first. If that does not resolve the problem remove your wires one by one making sure the coil pack and wires are dry and not corroded. If that does not work unplug your your ignitor and check to see if is dry or corroded. If neither of these work, you will probably have to replace one or of the those ignition parts.

 

[kmj 4g63t]

From my experience, backfiring has always been related to an ignition problem. The only other time it wasn't the case is when my battery terminals were not put on tight. I always say try the easy stuff first so check the battery terminals first. If that does not resolve the problem remove your wires one by one making sure the coil pack and wires are dry and not corroded. If that does not work unplug your your ignitor and check to see if is dry or corroded. If neither of these work, you will probably have to replace one or of the those ignition parts.

That's the thing, I took each wire out checked it and cleaned it. This morning I turned it on it backfired once then as it heated up it was fine. Turned it off again waited a bit and turned it back on and it backfired. I ordered c.o.p a week ago they should be coming in soon.

My biggest worry is it's something internal, because after I washed everything down I took off the valve cover and a puddle of water was around the first spark plug wire I took all the water off cleaned everything and put it back. Do you guys think even after a day it still might not be dry?

I wasn't stupid about cleaning my engine I did it the right way because something always happens, it always does.


Thanks for your help guys and if you have any other suggestions of were I should try and dry up would be great!

Ps:There is still water below the fuel rail.


I don't have a air compressor, if I use a blow dryer to make sure all the water is cleared would that work?

 

[mitsu_matt]

I had a similar problem in my car when i got caught in a rain storm. It turned out I got water down i one of the spark plug chambers. I took out the spark plug and dryed the area and it fixed the problem.

Also while you have the plugs out change them. all that backfiring you might have a fouled plug.

 

[corsair231]

I had a similar problem in my car when i got caught in a rain storm. It turned out I got water down i one of the spark plug chambers. I took out the spark plug and dryed the area and it fixed the problem.

Also while you have the plugs out change them. all that backfiring you might have a fouled plug.

That's what I meant when I said the spark plug tubes in the v/c. Any moisture around the base of the plug seat can cause ground issues with the plug.

 

[babyviper]

That's the thing, I took each wire out checked it and cleaned it. This morning I turned it on it backfired once then as it heated up it was fine. Turned it off again waited a bit and turned it back on and it backfired. I ordered c.o.p a week ago they should be coming in soon.

My biggest worry is it's something internal, because after I washed everything down I took off the valve cover and a puddle of water was around the first spark plug wire I took all the water off cleaned everything and put it back. Do you guys think even after a day it still might not be dry?

I wasn't stupid about cleaning my engine I did it the right way because something always happens, it always does.


Thanks for your help guys and if you have any other suggestions of were I should try and dry up would be great!

Ps:There is still water below the fuel rail.


I don't have a air compressor, if I use a blow dryer to make sure all the water is cleared would that work?

That's great and all but I just named four things for you to check and you only named one of them.

 

[daren_p]

I wasn't stupid about cleaning my engine I did it the right way because something always happens, it always does.

Well it sounds like you were carful but you forgot one big thing, start the car up once you've finished cleaning & then take the car for a drive. This will help dry up any areas that may have happened to get wet that shouldn't have. Letting it sit after washing is never a good idea.

Most common would be to have water left sitting in the spark plug wells, which even with minimal amounts can cause all sorts of issues. If you don't have a compressor, a hairdryer should do the trick to make sure there's no mositure left in the plug wells. Also check your plug boots, if there was water in the wells, you may have burnt a tiny hole in one of the them.

 

[dsmtun3r98gst]

you were suppose to drive the car for about 30 mins after the wash to let any water dry out instead of just having it sit because that gives water more time to get inside any electrical components.

 

[Cs4g63]

I just use a shop vac to suck out any water out of the spark plug wells before starting it up. Im not saying its better than any other method but it does work well for me after cleaning the engine.

 

[96eclipzGsT]

Let me help with this one. My car did the same. The electrical connection under the fuel rail got water in it. I unplugged it blew both ends out with the compressor and put it back on. If you had some electrical cleaner it might help.

 

[Rob10_99]

Might be water in your coil pack, let the engine warm up and leave the hood closed to warm everything up in there, that should take care of your issue. Assuming your plug holes are now dry.

 

[kmj 4g63t]

I started it again just now and took it for a drive felt good. At idle just popped a couple times no backfire that's probably the fact that I have no cat resonator or muffler.

 

[hhuricane]

Did you cover the CAS when you washed it? They particularly don't like water and can throw the timing off or cause a no start if they get wet. Sometimes if they are left to sit and dry out they will be ok but sometimes a new one is the only solution.

 

[black_gst]

Did you cover the CAS when you washed it? They particularly don't like water and can throw the timing off or cause a no start if they get wet. Sometimes if they are left to sit and dry out they will be ok but sometimes a new one is the only solution.

this guy just beat me to it... this was always my #1 problem when it can to rain and stuff.. if the CAS or the CAS wireing got wet i would have to dry it or it would back fire.... i had a 6 bolt swap in my 97 with a black top CAS and the road race harness adapter. thats what would get wet on mine.. but as soon as i dried it the car would run perfect!

 

[kmj 4g63t]

No but it seems to be okay now. Apart from the bad o2 sensor I need to replace.

Thanks for all your help guys, especially corsair231, babyviper, daren_p, 96eclipzGsT.

Really appreciate it!!!!!!!!

 

[92nolatist]

I washed my engine the same way and my CAS got water in it and the car wouldnt start for a week. Took it out cleaned/dried it, put it back in and she started right up.

 

[corsair231]

You're welcome. Glad we could help.

 

[kmj 4g63t]

Apparently my car likes to piss me off. I went for a drive everything was good got into my driveway backfired and I turned my car off.

 

[95TalonOwner]

Well if you just said your o2 sensor is bad then change that and do a boost leak test.