Engine bay Hosed Down now Check Engine Light and Rough Idle
12-24-2005, 06:04 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Engine bay Hosed Down now Check Engine Light and Rough Idle
To keep this short, I let my friend borrow my car and ask a thanks he washed, waxed, and cleaned the interior. Awesome right? He actually sprayed Greasesd Lightning (some multi-purpose cleaner) all in my engine bay and hosed it down at one of those self clean places.
He felt so bad, he said he did it on his car and it was fine. I told him the electricals are really sensitive and are not meant to get drenched. I can't change the past, but he learned his lesson.
So now my check engine light is on it and idles and runs rough.
My guess is that I have to replace the MAF sensor, Wet coils causing misfires,... and that's just the start of the list of possible problems.
Anyone want to pitch in what I should check/replace? I was figuring a cheap fix of getting STP wire dryer and trying to displace the moisture out of the electrical systems as a starter.
Sigh, if my Mercedes doesn't break on it's own, someone else does it for me. But then again, that's half the joy of owning one
He felt so bad, he said he did it on his car and it was fine. I told him the electricals are really sensitive and are not meant to get drenched. I can't change the past, but he learned his lesson.
So now my check engine light is on it and idles and runs rough.
My guess is that I have to replace the MAF sensor, Wet coils causing misfires,... and that's just the start of the list of possible problems.
Anyone want to pitch in what I should check/replace? I was figuring a cheap fix of getting STP wire dryer and trying to displace the moisture out of the electrical systems as a starter.
Sigh, if my Mercedes doesn't break on it's own, someone else does it for me. But then again, that's half the joy of owning one
12-29-2005, 05:45 PM
#2
Out Of Control!!
hmm, why dont you just go check and see what the CEL(Check engine light) is on for? You should be able to wash an ML engine bay, just not with a power washer
12-30-2005, 11:25 PM
#3
Originally Posted by Chedman13
To keep this short, I let my friend borrow my car and ask a thanks he washed, waxed, and cleaned the interior. Awesome right? He actually sprayed Greasesd Lightning (some multi-purpose cleaner) all in my engine bay and hosed it down at one of those self clean places.
He felt so bad, he said he did it on his car and it was fine. I told him the electricals are really sensitive and are not meant to get drenched. I can't change the past, but he learned his lesson.
So now my check engine light is on it and idles and runs rough.
My guess is that I have to replace the MAF sensor, Wet coils causing misfires,... and that's just the start of the list of possible problems.
Anyone want to pitch in what I should check/replace? I was figuring a cheap fix of getting STP wire dryer and trying to displace the moisture out of the electrical systems as a starter.
Sigh, if my Mercedes doesn't break on it's own, someone else does it for me. But then again, that's half the joy of owning one
He felt so bad, he said he did it on his car and it was fine. I told him the electricals are really sensitive and are not meant to get drenched. I can't change the past, but he learned his lesson.
So now my check engine light is on it and idles and runs rough.
My guess is that I have to replace the MAF sensor, Wet coils causing misfires,... and that's just the start of the list of possible problems.
Anyone want to pitch in what I should check/replace? I was figuring a cheap fix of getting STP wire dryer and trying to displace the moisture out of the electrical systems as a starter.
Sigh, if my Mercedes doesn't break on it's own, someone else does it for me. But then again, that's half the joy of owning one
Interesting!!! I hose down both my E and the ML every once in a while and have never had a problem. Granted I use a regular home hose with no nozzle attached - LO pressure!!! I then let the entire thing sit for about an hour b4 starting. The blast from the wash bay must have penetrated the electronics. On my Nissan, I just blast away and have been doing so since 1992 and have not had a problem once. My friend tried same with her MR2 and a ****load of problems popped - go figure!!!
12-30-2005, 11:34 PM
#4
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1996 - C220/2001 - ML430/ 2005 RX-330
I'm guessing wet plug wires/caps shorting out to the block. With the metal cups around them they are prone to doing this if they are sprayed hard down into the plug holes with pressure - water can back up into the metal shields and under the boots and cause them to arc to the block. If it is driveable, drive it to heat up the engine to normal temp then park it with the hood up and the engine plastic cover popped off overnight. Your CEL will most likely be showing cylinder misfires (can take it to Autozone or similar to verify) but should go away after it dries.
01-03-2006, 10:17 PM
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1996 - C220/2001 - ML430/ 2005 RX-330
Originally Posted by Chedman13
It did exactly what you said rcltrh. Engine bay is shiny and no CEL. Some good news on my ML for once=)
