Please Help! Car Wont Start

[spdsht]

I have a 99 mustang and today I did something really stupid. I decided to wash the engine bay.. i covered the alternator and sprayed down the engine with the power washer at a car wash. not full trigger just missted kinda.. wiped it all down with a rag and when i went to leave car just makes loud clicking noises... i tried getting a boost and nothing... just loud clicking... we tried hitting the starter and didn't make a difference... now my car is left in a parking lot

 

[usaf_branham]

dude. you prolly got water in your cop's. leave the hood open and let it dry out. it should start after its dry. for future reference, leave your engine running when u clean it or better yet, clean it with a rag instead of spraying down. there are so many electrical connections in these cars its ridiculous. another thing, try cleaning your terminals too. when i swapped in my blower cams and disco'd my batt, the pos post was corroded a lil and it wouldnt turn over. i cleaned it up and it fired right up. late...

 

[spdsht]

dude. you prolly got water in your cop's. leave the hood open and let it dry out. it should start after its dry. for future reference, leave your engine running when u clean it or better yet, clean it with a rag instead of spraying down. there are so many electrical connections in these cars its ridiculous. another thing, try cleaning your terminals too. when i swapped in my blower cams and disco'd my batt, the pos post was corroded a lil and it wouldnt turn over. i cleaned it up and it fired right up. late...

Thanks for the response... I am not very good with cars as I am just a girl hah what is cop's... the guys at the oil change place next door pushed my car in the bay and tried hitting the starter a bunch to get it to work but nothing.. I walked home 6 miles...do you think if I go back it will be dry enough or should I wait until morning?... if its not because something needs to dry is there a chance I wrecked something?... they tell me its my starter but I think it has a lot to do with me spraying water all over my engine hah fml

 

[usaf_branham]

cop's are coil on plugs. let it sit for a bit with the hood up in the sun. it will probably start after all the water has evaporated. give it a lil time.

 

[spdsht]

I really don't want to walk all the way back there haha... will it be able to dry with the hood closed just left longer?... also if it doesn't start what should be my first plan of action?
again thanks for the response I appreciate it

 

[spdsht]

cop's are coil on plugs. let it sit for a bit with the hood up in the sun. it will probably start after all the water has evaporated. give it a lil time.

I really don't want to walk all the way back there haha... will it be able to dry with the hood closed just left longer?... also if it doesn't start what should be my first plan of action?
again thanks for the response I appreciate it

 

[usaf_branham]

yes, given the right amt of time, it will dry. if after 24 hours, if it doesnt want to turn over, clean your terminals and try again. if it wont turn over then, try to jump it... if it jumps then its prolly your battery. if it still doesnt turn over, i would start with the starter relay, then the starter. if it turns over but doesnt fire, its either fuel or spark. i would guess spark since you sprayed the engine bay and probably got water in your cop's...

 

[jcgafford]

i wash mine all the time, and yes i use a power washer on some of it too. gives the same problems every time. prop the hood open with a box fan on high and let it dry in the heat and air till dark. compressed air directed at the coils might speed things up too.


ahhhhh! you left it. if it is hot out it will cook it out with the hood closed. it will just take longer

 

[spdsht]

i wash mine all the time, and yes i use a power washer on some of it too. gives the same problems every time. prop the hood open with a box fan on high and let it dry in the heat and air till dark. compressed air directed at the coils might speed things up too.


ahhhhh! you left it. if it is hot out it will cook it out with the hood closed. it will just take longer

yours also just makes a clicking noise?.. hah yah I left it its pretty warm out.. its been a few hours, its noon rite now, I will go back around 9 tonight and try again...

