Don't spray your engine with water!!

[drokmofo]

So, I had an oil leak. I found the breather tube on driver's side not fully connected to the valve cover. Clicked it in place and discovered the oil filter adapter gasket was leaking. Replaced that and sprayed degreaser then water to clean it all off. Now I had a misfire. Replaced all spark plugs with the updated model #. Still misfired. Diagnosed 1 coil to be faulty, replaced it and another because I bought 2. Ran a little better but still not right. Replaced the remaining coils, still [email protected] some more threads around here and elsewhere and another guy had bad catalytic converters. I took to an exhaust shop for a free backpressure test. Driver's side was plugged. Passenger side is close to the end. In between 6 home renovation projects and my 2nd son being born I finally got back to the exhaust shop to have the cat replacement done. What a difference! And what a way to learn not to spray these engines down with water. The symptoms were all similar to spark plugs and coils being faulty. Very sluggish and non responsive to acceleration especially up any type of incline. 30-40mph extremely dogged and would almost backfire upon attempting to accelerate. More of a putter but made me think backfire. Such frustration, but so happy to have it right again. Hopefully this can prevent others from repeating my mistake. Or help to diagnose an issue.

 

[stamp11127]

I've been cleaning engines for years with engine cleaner and washing down with low pressure water without any issues.....guess it may be my technique.

 

[JExpedition07]

Same thing happened to me with the misfires, never get a hose anywhere near a 5.4 lol

 

[Plati]

That was where the old expression "you're hosed" originally came from

 

[1955moose]

Like sex, you've gotta wrap the sparkers if you don't want trouble down the road. Remember mom always said wear your raincoat. Rubber or plastic, no truer words.

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[Adieu]

Uhm I suspect they screwed you

water damage to an injector is the next likely candidate after plugs and coils.... been there, got the tshirt

 

[RustyOval]

I've been cleaning engines for years with engine cleaner and washing down with low pressure water without any issues.....guess it may be my technique.

I do the same thing on my 5.4. I use compressed air to blow out any water from around the sparkplugs and the engine overall before I try to start it...

 

[jimz]

My 2008 Expedition will get motor wet, not drowned but wet, riding on rain soaked roads. Seems spray from road is forced onto motor. Nothing to stop spray. Seems this Ford is a fair weather machine.

 

[gixer2000]

I've been cleaning engines for years with engine cleaner and washing down with low pressure water without any issues.....guess it may be my technique.

Have you ever washed a 3 valve that way? I've always washed my engines using the same technique but I don't dare try it on my 3 valve. They're very well known for water getting in around the spark plug boot causing misfires

 

[1955moose]

No Adieu, I didn't get screwed, but I did get blown, had a 6"71 blower on one of my Ford's back in the day. Like the Beach boys song, when something comes up to me, he don't even try. It really did rubber in all 4 gears!

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[stamp11127]

No I haven't cleaned a 3 valve but have cleaned diesels with high voltage injectors. Same technique as gas engines with same results.

 

[16plati]

*engine bay filled with computers, electronic modules, spaces where water can seep into*

Me: “I’m going to wash my engine bay today and not cover anything up.”

Also me: “why the **** do I have water damage causing misfires?”

Duh. Hand clean with degreaser and call it a day next time after you did this issue with water getting into your plugs

 

[1955moose]

What's so tough about grabbing a bunch of small plastic bags, like the ones you wrap produce in, wrap them around the 8 coils, another larger small trash bag around alternator, use large rubber bands or plastic zip ties, and go at it. Granted it takes another 15 minutes or so, but think of the headaches you avoid.

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[Plati]

OK.. 62 years old … never cleaned an engine.
Never found a reason to. Not sure why you would.
I guess maybe I never had a oil leaker?

 

[JExpedition07]

OK.. 62 years old … never cleaned an engine.
Never found a reason to. Not sure why you would.
I guess maybe I never had a oil leaker?

For me it’s just not liking dirty things, can’t function with dirty truck. After I destroyed a coil I just wipe down the “5.4L 3V Triton” engine beauty cover and the air cleaner housing etc.

