Unplugged spark plug wires from distributor.
Plastic bagged distributor, plug wire ends, fuse box, and appropriate battery power distribution block (battery's in the back).
Simple Green and brake cleaner on the really greasy spots, and then powerwashed the engine and bay.
Now I have a 500rpm idle, about 60% of original power, and backfiring going on. Plug wires are in correct spots on distributor.
Stock DA.


WHAT THE ****

 

First of all, when you wash/clean/degrease your engine bay, all you cover up are the main electrical components (distributor, battery area) and you don't have to unplug anything. You need to cover your air filter if you have an exposed aftermarket one. Spray degreaser or whatever you use and hose it off.

Key is, before it dries, spray some vinyl cleaner on the rubber hoses and do NOT wipe...jut let it air dry for a bit. Start your car and check if everything is ok and also let it idle to help dry anything else that may be wet.

When everything is all dandy, take out the bags... Inspect everything.

Now about your problem:
Water may have seeped in your plugs (which isn't necessarily damaging) or your air filter might have sucked a bit of water. Pull the plugs and check if they are foul or anything of that sort. If they are, you will need to change them asap.

If you suspect more damage occured and more than enough water got in your engine, disconnect the 15amp fuse in the fuse box located on the left top of the engine bay against the firewall. This disables the injectors...and while your plugs are out, you can crank the car and if there's a good amount of water, it will shoot out of the plug holes.

You can also try putting in a bottle of fuel injector cleaner (ie: valvoline, or chevron techron concentrate)....

Well good luck.

NRg

 

If you powerwashed it you probably got water into the engine or electricals somewhere by accident.

Did you pull your plugs out to see if water was in there? Did you pull your cap and rotor off to see if any water got in there, even though you bagged it up. Go through everything even if it seems trivial. Check your fuses and check to see that you didn't unplug or make loose any of the wiring when you powerwashed the engine.

Good luck! I hope you find what's wrong.

 

the engine bay is completely dry. i used compressed air to dry off everything...even took out the plugs, wires, cap and rotor, all the underhood fuses, etc.


plugs are black. only problem is, the car is stock. how the **** could i run rich if the car is stock and i did NOTHING to the vacuum lines, etc.

 

Run fuel injector cleaners with a full tank.
Change your plugs.
Gap them to 1.3mm.

Then let me know how it runs.

NRg

 

well i get paid on thursday, but i have to work before then. hooray for shitty military pay.

until then, i have no means of transportation until i can figure this out.

besides, the engine was absolutely fine when i drove into the wash bay. as soon as i hooked everything back up and fired it up (after the compressed air was used to dry out everything very carefully) bam. running like a fat kid glued to the couch.

 

i'm still waiting to find out why the hell my car would be running way the **** rich when it's completely bone stock.....nobody seems to know the answer to my real question on this thread.

 

okay now that i've calmed down a little more....


i swapped out plugs for some that are known to be absolutely fine and it's definitely cylinders 2 and 3 that are running way rich, but only those two (so i'm fairly sure that it's not the O2 sensor, otherwise wouldn't all 4 run rich?).

insert pirate noise here....

 

Can't get to h-t at work, so if anyone has any suggestions feel free to send them to mark.gardner@offutt.af.mil