 

[spdsht]

yes, given the right amt of time, it will dry. if after 24 hours, if it doesnt want to turn over, clean your terminals and try again. if it wont turn over then, try to jump it... if it jumps then its prolly your battery. if it still doesnt turn over, i would start with the starter relay, then the starter. if it turns over but doesnt fire, its either fuel or spark. i would guess spark since you sprayed the engine bay and probably got water in your cop's...

it doesn't even attempt to turn over just click click click... sometimes just one click, other times a bunch... ive had dead batterys on cars before and it doesn't sound like a dead battery its pretty loud

 

[Jinx]

Just on the off chance that an electrical circuit got tripped with all the water. If the '99s have a fuel pump cutoff switch, you should try resetting it. The '03s are located in the trunk on the drivers side, up against the tail light housing. There should be an access hole cut into the trunk liner. Just push the red button back in (if it has been tripped).

 

[creektrack]

Is everyone missing something here? She's saying the starter only clicks, it doesn't try to turn over at all, which excludes spark and fuel...I've had a bad battery before that wouldn't even allow the vehicle to be jumped or anything, I just had to change the battery...

If the battery terminals still had water on them it could have jumped sides and caused a short, same with the terminals on the starter...

I would say to let it dry and then try to start it...if it does the same thing, take the battery to the closest autoparts and have them test it...

Off topic, why didnt you call someone? 6 miles is a nice lil walk...I would recommend that you have a ride back so that you can troubleshoot better, cuz batteries are pretty heavy when you have to carry them for awhile...

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

 

[spdsht]

Is everyone missing something here? She's saying the starter only clicks, it doesn't try to turn over at all, which excludes spark and fuel...I've had a bad battery before that wouldn't even allow the vehicle to be jumped or anything, I just had to change the battery...

If the battery terminals still had water on them it could have jumped sides and caused a short, same with the terminals on the starter...

I would say to let it dry and then try to start it...if it does the same thing, take the battery to the closest autoparts and have them test it...

Off topic, why didnt you call someone? 6 miles is a nice lil walk...I would recommend that you have a ride back so that you can troubleshoot better, cuz batteries are pretty heavy when you have to carry them for awhile...

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Thanks for the reply... yes the battery was still kinda wet, I dryed it off but noticed uhmm smoke kinda when the guy tried to boost me.. im new to this city, came here for work and don't know anyone who would be willing to help me out.. my neighbour a nice older lady said I can borrow her car today to go to work... would it be a bad idea to use her battery in my car to see if it starts with her permission of course... do you guys know what I mean by the clicking noise... would water really cause that and letting it dry fix it.. im so frustrated

 

[creektrack]

Depends on the type of battery. ..technically speaking, a 12 volt battery is a 12 volt battery, but each one has different cranking amps, so that battery may not be strong enough to start the car...

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[spdsht]

Depends on the type of battery. ..technically speaking, a 12 volt battery is a 12 volt battery, but each one has different cranking amps, so that battery may not be strong enough to start the car...

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

if its not the battery that shorted out and its the starter is there anything I can do or will I need to replace the starter... I have never had an issue with my starter til I washed the car and now click click click so im sure water must have done it

 

[creektrack]

It could be the starter relay clicking...you really need to try to hear where the clicking is coming from...

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[jetmech807]

If it's just clicking and not spinning wouldn't that be more of a starter or solenoid problem? Not doing anything different boosting it kinda rules out the battery. Fuel pump or coils being screwy, it should at least spin over, but not start. If the solenoid is heat soaked it could cause this. GM starters are notorious for this since the solenoid is on the starter next to the exhaust. Looks like these starters are the same set up. Once it cools it may work, or your starter may have just picked this inopertun time to die.

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[spdsht]

I want to cry haha I have no extra money to spend getting it towed to a shop or even towed home. fml. so stupid for washing the engine, thought id clean my car up and this is my luck

 

[creektrack]

If it's just clicking and not spinning wouldn't that be more of a starter or solenoid problem?

Yes, but if the battery is low it will cause the clicking as well...the clicking is the solenoid trying to push out but can't for whatever reason, which is why sometimes ppl hit the starter to "unstick" the solenoid...


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[spdsht]

those guys were def hitting my starter... and sometimes it would click a bunch then other times just like once then have to turn key off then turn again click click ... and if I turn the key it wont continually click it with do it a few times then nothing till I shut it off again.... if that helps...