I've been working on an annoying problem slash aggrevation...It really isnt a problem just annoys me.. If you remember the "Load Power Steering Pump" thread. If Not I am trying to hush the whine of my power steering pump. In this process I deciede that the fluid looked pretty nasty so thought I would change it and eneded up with PS fluid all over the side of the block.

With out thought "Obviousley" I grabbed the garden hose to clean it up... Well it did but then I had a miss under 2K RPM and slower acceleration. Drtove it about 20 miles and still the same. So I stopped and pulled the battery cable for 2 mins or so to try and reset the system. It didn't work, it would still seem smooth except in lower RPM's or under a load going up a hill and was a lot slower untill 80-85 MPH. Then it would not go any faster and the "Check Engine Soon" Light would start to flash. "I was aggrevated and punishing it to make me feel better."

Anyway

When the CEL came on... Good! I thought to myself... A code! So I come here to do a search on how to pull codes...No avail except to go to A.Z. Parts store and they would do it free. BUT I read some threads that mentioned having water in the Power Pack boot causing similar problems... Alright what do I have to lose.... It looks like I have fried one anyway so lets try it and see...I filled a spray bottle with Rubbing Alcohol and sprayed all 8 Power packs down with it...Waited about 5 mins for it to evaporate fired it up and idles is smooth reved normal in park...take off and it is back to normal....

Phew Long story short DO NOT use a garden hose to clean the engine on a 2000 and up Triton!!!!

 

Usually you only run into problems like that if the water is under pressure. If its just flowing water, it shouldn't cause too much of a problem.

But it's still a good idea to be careful about getting water near the coil packs.

 

It was just a garden hose with a nozzel...I did have it set to full but I have exceptional water pressure.

A few years ago we had some people come out to do a water test...(IE: sale us a water softner) During thier test they put a PSI gauge on the kitchen sink. Thier gauge maxed out at 90 psi and it pegged it out... LOL Thier eyes bulged out and they decided they did not want to install one in our house because they were not sure if thier unit could handle that kind of pressure. LOL

 

You have inadvertently put water down the spark plug holes. The cel was flashing, because the engine was under a misfire condition. Remove the coil packs, or plug wires, whichever you have and use compressed air to blow out all of the spark plug holes and get some dielectric grease to apply to the end of the boots that go to the plugs. Problem solved.


Robbie

P.S. Clean up guys used to do this all the time when they washed the engines.

 

I'll be the first to say that you should be very careful cleaning engines. But, I do also use my garden hose. I am careful to lay the water hose out filled with water in the sun to warm it first. I also open the hood of the truck into the sun to warm its components. Then, I don't worry much about spraying the water where I need to spray it to wash off the accumulated grime from living on dirt roads.

But, then I also leave the hood up for several hours into the sun and try to get it to dry. Also use an old towel to wipe off the water where I can.

Never had a problem with this method and the engines stay clean enough. I also never clean engines in the winter - need sunshine and warm weather to dry things properly. It's a spring and fall thing for me.

 

Thanks guys...I'll have to remeber to try that. It is running fine now the alcohol seemed to dry every thing up. I wonder if we would cover the coil packs with some spray silicone if that would help keep them dry? So we wouldn't have to worry about it as much...

I've also always washed my engines too. But I ussally do my other cars "with normal spark plugs" at the car wash. I raise the hood to let it cool while I wash the car. Then when it is washed and rinsed I spray the degreser on the engine either from the car wash "if it isn't to bad" or Gunk Engine Degreaser "if it is bad greasy for some reason". Then I dry the car off and let the degreaser soak in. Then I rinse the engine starting with the bottum of the hood and letting the water drip down. This slowly cools the engine the rest of the way off so it dosen't crack the heads, the block, the intake, or anythjing else from rapid material contraction by cooling off to fast. Then drive it out and let the engine warm back up and the heat dry it out. Occasionally the older vehicles with distrubuters would get some water in them and would have to dry it out with a rag or paper towel or something, if you didn't cover them with a plastic bag. But never have had any problems of any kind before.

My mechanic warned me when I first started looking for a new truck and he found out I was test driving some Fords. He advised that if I got one with these coil packs "which I did" I should not wash the engine with water. That I should get a steam cleaner to clean it. I live on a dirt road too. I can not stand to have it covered in dust especially if I am going to work on it. I hate lying underneath a vehicle working on it and having dirt and grease fall in my eyes, mouth, and ears. So I try to keep it fairly clean!

 

Steam cleaners can cause these problems as well...in fact I would say it could be easier for the water vapor from steam to get into the plug wells than using a water hose.


However you do it, you just have to be careful in the areas around the spark plugs.

 

I wash mine all the time. No troubles yet. Of course I do not use high pressure water pointed directly at the coil packs or alternator.