Life was perfect...No lights, codes were nonexistent, AC was ice cold, handled like it was on rails, shifting perfectly, no bad noises.......then I did it......I power washed the engine

I now have an engine light, codes for a malfunctioning instrument cluster, restricted power, transmission failure, misfiring on different cylinders, and a flashing engine light that says my cats are making a horrible smell, for the poor bast*rd, in his MG behind me. I may as well have been hauling manure, for what he was smelling, on the 5 mile trip from the car wash to my house....

To top it all off, I am going to bed tonight, knowing I got water in that fukin huge *** plug behind the throttle body, that I have been warning folks about. I blew out the water from the spark plug holes, and it idles OK now, but I am readying myself to lose a couple square feet of skin, on Tuesday, after the wife goes to work.

I will need to take the plastic off the top of the engine, and lay on my fat gut, and remove the throttle body, so I can shove my Popeye arms into a space made for cat paws, and unscrew a long bolt going through the plug. I will then somehow split the plug without breaking it. Blow it out. Fill it with dielectic grease, in case I become a fuktard again. Shove my already bloody arms back in the space, to bolt the plug back together again. Do a hard reset. Clear the codes, and put the parts on the engine it needs to drive.

Then I get to reteach the car how to drive again, to see if the operation was successful, and reset everything in the dash, and doors.

If I screwed up something else, I will get to kill more of my morning, and wish I could drink again. Take a lesson from this, and do what I say, and not what I do........Take care everyone, and think of me needlessly bleeding on Tuesday, because I am too dumb to survive.......Mike

 

"You're Killing me Softly, with your story" LMAF! Can just see this unfold. Good luck, and have a great day. I'll just wipe my engine down:-)

 

Just glad I never succumbed to the temptation...

At least you'll be working on a *clean* engine! Good luck with the fix, and if it ain't broke...

 

Perhaps you could leave it sitting for a week or two so that any water could dry out itself?

 

Our two Jaguars are the only cars in more than 43 years of vehicle ownership for which I refuse to wash the engines bays. It simply is not worth the risk. I wipe down the Jaguar engine bays with an old towel and a small amount of silicone spray. That's absolutely as far as I'm willing to go....

 

I think everyone tries it one time... but just the one time.

 

I just dust with a damp cloth but if compelled to address a stubborn greasy spot a big can of brake cleaner works wonders. I use a lot of the stuff, even on the headliner. Buy it on sale. Bet I have a half dozen cans on the workbench at the moment.

Never fouled out anything.

 

I go in as far as I can with engine cleaner, agitating with a couple of long-handled paint brushes (one 30-degree angled), then *carefully* dab/rinse off with clean water from a bucket. Then apply some rubber/plastic care stuff.

Then I try to ignore the areas I haven't reached

 

We've all been down this road at some point; doing something that seemed like a good idea at the time, but had unintended consequences. Then we feel stupid, and want to correct the situation as quickly as possible and put the whole situation behind us. BFD!
You've not damaged the car beyond repair and, in time, most of the problems will likely cure themselves without you having to donate (more) blood to the cause. My suggestion would be to open the hood, remove the engine covers, and park the car in the sun for the day or two. If it's as hot in Indiana as it is in Pennsylvania, things will dry out on their own. Or, let the engine sit and idle for an hour or two to hasten the evaporative process. You could probably (carefully) use a hair dryer on specific components to get them dried out. At the end of all of this, it's no harm, no foul, and a lesson learned.


As far as too dumb to survive, you seem to have done an admirable job surviving so far, so this too will pass.


Regards,


Max

 

LOL, not at you, with you...well sort of!

I have always washed down the engine bays on every car I've owned and never an issue until the Jaaaag! What a Drama Queen these cars are.

Take your Med's and get a good nights sleep, it will all be better in the morning......

 

How the hell did you get out of the house - and with enough money for a power wash? Did SHE forget to lock the door? Jandrue is right - go to bed ......... and STAY there!

 

I guess the Jaguar Gods have smiled on me. I went out in the garage this morning, ran a quick diagnostic, erased the codes, and drove her around for a half hour. She sounded OK, and felt OK. I got back home, and ran the OBDII, just to see if I was safe. I took some Honda Motorcycle polish, hit the body and she shined like a diamond. I did the wheels with some duster that the wife got me, and made it to the show. The sun was out, and there was a cool breeze. Things were perfect. and then THEY showed up......There were 6 of us in the import class....A Datsun 240Z, with seat covers over a ripper interior.....A white Datsun 1600 roadster(MGB Japanese clone), which I set the carbs on, at the beginning of the summer.....My Nemesis, the white MGA which now sports a luggage rack, similar to mine. 1 week ago it didn't have one, when we were all parked at the Harley dealer......there was me,.....and THEM!! A red 60s V12 front engine Ferrari, and a 70s yellow Ferrari Daytona. All they had to do was open their hoods, and the rest of us were screwed. The Ferraris took first for the 60s coupe, and 2nd for the Daytona convertible. I eeked out 3rd, and instead of a trophy, I was handed a semi tarnished plate, probably left over from last year. The only redemption the rest of us got, was that the skies opened up, and both Ferraris came from the Chicago area. That Italian steel is probably rusting, as you are reading this. I drove the 15 miles home, in the down pour, and no gremlins showed up. I blew her off, wiped her down, and sprayed polish on her. My tire black was washed off, but to date I haven't found anything decent since the early 80s, evidently before aerosol cans were outlawed, except for carb and brake cleaner. Back then Black Magic had a spray, that looked like you sprayed black paint on the tires, and it wasn't slimy at all. If anyone has a brand that works well, please let me know......Oh well, here is my celebratory picture......I will sleep much better tonight.....Thanks for your pity, or your ball busting in many cases......Take care....Mike

 

Way to go...

 

I did the same to mine, watered down SOME of the motor with a HOSE. I did not get as many lights as you did but mine was drivable. I knew since it was not f'd up before the hose down that it just needed to be driven to get some heat in that engine bay, codes, lights went away a few hours later.
I agree, I have cleaned many a motor and never had one **** on me like mine and your did. Lesson, DON'T flood it with water.

 

hi mike . reminds me of the old days washing my gm cars . get the dist cap wet and spend the rest of the night drying it up and haveing to replace the points . did not know about the "plug from hell " thanks for the info . all the best dan l

 

I don't see what the big deal is.....
Next time just hang it upside down from the clothes line.
It will air dry just fine, and will smell good too.
Don't forget top down so the air get in.