Pressure washed engine - Now car sputtering and not boosting right?
 

I pressure washed my engine compartment this afternoon. I sealed up the intake with plastic as well as covering the distributor cap. Afterwards the car started and ran fine until I started getting on the boost a bit. Now it runs completely fine until it gets to about 10 lbs of boost and then it quits further boosting and starts sputtering hard. I've had incidences where I washed the car throughly and then it would not run right at top end for a minutes, but I washed the car at 2:00 this afternoon. Ran it for 20 minutes, let stand for 4 hours and it's still doing it?

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Doug

Ignition got wet. Weak ignition always shows up first under boost. Take it for a nice long easy drive -- let the moisture burn off and it should be fine. Or park it in the sun and give it a day. If it still has problems, then consider replacing the cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. The water gets in the (unsealed) timing belt cover, and the cam belt acts like a little conveyor belt delivering water up to the cam gear and distributor cap area. A good vapor barrier gasket under the cap should prevent these problems, but many are ratty and don't seal well.

Thanks Tom, would you recommend removing the cap & drying it out, or just let it slowly dry out?

prob got some water down between the plug wires and the head...

Could the pressure washer have blown a vac line off?

Good question, but I had the washer on a pretty mild setting and also checked that already. They are all on properly.

I'm tending to think that Tom's got it right. As this has happened frequently after washing the car at a car wash.

I'd just take it on a long drive -- get the engine compartment nice and warm. You could pull the cap if you have the time, but warming up the engine compartment will burn off the water wherever it may be.

I've been thinking about doing this with my 951 but there are just so many more electric things than my old NA.

I have been itching to do this too but the thought of something breaking has me sceptical. On a lighter note: do you have any before and after pics:)

Since installing my vittesse MAF if the car has sat in the rain or been washed it stutters as the boost builds. I think water runs through the gap at the end of the bonnet and chokes the filter. (I can see the filter through the gap). It's ok after a bit of driving and a couple of more gentle progresions onto boost. I am considering a tiny duct on the leading edge of the bonnet that would stop the rain coming in and provide cool air at speed.
Tony

Well, This morning after a few more stutters, the car is running well. It looks like Tom was right & it just needed to dry out throughly. Thanks All.

Way back when I got my first 944 Turbo S the local mechanic shop warned me to never ever power wash the engine compartment. Because of the type of connectors and age water would besides causing immediate but temporary electical problems, would also hasten long term electircal problems due to corrosion at the connections.

+1 for pics :D

I just power-washed one of my engines.........









but it had been stripped down to a bare block........

I just remembered that this happen to me after pressure washing underbody.