Yesterday I washed the engine bay. I covered up the battery, alternator, air filter, and the distributor with plastic bags and made sure they were secure.
I just used a simple hose and very carefully sprayed in appropriate areas. I did not power wash the engine.
Now after I washed the engine it will not start. It will crank and crank but will not turn over. Everything was just fine before this.
I pulled the plug wires and noticed some water had gotten into the spark plug hole on plug #2 so I proceeded to use some newspaper to soak up all of the water by making thin strips. I did this for all plugs but only 2 was wet. I pulled the plugs and let everything air out overnight. Put the plugs back in completely dry and the issue is still the same.
I also checked for water within the plug wires, the distributor, and the coil, but everything is dry.
My question is, should I replace the plugs now due to them getting wet? Or should I be looking elsewhere for the problem? I'm really thinking this is a spark issue because I can smell fuel and when I pulled the plugs they were wet from fuel after I was cranking the engine.
Let me know what you guys think cause I'm stumped on this one
haha ^ Yeah I covered them all. I figured the plugs would be safe under the plastic cover, but boy was I wrong!
Looks like you made out alright, it could have been much worse. Presonally, I don't like the idea of washing my engine with a hose. It should be okay on a fuel injected motor if you cover what your suppose to cover but I've heard nightmare stories about power washing or hose washing engine bays. I know guys who took all precautions before they began to wash there engine bay and after all was done and said...there motor never ran the same. I'll clean my engine by hand before I'll power wash any of vehicles. Hopefully your Lude is fine.
I spray my bay off every once and awhile when I'm at the wash. I've never had a problem. Keep the motor running while you do it and don't hold it directly on the bay....I avoid the electrical areas but I don't cover em. Gotta spray the salt off here in Ohio.
I wash my engine and the underside of the hood practically every time I was my Prelude which is at least once a month. The only problem I ever have is getting moisture in the distributor cap. When I start the car and it runs rough, I know what I have to do, just spray wd40 in the cap, drys moisture right out, no other problems. If my Prelude is cold, never really any condensation, if I was when it is warm, then I usually end up drying out the distributor cap for smooth running.
Hope this helps...
I been doing this for many years, I am 55, and washing under the hood for all these years with many different autos; the only problem has ever been with the distributor cap.
I too have been washing my engine bay for years on all of my vehicles, and never had any problems. As like the last post, I always have a can of wd-40,displaces moisture if any problems occur
IMO , the engine bay has got to be as clean as the car.
Chow
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