washed engine and now..

[Fast Mike]

No spark. I removed the cap & rotor and hit it with the air hose and dried it all. My wires all had a very good seal to the cap and the plugs. I had a MSD coil on the bench so I put it on, still no start. 12 volts at the + side of the coil. The intake tract is dry. Is there something else that gets wet and causes this? I was pretty through with the cleaning.

For now I have it on the charger and the cap and rotor off, airing out in the nice ocean breeze. I'll get at it again in the morning. I also removed the fan assembly and painted the fan. After it would not start I pulled it all out again and checked the wiring, all ok. The alternator was in the garage while I washed the motor so it did not get wet.

Thank you,
Mike

[Amstaff]

I would spray wd40 in the cap, it dissipates water.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Fast Mike

Is there something else that gets wet and causes this?

Blow out the 14 pin connector on the driver's side rear. It's a biggie. 12 pin connector just to the right of the drivers side shock also.

[yelcab1]

Nothing good ever comes from washing your engine....

[Fast Mike]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Blow out the 14 pin connector on the driver's side rear. It's a biggie. 12 pin connector just to the right of the drivers side shock also.

In the engine compartment by the top of the shock?

[yelcab1]

Originally Posted by Fast Mike

In the engine compartment by the top of the shock?

What year is your car?

[wayne robson]

It will start, put the original coil back on,.using air is not a good idea, it forces water
down into cracks and crevices down inside the distributor . This may sound strange but its true,you use a damp
cloth to remove water, then finish with a dry cloth.Also take extra look into the coil
connection at top ,pull the connection and dry there. same with top of dis cap , or clean with fine wet dry paper on
the end of builders punch inside, .It can turn the copper connection inside coil - green- with corrosion over night.-----Ask me how i know this.

[Fast Mike]

Thanks for the replies. The car is a 1984.

[RSBob]

Change user name to Not So Fast Mike? At least until solved.

[DanielDudley]

How old are your plug wires ?

[sugarwood]

I bet it starts right up today.

[yelcab1]

Use the air compressor to blow dry:

14 pin connector at the front of engine, next to left side shock tower. Disconnect clean and reconnect

idle valve

three connectors to the left of the intake manifold where the head temp sensor goes

MAF sensor connector

Disconnect each plug wire, inspect for water pooling, dry them and put them back

Now, see if it starts.

[T77911S]

i was my engine all the time.
if wiring is good there are no issues. better to find out at home.

check the connectors for the CPS and I think you have a speed sensor or something like that.
not much to prevent spark.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Fast Mike

In the engine compartment by the top of the shock?

Mine is an SC. There is a 12 pin (maybe 14) to the right of the shock tower on the frame/beam of the engine "hole". Hole means what you see if the engine is out.

14 pin connector is way in the drivers rear of the engine compartment. Rear meaning bumper.

You have a couple of connectors for sure, just not sure where on the 3.2.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

Nothing good ever comes from washing your engine....

Except a cleaner engine.......

I have washed mine many times. No issues.

[Fast Mike]

Well after drying overnight and drying out all the connectors it fired right up. I there a gasket or something to water proof the distributor? Seems rain water just pours in right on to the distributor.

[Cairo94507]

Mmmmmm, nice and clean too.

[Nick Triesch]

Just like a 65 Bug! I remember seeing bugs driving around town in rainy weather with clear plastic wrap over the lid slots! In the old days.

[Bill Douglas]

I live on the beachfront so I wash the SC engine down about once a month. And probably once every year or two I spray it with degreaser and hose it down. I've never had a problem, not even a missfire. Something's not right.

[Nick Triesch]

Why not just use some clean rags and some light spray cleaner and some armor all for the rubber parts? And then some metal cleaner for the fan while you are there. Takes me about 30 minutes and have coffee or beer while I clean. Why spray water if you don't have too? Why would you spray water on electronic parts when you don't have too?