 

[16plati]

OK.. 62 years old … never cleaned an engine.
Never found a reason to. Not sure why you would.
I guess maybe I never had a oil leaker?

I spent $60k + on a vehicle. My engine bay gets cleaned once a month, all purpose cleaner, then properly dressed. You clean the outside? Why not take an extra hour and clean the engine? I dont leak oil or other fluids, I just keep it clean. When it goes to the dealership, I have service techs come out and apologize for getting their fingerprints on anything in the engine compartment. It’s cleaner than anything anywhere on a lot at dealership and it stays that way. I guess when ur 62 and don’t care about our investments it’s easy to shrug it off

 

[Plati]

I spent $60k + on a vehicle. My engine bay gets cleaned once a month, all purpose cleaner, then properly dressed. You clean the outside? Why not take an extra hour and clean the engine? I dont leak oil or other fluids, I just keep it clean. When it goes to the dealership, I have service techs come out and apologize for getting their fingerprints on anything in the engine compartment. It’s cleaner than anything anywhere on a lot at dealership and it stays that way. I guess when ur 62 and don’t care about our investments it’s easy to shrug it off

I appreciate the love and care you have for your Expy. Kudo's

No way. I clean my 2014EL all the time. Give it a thorough detail after every trip! I use a rag and wipe down anything up top in the engine bay I can access. I thoroughly wipe down all around every door and hood area, etc. I was talking about the engine itself. Seems like you can cause more damage than you can do good by running water in there, but its a FREE country if you wanna do that I'm cool with it.

Now that I took a close look at the engine "spark plug area" … I can see lots of grit & sand even a small rock or two. Must fly up from the road? I do some backcountry stuff gravel & dirt roads at times. Now I have to at least get in there with my shop vac and get that crud out.

I hose out my rocker panels every spring and oil them up really well (inside).
Then I put custom plugs I made in those holes to keep the salt brine where it belongs.
Now that will pay off in spades over time in WNY.






I take the spare out and clean that up, lay underneath with the hose and spray clean everything I can get to. I have it Krown treated and then come back at it later with Fluid Film (and grease in spots) to supersaturate certain areas. I'm a lean mean rust fighting machine. Obstruction of corrosion!!!

 

[Eagle 71]

never cleaned an engine.
Never found a reason to. Not sure why you would.

Answer – car shows.

I washed my ’66 T-Bird’s engine with a degreaser and a kick-butt power washer. Covered up the carb and suspect electrical components with plastic bags and big rubber bands to hold the bags in place. When the engine compartment was dry, I painted the engine block the correct “Ford Corporate Blue” color and viola, ‘showtime’! All the covered-up stuff worked as advertised, including the Autolite 4V carb (thank Christ!).
Granted, our Expys won’t be entering the car show circuit anytime soon, but some folks like a clean engine compartment – maybe yourself included, based on your posted photos.
A clean Expedition is a happy Expedition! So is a clean ’66 T-Bird! Photos attached of the latter’s engine bay, ‘before’ and ‘after’.

 

[aagitch]

I just use the air compressor and blow the engine area of dirt and debris and then do a good wipe down everywhere I can reach. Both the 17 expy and 15 explorer engine areas still look new

 

[bobmbx]

Answer – car shows.

I washed my ’66 T-Bird’s engine with a degreaser and a kick-butt power washer. Covered up the carb and suspect electrical components with plastic bags and big rubber bands to hold the bags in place. When the engine compartment was dry, I painted the engine block the correct “Ford Corporate Blue” color and viola, ‘showtime’! All the covered-up stuff worked as advertised, including the Autolite 4V carb (thank Christ!).
Granted, our Expys won’t be entering the car show circuit anytime soon, but some folks like a clean engine compartment – maybe yourself included, based on your posted photos.
A clean Expedition is a happy Expedition! So is a clean ’66 T-Bird! Photos attached of the latter’s engine bay, ‘before’ and ‘after’.

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I suspect a little more than some soapy water in that transformation.