loss of power and misfire after washing engine

[sdegab]

Hey guys, this is my first post.
I've got a 1997 Alfa romeo 146 1.6ts, Always looked after but 2 days ago it started misfiring and acting sluggish... Particularly when I need some torque like when going up a hill or accelerating from sill.

I suspected some water got into the sparkplug wells whilst washing the engine with a hose and I was right...
I unscrewed the engine cover and tried to drain out as much water as i could using rolled up toilet paper and I sprayed some electric contact cleaner in there. Managed to get most of it but the problem persists

The engine Idles fine and rarely does it if i rev it when still. But misfires as soon as the car feels resistance.

what am I missing here?
do the spark plugs need changing? or should I just drive on it and hope that any remaining water will evaporate?

[Ralf S.]

It's almost certainly water in the HT leads. If the plug wells are now dry (or dry-ish) then take the plugs out and squirt some WD into the foot of the wells, so that any remaining moisture is blown out (or down into the combustion chamber.. it won't hurt any).

Also make sure that under the HT leads is clean and dry. Don't use WD40 since it can sometimes fail to shift water and just sit on top of it. Use Contact cleaner, since it dissolves water and then rapidly evaporates.

The plugs and leads should be able to go back on without anything else - nothing will have been damaged from a spot of water.

Also check the plugs into the coils and also the upper end of the sparkplug boot (at the coil end) though these are tucked well out of the way and ought to be clean and dry.

It mau be worth getting the beast into the garage and looking at the motor in the dark.. so you can see any arcing etc. if it's visible.


Ralf S.

[Alfafamily]

It can take forever for them to dry out again even after going through all the trick to get rid of the water. I never wash modern engines.

[sdegab]

Thanks for the quick reply... yeah big mistake from my part, i just wanted that aluminium cover to be all clean and shiny again

Alfa's are delicate cars, just had the crank sensor replaced a few weeks ago after it failed to start...

I'll try removing the plugs and everything connected to them and spray on some contact cleaner..

I'm abit reluctant to take it to a mechanic so that will be my last resort hope it does the job..