Neighbor Powerwashed my HSE Engine-Now it won't start-Help

[afox04]

My neighbor was kind enough to tell me about how he powerwashes his truck engine constantly and he has never had a problem. My engine was dirty, so I thought why not? I left the truck running while he powerwashed it (i wasn't watching bc I was busy fixing other crap wrong.. ), and everything was ok.. in fact, it started later on that day. however, I came out today, and now it won't start. It turns over no problem. Any suggestions??

I also have several other issues that I'm hoping to diagnose that aren't as critical, seeing how I have to go to work tomorrow... I'll post those in other posts.

Any help would be greatly appreciated...!

 

[LRflip]

wet distributer?

 

[afox04]

i dont believe the 4.6 HSE has a distributor, does it?

 

[lifeslemon]

I believe it's the fuse box. This happend to me once, but the dealer did it so they fixed it. Try blowin some air in the fuse box and give it a shot.
Good luck.

 

[LRflip]

what do I know?....just a guess

 

[afox04]

I checked the fusebox and there is no moisture there.....any other suggestions?

Thanks for the responses.

 

[p m]

I assume yours is a P38A -
the big fuse- and relay box in the engine compartment has a sandwich of two printed circuit boards, connected by a flex cable. The water can get to these boards via the relay terminal holes, and the box may look completely dry to you when you simply pop up the lid.
If water gets there, expect all sorts of weird behavior - the only remedy is to remove it completely (a few connectors and three nuts holding the fat cable lugs, IIRC), disassemble, shoot with WD-40, then blow-dry with compressed air or CO2.

Disclaimer - my only knowledge of that comes from seeing that happen on the trail.

 

[Jagfixer]

As above: Dry everything. Look close and make sure. P38s are not powerwash friendly without waterproofing all connections.

 

[az_max]

You get that thing running yet?

 

[cptyarderho]

I assume yours is a P38A -
the big fuse- and relay box in the engine compartment has a sandwich of two printed circuit boards, connected by a flex cable. The water can get to these boards via the relay terminal holes, and the box may look completely dry to you when you simply pop up the lid.
If water gets there, expect all sorts of weird behavior - the only remedy is to remove it completely (a few connectors and three nuts holding the fat cable lugs, IIRC), disassemble, shoot with WD-40, then blow-dry with compressed air or CO2.

Disclaimer - my only knowledge of that comes from seeing that happen on the trail.

use wire dryer spray over WD-40.

 

[gmookher]

I would NEVER let anyone ELSE wash my rig's motor. NEVER. EVER.

I would not admit I let someone else wash my motor and now it broke.

I would say this is an expensive lesson learned

I will add, i feel for you, this must suck. I will think 2x before washing my motor.

Now is a good time to:
take apart each and every exposed connection, go over it with compressed air, dielectric grease.
carry spare plugs? wires?

when I wash my motor, and its rare, I run it for a good half hour afterwards, and get it good and hot.

 

[Doug C]

Sounds like the becm on a p38. If the starter relay is letting it turn over, I would do as recomended above and check the ecu connection as well. The becm is under the passenger seat and many,many p38 problems start there. Hope for your sake its just wet circuit boards in the fuse box.

 

[ptschram]

Sounds like the becm on a p38. If the starter relay is letting it turn over, I would do as recomended above and check the ecu connection as well. The becm is under the passenger seat and many,many p38 problems start there. Hope for your sake its just wet circuit boards in the fuse box.

The BeCM is beneath the passenger seat. Must have been one Hell of a pressure washer!

You are right though that the fact that it turns over is important.

However, I'd look to the connector for the CkPS for moisture ingress before I did anything else. If that's dry, look to the coil-pack connector. Might even be worth it to open the case of the ECU and dry it out as well.

 

[JSQ]

The BeCM is beneath the passenger seat. Must have been one Hell of a pressure washer!

Yeah I think people just love to throw out "BeCM!!!" as soon as they hear P38.

I powerwash the shit out of all my engine bays (with the motor running) and have no problems.

 

[DiscoveryXD]

Yeah I think people just love to throw out "BeCM!!!" as soon as they hear P38.

I powerwash the shit out of all my engine bays (with the motor running) and have no problems.

any pre wash to do's? I've thought about cleaning the dirt and crap off my engine, but I've just been afraid to...

 

[JSQ]

any pre wash to do's? I've thought about cleaning the dirt and crap off my engine, but I've just been afraid to...

Just make sure it's running and don't nail the ECU or main relay.
Everything else I just hammer down.

If you go to one of those coin-op buggy washes you can spray the tire cleaner all over the engine bay and let it soak while you wash the rest of the truck, then just spray the engine bay clean when you finish everything else. This works really well.

Edit: The distributor equipped trucks aren't nearly as tolerant as the coil packs.

 

[az_max]

If you go to one of those coin-op buggy washes you can spray the tire cleaner all over the engine bay and let it soak while you wash the rest of the truck, then just spray the engine bay clean when you finish everything else. This works really well.

Edit: The distributor equipped trucks aren't nearly as tolerant as the coil packs.

I've used the engine/tire degreaser setting to hose down everything, and the spot free rinse setting to rinse the top off the motor off. It's usually a low pressure setting so it doesn't free wires and vacuum hoses from their connectors. The bottom half gets full-bore soap and high pressure rinse.

 

[ptschram]

Yeah I think people just love to throw out "BeCM!!!" as soon as they hear P38.

Kinda like the dreaded slipped liner claim every time a V8 hiccups!