Washed Engine, a day later no start
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Joined: Dec 2005
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Washed Engine, a day later no start
I washed my engine Sunday...making sure to cover my alternator with foil and to NOT blast the engine with water. When I finished I drove the S around the block a couple of times with no problems.
Parked all day Monday.
Drove ~15 miles this morning no problems. After work car would not crank. Dash/cluster lights barely lit up with key turned to on position. It is like the battery was completely drained. It would not jump off of really old toyota tercel; finally worked when jumped off of a new tacoma.
However, the dash/cluster lights were flickering when driving around the parking lot. A few times the car lost power for a second or two.
It was raining and nasty out so I just left at a local shop overnight. I will have them test both the battery and alternator tomorrow.
Any other suggestions/thoughts in the meantime?
Parked all day Monday.
Drove ~15 miles this morning no problems. After work car would not crank. Dash/cluster lights barely lit up with key turned to on position. It is like the battery was completely drained. It would not jump off of really old toyota tercel; finally worked when jumped off of a new tacoma.
However, the dash/cluster lights were flickering when driving around the parking lot. A few times the car lost power for a second or two.
It was raining and nasty out so I just left at a local shop overnight. I will have them test both the battery and alternator tomorrow.
Any other suggestions/thoughts in the meantime?
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,589
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From: New England
If gauges are flickering there is a good chance that it's your alternator.
Did you cover electric parts with plastic wrap or old bags before you hozed/sprayed down the engine bay.
Also did you use a hoze or power washer in the bay?
Did you cover electric parts with plastic wrap or old bags before you hozed/sprayed down the engine bay.
Also did you use a hoze or power washer in the bay?
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: 951
if the gauge cluster is flickering that means your alternator is on its way out.
but what i don't understand is why it happened so quickly, are you sure this flickering hasn't been going on for a while? your battery might have slowly been getting weaker and weaker.
but what i don't understand is why it happened so quickly, are you sure this flickering hasn't been going on for a while? your battery might have slowly been getting weaker and weaker.
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From: Berkshires, MA
Originally Posted by Choungsgay,Mar 4 2008, 09:59 PM
If you sprayed water directly into the engine bay without covering the Alternator then I would guess it is the Alternator as well.
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Originally Posted by BlownAP,Mar 4 2008, 09:51 PM
if the gauge cluster is flickering that means your alternator is on its way out.
but what i don't understand is why it happened so quickly, are you sure this flickering hasn't been going on for a while? your battery might have slowly been getting weaker and weaker.
but what i don't understand is why it happened so quickly, are you sure this flickering hasn't been going on for a while? your battery might have slowly been getting weaker and weaker.