Washed the engine, walked home.

[Novice]

I did the searches but to see what to do next but, I can't really sleep because I'm still pissed off so figured you guys would get a laugh out of this.

Took the Talon to the car wash to degrease the motor. Bust out some plastic grocery bags and cover the air filter and the CAS. Wash the engine, took about 10 mins. Then I towel dried most of it, then started it up. It started fine and was idling and I proceeded to towel dry the rest. After reading about condensation in the CAS I thought it would be get to have it idle with the hood up. After about 5 minutes the car just dies. It cranks but won't turn over.

I jack with it for like 20 minutes. Tried starting after waiting a few minutes. Pulled the spark plug boots, they had water on the outside of the boot but it was too dark to see inside the spark plug hole. Eventually I had to push the stupid my DSM out of the car wash bay up a little hill and into a parking spot at a Sonic drive in where people were just staring at me the whole time. Freaking humiliating!

So I'm putting stuff away on the inside of the car because I know it's gotta sit here overnight and what do you know... It starts raining. Not like " Oh it's raining " But like pouring ass rain. So I have to walk home about a mile, in the rain, at 11:30 at night with my Talon sitting at Sonic.

Hope it doesn't get towed.

 

[TalonTsi31]

i love your title, it made me laugh.
and just yesterday i was washing my car and somehow one HID went out. 10 min later it worked. so maybe there is just water in there. try leafblowing it or hair drier like previously mentioned.

 

[Project2G]

yesterday i was washing my car and somehow one HID went out. 10 min later it worked.

That's what happenes when the ballast gets wet. This has happened to me. But never would I spray water into the engine bay on purpose.

 

[cavillac]

Toasted a CAS before like this. Now I just don't clean the bay.

X2, toasted the CAS in my old 1G.. and I had water in my sparkplug wells that caused quite a misfire..

 

[rstchris]

I understand these are cars we are talking about and not submarines but they should not hate water. If you have a problem washing the engine you should fix the problem so you don't have to face it when you drive in the rain. If every connector has a good rubber seal and dielectric grease on those that don't, the car should be happy wet. Just don't get the air filter wet and all should be fine. BTW I think we have all been there.

 

[Nihad]

Yeh buy some new ngk sparkplugs and some cables ngk...

 

[mitz95gst]

I have washed my motor many many times. The only glitch that i have had is when water filled the plug holes. Stuck paper towels down the holes to suck up the water, fired her back up and had all my horsepower again.

 

[z24frank]

i had this happen 2 me at home, i just took the leaf blower to the plugs for a few minutes, worked nicely

WOW I have never seen anyone with a leaf blower at a car wash!That would be the funniest thing ever !You should you-tube that.

 

[nate379]

I have washed the engine bays of several dozen vehicles and haven't had an issue yet.

 

[turbotemper]

You must be right up on the motor like a few inches blasting the F out of it. j/k
I spray down the motor & degrease every few months just to keep it nice and neat.
I can tell where I have oil leaks also Just a drip or two.
I have done this to all my cars with no issues. Make sure you dont saturate the alt., injector(s), connector(s), electrical connections etc. i always shove a towel or shirt in the valve cover because it is a PITA to get out and worse if it gets in/on the plug(s).
I tend to stay away from the high pressure washers, ive seen parts get broken off from the HPW a few times.
I spray it down w/ a regular hose and trigger nozzle for pressure. Its enough pressure to get the crud off my engine at least.

 

[Colt4G63 also]

I wash my engines all the time, one of the things that seems to help, is to let it idle until completely dry. Often times it doesn't missfire unless you try to drive it right away. With DSMs it's very important to have the little water drain on the front of the valve cover clear, otherwise you'll flood the spark plug wells for sure.

 

[ranger87]

Ok I know its running and stuff but I feel your pain except the time it happened to me I had the guy in the stall next to me crank the motor while I checked for spark and he thought it funny to do it while I had ahold of the plug!!!! It had spark!!! VERIFIED!! MSD+voltage kicker=Blue flash and numb hand, and guy from next stall missing teeth.

 

[welfle18]

I usually pressure wash mine every month or so with my pressure washer. But I give it a day to dry without a doubt. Usually keep the hood open when its hot out to aide the drying process. I have never had a problem yet, and I have a nice clean engine bay (well in the summer at least).