Washed Engine

[2006wrxtr]

Went to the car wash and Sprayed down the engine with engine cleaner on low pressure let it soak while washing the rest of the car, then rinsed the engine on low pressure. Leaving the wash the car stumbled and sputtered, I took it down
the interstate a ways and it seemed to clear up. Next morning I drive to O'Reilly's and it seem'd fine. Gassed up on the way home and parked the car. Go to take it for a ride yesterday afternoon and it is missing, sputtering and just running like ****.

Got the car home disconnected and sprayed every connecter I could find with WD40, pulled the cover off the fusebox and sprayed it down. Pulled the cap and well you get it. The terminals on the cap were corroded so I cleaned them up with some emery cloth.
I also checked all connections for proper voltage and everything was right at 11.90v. I did notice the Positive cable on the alternator was slightly loose so I tightened that up ran the car for a little while (still ran crappy) retested voltages and the were just over 12v.

Anymore Ideas????

I am going to change the cap and rotor (http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=cap and rotor) today, any specific brand suggestions?
Cap and Rotor made no difference and I resprayed all electrical connections
with WD40 again. All the ignition wires and boots are good with no cracks or
burns.

I thought maybe the crane ignition box might be going looney, but figure it would
either work or not. Pretty sure I can just plug the factory ignition plugs together
and bypass the Crane box.

Thanks for any help in advance...
Mike

[DNT H8]

There is a very specific step by step and you didnt follow it...

First you must cover the Air filter and alternator completley...Use a soft bristle long handle brush with something like power purple. Lightly spray down the motor, wash with the brush, then rinse lightly. Then most important part next use compressed air to blow out everything, hit all your connections with WD if desired. Let sit... dry out... then start idle for a while and go... Now with all that said Ive seen a guy (a few times) Run the motor while doing all those steps just avoiding the air filter and not have any problems lol

You sir are going to have to check everything! Is there any CEL? Did the filter get wet? Did you check the MAF? Did the Ignition box get soaked?

[BigSnailBuick]

Anytime water even touches my wrx's air filter its GG sputter fest.

[BR3W CITY]

I've had the issue with a few cars before, its always been the cap and rotor, although you mentioned you checked that. Weird too, I've damn near pressure washed engines and not had a problem.

[DurtyKurty]

What kind of car is it? Is it your '95 mustang?

[Moparjim]

Ummm.

First I wouldn't use WD40 in all the electrical connections... I would use electrical contact cleaner, to the best of my knowledge WD40 is not dielectric or conductive.

Second, 11.9 volts is low, VERY low if you mean with car running. Your battery voltage should be well above 12V like 12.5V, and with the car running and alternator working you should have like 14V.

Third, in my experience cleaning rotors and caps doesn't work. A lot of times in my experience they will still work poorly even after corrosion or whatever has been cleaned with a scotch brite or emory cloth or what not. Same with spark plugs a lot of times whatever has happened to them corrosion wise is bad no matter how much or what you clean them with. I would replace them.

[2006wrxtr]

Yeah my 95' Mustang, and I didn't pressure wash it, I used it on low
presure, no stronger than a garden hose...

I really think it may be bad gas, or a clogged filter. My fuel pressure is at
20psi at idle and it shoul be around 39psi. Changing the filter today...

The Voltage was key on not running, itis 14v running.

One thing I did notice was one of the snaps on the distributor cap
was undone??? I sure hope nobody messed with it..

[GTSLOW]

One thing I did notice was one of the snaps on the distributor cap
was undone??? I sure hope nobody messed with it..

I'd say that's a .00005% chance. More than likely something got wet and isn't happy.

[DurtyKurty]

Putting my money on the CCRM.

Before you go wasting a bunch of time changing out fuel filters, check the voltage to your pump.

[wikked]

Once did I have a shitty runner after cleaning the engine bay (years ago), it was a 90's Thunderbird, and I didn't cover anything. It nearly died while driving, pulled off into a parking lot, revved it at like 2k for a few minutes, drove it hard to dry things out... it cleared up on the same drive.

I must have cleaned thousands of engine bays after that, never had one sputter since. I don't even cover the alternator if it's tucked under the cowl a ways. Just don't spray water directly onto it :P Always covered spark plugs/cap/rotor.

Always blow off with compressed air afterwards.

[BoosTT]

I also agree with the WD40... don't use it. I guess this is the reason I'm fearfull of washing my engine bay.

[2006wrxtr]

voltage at ther pump plug was 12v at one pin and 9v at the other.
I can't get my fuel psi above 20psi no matter how I adjust it. Did
a test for the regulator and seems to be good. Might be a week
Fuel pump.

[2006wrxtr]

WD40 is a water displacement, that is the reason I used it.

[Irish]

WD40 is a water displacement, that is the reason I used it.

Lol.

[BAD LS1]

12V feed into the pump? and 9V on the ground side? That is a serious voltage drop! you should have .5 or less volts on the ground side, 0 being perfect.

[2006wrxtr]

No Volts on ground, the pump is bad, going to change it out this weekend.
one good thing came out of this, pretty much every electrical connector under
the hood is a clean as new. They did have some corrosion on a couple, not any more.