Changed my oil yesterday and everything was running great. Decided I should wash out my engine bay, yeah dumb mistake I left the car off when cleaning the bay. I covered the distributor and intake with a plastic bag and threw a bunch of soap on and sprayed away. I sprayed a lot of water. But with a garden hose. Well, I tried to start it right after and it wont start. It turns over but wont start. We tried compression starts, you hear the intake suck in and the exhaust makes some noise but it wont go. We smell gas after the attempted compression starts, so its not fuel being cut off. I replaced the spark plugs and took a hair dryer to the plug holes. Nothing. Checked the fuses and they are fine. I have a brand new distributor and even though I covered it check it for water anyways. It was bone dry. So far the car has had 24 hours to dry. It hasn’t been sunny though. I’m stumped, any ideas?

 

Are you getting spark from the distributor? Wires perhaps got wet?

 

did you wash the WHOLE bay if you did forgot to cover the altonator bro that could be your problem now

 

I checked for spark and im not getting any. If my altonator didnt work wouldnt a compression start work?

 

Just wait and let it dry...That's what I always do. Cover ALL electrical components. Washed, let dry for 2 hours.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ek4h &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">did you wash the WHOLE bay if you did forgot to cover the altonator bro that could be your problem now </TD></TR></TABLE>

Uhm. The alternator charges the battery. You don't need it to start the car. Only to keep the battery charged when it is running.

Is your fuse box wet. Just let it sit for a little longer in the sun. Then try again.

 

I know you said you checked your distributor but I would still pull the cap and check for moisture. Last time I washed my engine bay I ended up with moisture in my distributor cap and since it doesn't really receive any kind of air flow when the motor isn't running the moisture will remain there for quite a while.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NineTwoSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know you said you checked your distributor but I would still pull the cap and check for moisture. Last time I washed my engine bay I ended up with moisture in my distributor cap and since it doesn't really receive any kind of air flow when the motor isn't running the moisture will remain there for quite a while.</TD></TR></TABLE>

same thing happened to me. I used dielectric grease on the seal so that water can't get in there.

 

be careful next time mr!

 

When I washed engine bays at dealerships (this is also how I do it to my own car) I keep the car running. I also never cover anything because you don't need to.

I've never had a car not start on me afterwards or shut off during a wash.

I've been told in the past that if the car does turn off, that there likely was a pre-existing issue.

This of course is used on new cars only. Older cars had different electrical systems.

 

check your wires

 

water in the distributor cap, spark plug wires, or in the spark plug holes themselves...just let it dry out

 

its the battery lol you sprayed it didnt you

 

I'd look at your new dizzy just cause its new doesnt mean it cant go bad!

 

i have this same ******* problem.
my car wont start

 

when you put in your key into the ignition does the gauges and radio work ? if it does and your car wont start its the battery!!

 

Im would love to know what happened that it won't start. I was planning on cleaning mines this weekend.

 

mine wont start, but i didnt wash the bay.

how do i check to see if the injectors are working?

 

could be the battery...did you take off neg. during wash?

 

You do not need to unplug the battery but you do need to cover it. Try taking off the negative battery cable and leaving it off for a few minute. I say you probably messed up the battery somehow if it got wet. You have to cover the battery fuse box, dizzy, alarm horn.

 

Im going to double check the dizzy tomorrow. It has only been rainy weather since it happened so hopefully some sun will come out soon.

The battery is fine. It wouldnt turn over if it wasnt.

 

what kind of air filter do you have? I had a friend wash his engine bay and it wouldn't start. he put on a new filter and it did. just a suggestion

 

Mine did the same thing but it was because water got on the neg terminal on the battery. Then again, I knew this cause all the electricals stopped working as well.

 

i think it's the distributor cap. dry the cap and rotor.

 

i fixed my problem. my timing jumped. i dunno how but it did.
car working now