sprayed degreaser & washed engine -> rough idle running rich

[hamx5ter]

Ugh...

Went to Wakie for SOTS yesterday and hamx5ter ran like a dream... doesn't use up vital fluids and only needed about $30 of fuel for a day of fun... the thing could be a little swiss watch for how ticktock it goes..

Anyway, I washed the car today, and thought I'd get the muck off the rocker cover from where there had been some oil overflow around the cap (the car had too much engine oil in it, a little over full on the dipstick).

Sprayed some degreaser and the hosed the thing down.. I know I should keep away from the electronics, but not too sure how well I did, since the degreaser sprayed around and I wanted to make sure it was gone..

Anyway, post-wash, the engine idles rough (stumbles, but doesn't stall)... and will rev unevenly if revved (also blows some stream / smoke, but that could be just water in the pipe)...

I've left it alone to dry and will check it out tomorrow.

But sleepless night question though is.... does spraying the engine bay (and around the cowl) let water into the Mania CAI (and thence to the engine), and does the limited amount of water getting in there means I've stilled (almost) hamx5ter's beating heart?

Or are the plugs wet, and all will be well once things are dry...?

I had some sort of hyper-heart-rate / pounding chest thing today, which I took to be a minor heart-attack (will go to the doctor... reeelaax)... or was I simply deja-vu'ing hamx5ter's own travails?

Deen
08/11/2009 20:28:03

[Garry]

If you washed the rocker cover there's a good chance you've filled the plug wells with water. The seals aren't real good around the spark plug leads. You might need to take off the plug leads and do your best to dry the water out in the wells. Dont take the spark plugs out if there's still water there or it will run into the engine. It will eventually dry out by itself but could take a long time if there's a lot of water in there.

[hamx5ter]

Thanks Garry,

I'll pop the leads tomorrow evening, wipe them down and leave the plugs to dry... it's not a worry as I won't drive the car till later in the week.

I'm slowly learning things about the car... now all I need to go is be able to get that number-plate light cover off so I can change the bulb...

Deen
08/11/2009 21:30:30

[fastfreddygassit]

If you washed the rocker cover there's a good chance you've filled the plug wells with water. The seals aren't real good around the spark plug leads. You might need to take off the plug leads and do your best to dry the water out in the wells. Dont take the spark plugs out if there's still water there or it will run into the engine. It will eventually dry out by itself but could take a long time if there's a lot of water in there.

X2
Garry is spot on.

You can use compressed air to blow the water out of the spark plug wells or failing access to that, try some absorbent towels/clothes.
Also check the inside of the plug lead/cap as there will be water there. spray some water dispersant liquid (CRC) or even WD40.

[Okibi]

Check for water around your electrical connectors like the AFM, sensor on the intake cam gear, coil packs, alarm, crank angle sensor ...

[Patty]

I had a similar issue (without the steam/smoke). A good way to clean the water out of the plug wells is to soak up the majority with a cloth, run the engine until it's warm (park the car) and then pull the plug leads so the heat from the engine evaporates whats left of the moisture.

[Steampunk]

Another vote for drowned plugs.
Use carby cleaner, or the like, and a steel brush to clean the terminals gently.

Another lesson learnt to be very judicious if you use a hose in the engine bay.

You can also blast the cylinder with a hairdryer to help evaporate the water

[hamx5ter]

well, just pulled the plugs this evening when I got in from work (crap it was hot & muggy today)...

yes, the plug-wells are pretty much full of water... There was water coming out of the plugs too

I'm going down to spray some WD40 on the plugs and soak up the water with some cotton rags... and will leave the plugs off until the end of the week, so they get a chance to dry up... The hairdryer is an awesome suggestion.

Yes, must remember not to hose down the engine... well, at least it looks quite clean..

Another vote for drowned plugs.
Use carby cleaner, or the like, and a steel brush to clean the terminals gently.

Another lesson learnt to be very judicious if you use a hose in the engine bay.

You can also blast the cylinder with a hairdryer to help evaporate the water

[hamx5ter]

Check for water around your electrical connectors like the AFM, sensor on the intake cam gear, coil packs, alarm, crank angle sensor ...

I'd do that... if only knew where all these things were... alas, I'm only good for watering the engine..

[hamx5ter]

FYI... I had a look at the plugs & wells again this evening, and while the wells seem dry, I think there's still a bit of damp / condensation on them (I left the plugs out). Dried them out some more, and tried starting the car.. it still runs VERY rough (and rich).

Will pop by to $upercheap Auto / Bunnings, buy a can of compressed air and have a go at drying the engine with a hair-dryer (where's a hairdresser when we need one?!).. on Friday evening.

Hopefully that should settle hamx5ter down...

QUESTION: could I have done more substantial damage to the engine (other than the wet engine / plugs) because of my sloppy engine cleaning attempt? or is it just a question of drying things out, and everything will be back to normal (== great)..

Drove a work-mate's TT today... nice car, but.... seriously missing hamx5ter..

[GP14]

(where's a hairdresser when we need one?!).. on Friday evening.

WHAT??? a hairdresser's car with no hair dryer..shock horror

[hamx5ter]

Great... Wiped down the plug wells and leads (they seem dry to the touch, but there's still water / damp at the bottom), ran a hairdryer into each well for a few minutes.. Plugged the leads in and tried the engine.

Engine started up, spluttered and died... Now it won't start at all (won't catch)

I thought that with all that overly rich starting i've flooded the engine.

Tried the floored-pedal and cranking technique - no luck at all.

Pulling the leads again (damn that strut brace is a pain! - going to pull it off for now) there still water seeping through.

How long do i have to run the dryer do you reckon to dry out the bottom of the wells?

Am i alright to spray WD40 in there?

I'm never washing my car again

I did less damage to it on the track!

[bruce]

You must have filled the wells with water! You just need to keep drying it. WD40 may help, but I never liked the stuff. I would only use a little bit but dry it after.

[hamx5ter]

Thanks Bruce,

spoke to Ajay \ Mania this morning and he told me to use an air compressor as I won't be able to get the water out from between the spark-plugs just with the towels.... didn't have an air-compressor at hand, so I used my air-pump to get some of the water out and then my wife's hairdryer to get the rest of the moisture out...

started up and ran well, but of course a little rough... took him out for a run to dry things out and get the excess fuel, and headed towards mania anyway ... it settled down, but would miss at very low revs

Turned out in all the plug pulling I did, the little sleeve for one of the plugleads had fallen off... new set of leads later, everything is fine...

Thanks guys... Ajay was surprised there was not much water out there... the hair-dryer tip really works,... although it took a while...