Engine Detail gone Bad?

Killed the voltage regulator in a 71 Mini Cooper. I didn't, the owner did. Now everytime he revs it, all the lights get brighter.
 
I got a distrubuter cap wet, on the inside. The (84) camry didn't want to start or run after that. Pulled it off, blew it out real well with the air compressor and put some dielectric grease around the rubber seal to keep it from getting wet again. That's the worst I've done. A friend got water in his Cam angle sensor and cooked it. $380 part from the dealer. This was at a coin-op wash with the pressure washer. Both of these were older cars (pre 1995.)
 
I got a MAF Sensor wet the other day in an '03 Maxima (VQ Engine) and it threw a CEL and caused rough idling. Upon blowing out the water, the problem vanished.
 
Not first hand but a friend with a 55 Chevy took it to a detailer and saw the kid using a pressure washer to send water through the intake. (in the olds days boys and girls the only carb that mattered was on your engine, not your dinner plate). He regretfully didn't know to pull the plugs and tried to start the car and hydra locked the engine. Ended up getting a new engine from the detailer.
 
I've never had any real problems. On a 95 Subaru Outback, it ran rough for a coupla hours, but the problem went away as the engine dried out. No one else I know has ever had any problems either, but most of my friends who detail their own cars stay away from the engine compartment.



KGB - if you want to avoid using water in your engine compartment, try AIO sometimes. It takes a little while, but if you want to put the time in, it does amazing work on fairly smooth metal and plastic parts. Its what I use on cars that I'm afraid to hose down (cars worth more than my insurance policy ;)),
 
Car I bought had the engine bay detailed with a ton of silicone oil spray. I mean it was dripping it. Destroyed the O2 sensor and made life interesting for several weeks as it shorted things repeatedly and tripped sensor codes.



I've destroyed the printing on numerous underhood decals with degreasing sprays. Some it would run off as I watched, others it wiped off.



Damaged various electrical components with high pressure washers.



Created no-start situations with water in the distributor or shorting the plugs when they were recessed into the engine.



Damaged a radiator with the spray from a pressure washer.



Etched various aluminum components with acidic engine cleaners.



Stripped the paint off an engine and other components with Citrisolve.
 
I had a problem with moisture in the Oil Pressure sender. Oil pressure warning light displayed for a couple of day but then cleared up. Motor sounded normal, I rang the dealer and they told me it was a common problem and should not be an oil pressure issue.
 
I always leave the car running when I do a engine compartment. Just don't point a heavy stream of water right into the alternator, distributor, or wherever you see open electrical connections. Most engine compartments now adays are all filled with plastic covers. That's what I try to focus more of my attention on, as well as the hoses, underneath the hood, and the hood jam.



Be more careful if you're doing a carbureated engine. You want to make sure the air cover is on tight, because inside the engine is the last place you want water going.
 
I just finished my automotive technology 101 class at montgomery college in Rockville MD. One way of testing your spark plug wires is to spritz them with water while your engine is running. If the engine stumbles then your wires are bad. Also, if the outside of your battery is dirty, then it can cause a voltage leak that is measurable, sometimes by several volts. Acid on the outside of the case can be neutralized with baking soda and water.
 
Last sunday. Accidentally used the jet stand and hit the distrubutor.

Lost half of my engine power. Had to dry it.



Aparth of that, noting happened ever.



BTW, people always say to cover the alternator. Mine is at the bottom of the car. I guess it gets wet every time it rains. Strange...
 
Washed a engine on my old 98 Crown Vic, with 8 Coil On Plug units, ended up having to replace them all at $200 a piece.
 
well the COPs are still present so underhood be EXTREMLY careful not to get them or their surroundings wet, just because they go out so easily. The only other things I can think of are, the rear bumper is inset with the word Marauder, so you will have to wax/polish it by hand. Also the leather seats are punched (is that the right word (have holes in them)), so you will want to have some type of brush to rub the conditioners out of the holes in the leather, so you don't have residue, especially if you are using a white conditioner. Other than that I can't think of any. Good luck!!
 
I've also seen recommended, if you have it, to use an air compressor to just push the leather conditioner through the holes... I'd say canned air might work, but there's always the concern of it spitting liquid out, which would likely leave a stain on the leather...
 
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