VWaddict

My car's hood has repeatedly been growing a 'mildew'-like thing in the paint for a while, and I found that it was coming from inside the engine bay. -For some reason the underside of the hood was almost covered in it...

So I sprayed it with a dilute 'simple green' solution, scrubbed at it with a brush, and it all seemed to come off.

Hosed it off, all good. Started the engine, moved the car to allow the wife to get her car out of the garage.

When I went to RE-start the engine about 5 minutes later, it just cranked over, but wouldn't fire.

There's no tach bounce.

Would it be wet sensors? -I'd have thought that wet ignition leads would still leave me with a bouncing tach...

What are the chances of this just drying out by itself, or should I direct some sort of 'canned-air' jet at it? (I don't have a compressor at home)

Keith

Tom M'Guinn

When I lived in Miami, I would get mildew in my a/c ducts -- lovely smell... If simple green got into the timing belt cover, the belt can act like a little conveyor belt bring the wetness right up to the cap and rotor... If you think the motor got wet, I would give it a few hours in the Orlando sun before tearing anything apart.

VWaddict

Good thought.

I'll give it a couple more hours with the hood open.

I was thinking that the tach would bounce, but I've got some time and I;m CERTAINLY in no hury to tear things apart!

Scott H

Take the battery out and look for holes. I had a similar issue right after I got my car during a rain storm, turned out there was a large hole under the battery that let the DME/KLR get wet. Take the footwell board and DME/KLR rack out and look for moisture. Still gonna need those shocks tomorrow?

VWaddict

Well, whatever it was, it dried out and the car fires & runs perfectly again.

Just took some time in the sun. BAttery bay seems watertight, and no wetness under the floorboard.

See you tomorrow,Scott. -Gimme a call or send me a PM with whatever time works.

-Keith

Scott H

You couldn't have picked a better day for drying things out. I'll give you a call tomorrow around 10 or so when I'm on my way.