what happened?

[bimmer_E30]

ok! took my e30 for a wash after installing my mtech1 wheel, i washed the engine bay and boom the car wont start , tried one, twice , 3rd, rth time and then it started. i went for a drive and the car ran like shit, misfiring in the 2nd 3rd. did i just fucked my sprak plugs? fuck i just replaced those bitches for 60$ last month.

[Madhatter]

Did you use a pressure cleaner in the engine bay or really open up the hose on it?

Water gets into places its not designed to when its applied with pressure, an engine bay just doesnt see water with real force behind it, so when washing if you arent carefull you can cause problems like this.

Give it a day to dry out, but check the distributor cap to make sure there isnt any moisture inside.

[ADEN]

he's right i happened to me three times but after i use air pressure it's working smooth again

[jlevie]

A clean engine is a happy engine, but there's a wrong and right way to achieve that state. A pressure washer, or anything else that forcefully applies water is the wrong way.

When faced with a dirty engine and/or engine bay the process I use is:

1) Start with a hot engine and get front of the car up on jack stands. Several
large pieces of cardboard under the engine area will soak up the grunge and
help prevent stains.

2) Using a putty knife, screw driver, etc., scrape off any heavy
deposits. Most of that will be on the lower part of the engine and you'll have
to get to it from underneath.

3) Spray a mixture of Gunk and diesel on using a garden sprayer.

4) Scrub every thing you can reach using plastic bristle brushes on painted
surfaces and wire brushes on bare metal. Work heavily caked areas again with
the scrapers. Spray on more solvent mixture as needed.

5) Re-fill the sprayer with any concentrated detergent (Simple Green, pressure
washer detergent, etc) and spray everything down.

6) Using a garden hose set for a gentle spray, or better yet a plant watering
wand, wash down the engine and engine bay. You want to avoid any high pressure
spray as that may force water into places that you don't want it.

7) Spray on more detergent and go over everything with the brushes, then
repeat (6).

8) Leave the hood open and allow the engine bay to dry for at least 8 hours
before starting the engine.

Notes: Having the engine hot will make oil and grease easier to wash off and
the residual heat will help dry out any water that reaches electrical
parts. You won't get the cosmoline/oil stains off the valve cover as they are
baked on. The best way to clean up the valve cover is to have it bead blasted
or hot tanked, but you can get most of it off with paint remover (with the
cover off the engine).

[bimmer_E30]

ok , i just wake up, i am gonna try to start it and see? should i spray some WD-40 on the end of the sprak plugs wires. or inside the DC (distributor cap ) and this isnt the first time that i washed my engine bay i usually wash my engine bay every 3-4 weeks , and i used the (engine+tire cleaner) its not a pressure wash .

but this time i sprayed alot of water+cleaner at the valve cover because it was dirty as hell.

[ethree]

3) Spray a mixture of Gunk and diesel on using a garden sprayer.

Why would you use diesel for this? Why not oil eater or simple green or something designed to cut grease? Diesel and gasoline are both designed to be used as fuels not degreasers.

And to the OP what kind of plugs cost you $60?

[jlevie]

Oil deposits benefit from application of a solvent. Mineral spirits would work, but it it evaporates too fast. Diesel or kerosene has lower volatility and gives you plenty of time to work on the grime and deposits. Gunk makes the distillate miscible with water, allowing it to be washed off. Using only detergent you can eventually get the job done, but it will take longer.

[StereoInstaller1]

Take your distibutor cap off and blast it out with WD40, then blow it out with an air compressor or just paper towel dry.

Reassemble and start.

[bimmer_E30]

did the air compressor thingy and i think its kindda good now. will see if this will work or not.

[Teaguer]

Must be that damed stubborn Eta throttle cable . :D

[bimmer_E30]

meh, its good now.