I had my engine steam cleaned yesterday....

[jefferz]

and now it is running really funny... I had a hard time getting it started last night, and then I used our air hose at work blew the water out and now this morning I went to start it and it made a loud hissing noise, and when I shut it off and pulled the key out, it kept trying to crank over and i put the key back in and turned it a little bit and it just started. Do you guys think its just still wet a little bit? I didn't do it myself, but my assistant manager who used to be a detailer cleaned it for me. I work at a detail shop and I had been debating whether to have the engine steam cleaned or not and now I wish I hadn't but he told me it is probably just wet still...I just wanted to see if any of you guys had this problem?

 

[gunmetal5.0]

When my car wanted to keep cranking over it was my starter relay. Don't know if that would pertain to yours.

 

[jefferz]

Did you end up replacing that?

 

[gunmetal5.0]

Seeing as how it was 10 dollars it seemed like the thing to do. Some things it's not cost effective to troubleshoot that way but for ten bucks it's acceptable.

 

[jefferz]

Everyone thinks it is wet still so I am hoping it will just dry up! lol...If not I am doing that.

 

[Black95GTS]

pull the distributor cap off and check for water against the contacts. use a hairdryer if you see ANY condensation. This happened to me when i went through a deep puddle. Great excuse for a new cap and rotor, wires, plugs, etc...

Adam

 

[gunmetal5.0]

Yes, time to get those bigger MSD wires you've been secretly lusting over, make sure they're not solid core. And spark plugs are almost free.

 

[jefferz]

Ok thanks! I am hoping it just dries up....I guess I should have let it dry a little longer before I freaked out.

 

[gunmetal5.0]

All the same, keep us informed. Good luck.

 

[jefferz]

Well I just started it up and it runs fine again lol so I dont know what to say. It was smoking a little bit but i think its just burning degreaser off.

 

[1TallMF]

How's it look though? Got any pics? I need to spend a good afternoon cleaning my engine bay one of these days, it looks nasty

 

[jefferz]

Ill take some tonight....I gotta dress the engine and stuff still...I didnt do that last night cause at first the damn thing wouldn't start lol. Ill have some tonight.

 

[99FiveOh]

Sorry to be an idiot, but I've been having that problem where the starter just keeps turning the motor over after I let the key go, is that relay in the underhood fuse panel?

 

[gunmetal5.0]

Jefferz did you say it was smoking a little bit or you were?

 

[HISSIN50]

Sorry to be an idiot, but I've been having that problem where the starter just keeps turning the motor over after I let the key go, is that relay in the underhood fuse panel?

The starter solenoid is piggybacked on the starter housing.

If the starter kind of makes a funky noise after you release the key (a scratchy noise or a zing) it can be a sticky bendix or an issue with the starter or ring gear.

Good luck.

 

[gunmetal5.0]

In my car (1987 5.0) the starter relay is on the firewall and is what typically causes this problem. What happens is the contacts inside the relay become pitted from arcing and can lead to them sticking together. A new relay(10 dollars) will fix this problem but not always for good as some of us know. If this is not the case on 94-95's i'm sorry for the confusion but maybe it will help 5.0 owners. Good luck.

 

[99FiveOh]

I don't know if the relay can be changed on our cars then. I'm sure it could be bypassed pretty easily using a fox style relay, but probably not worth it. I'll just buy a lifetime warranty starter and be done with it for good!

 

[jefferz]

Where is the starter relay?

 

[HISSIN50]

Where is the starter relay?

The starter solenoid is piggybacked on the starter housing.

 

[jefferz]

oops sorry lol.