snap! tried to wash engine bay and it doesn't start!

[userlain]

alright. i covered the filter, removed the battery, and covered the alternator.

i sprayed it down with degreaser and left for 15 minutes

i washed it off completely

i waited 30 minutes before trying to start it(also took off the plastic protecting the alternator and intake.

now it doens't start! smoke just poors out the intake! any ideas guys? all the hoses are tight and the starter churns but no dice!

[amerikim]

you've drowned it.

Start using that wd40 around ignition area. Sometimes a drying out time helps.

[Talisman]

It'll start eventually. I did the same thing. It sucked but the car was fine after a while.

[kenratboy]

I have never had that issue, and I just hose the engine bay (avoiding areas like air intake, alternator, etc.)

[Tommy]

you might need to take the distributer cap off and dry it out,

dry out the intake and make sure no water got in the spark plug tubes.

or if you do nothing it will probably be ok in a few hours

[Eye8Pussies]

i think you ere supposed to turn on the car immediately after you washed it to make burn all the water away before it seeped into anything important.....

and yeah, check the distributor....

[userlain]

yeah. the car turns over now but when the hood is closed it runs like crap. i think it is because of fumes in the bay and throttle body.

so i have popped my hood and i am going to let it sit for many hours.

[grapefury]

get a hairdryer and start drying

[avalonsf]

This is why I use a toothbrush.... now THATS love for your car..... (even more love cause i only have 1 in the house)

[tater_tot]

i kno you wont wanna believe this but u prolly got water down in the spark plug wells

[userlain]

I looked. No water in the wells.

[nobrainer]

well, this is why I'm scared about cleaning my engine bay

[Your Uncle Moe]

I just cleaned my engine last week and what I did was I took out the battery, covered the terminals, covered the alternator and covered anything that looked like it'd mess up. Degreased the whole thing. Then hosed her down. Then armor alled the entire thing. she turned over like normal and I let her idle for 20 minutes and watched all the water turn to steam. No real problems.

[Tarzan]

Every time I wash my engine bay, I don't cover anything and spray everything. Nothing ever happens. And my car is 10 years old. So I wonder why you have to remove the battery and such nonsense. I have personally never had problems.

[Your Uncle Moe]

^well, to each his own. And as you can see By UserLains Experience; the "useless nonsense" that some people go through can actually prevent problems.