Engine degreaser caused a short. I'm so $#@%^&

[X24]

I'm going to a car show tomorrow (Sunday) and I picked up some engine degreaser. I covered the battery, alternator and intake and sprayed my engine avoiding any wires and such. I didnt go nuts with it, I just sprayed around the dirty spots. Then I rinsed the engine with a light spray of water (not full blast) and started the truck. It ran fine and I let it idle for 15 mins and then took it for a 10 min drive. I came back and washed the truck off and about an hour later started it up and pulled it in the garage. It sat in the garage for about 3 hours. I went out and opened the door and the interior lights came on and then clicked off, then on and off consistantly. I put the key in and turned it and all I got from the engine was a bunch of clicks real fast. The headlights come on but are very dim. The radio doesnt come on. and the windows work like the interior lights do... on and off with the clicking. Please tell me what the hell to do!!! I need to get this thing to the show tomorrow cause I already entered. Right now the battery is disconnected and I'm gonna try it one more time tomorrow morning. If that doesnt work I'm gonna try jumping it and if that doesnt work I'm screwed. I would be charging the battery right now but my dad loaned the charger to someone and I dont know who. My only other option is to take the battery from my friends explorer and use that to get me to the show and then disconnect it when I get there. If the alternator is bad will driving it for 45 mins kill that battery too? Please tell me what happened.

 

[matey]

i would spray every thing with wd40 or another water displacer if it dosnt start try jumping it if you have a charge meter in the car it should tell you whats going on if the alternaters fried the car will still work just dont use electircal things lights a/c radio ect

 

[Crankcase]

With the vehicle running , pull off the battery cable for a second, if the X stalls, the alternator is toast.

 

[metstalker]

once the engine compartment is dry you should have no trouble use fans under on top of the engine all night to see if you can dry it out. this is the best solution i can come up with

 

[Majisto]

Sounds like your alternator toasted itself...since your engine was running, it was pulling power from the battery, and the alternator wasn't re-charging it. Do you get any voltage reading on the guage in the dash?

 

[Magicfan25]

If you remove the battery cable with the car running, you are taking a chance on zapping your PCM. Wouldnt try that one myself.

 

[expo5.0]

don't pull the cable on newer vehicles it can create an electric pulse tha can ruin computerized things under the hood including the pcm.

also, make sure your battery cables are tight- one time my ground was loose and i had he symptonms your having- then again any short or ground would cause the same symptoms.

either way your probably at the show right now anyways so i hope you made it!

 

[X24]

I put it on a charger for 45 mins in the morning and put it back in and it started. I let it run for about 20 minutes and left for the show. I ran with everything off all the way there (45 mins) the gauge was in its normal spot. When I got there I disconnected the battery incase there was still a short. 8 hours later I connected it and it started fine. It's still connected now and I'm gonna try it in a few hours and see what the story is. Oh, I got 1st place at the show (in my catagory)

 

[MONMIX]

Congratulations on both counts.
Sounds like you kick your problem AND the competition in the ass.

 

[jssong]

could it be you had your battery cables not connected properly?

congrats on the car show.. where was it? local?

 

[X24]

Cables were on good. I didnt touch them and there was no water or degreaser on them. The battery was totally dead. The show was local but had some people that came a ways.

 

[Doug]

Hrm thats odd. I power wash my motor all the time alternator included (gotta get that mud outa there) and ive never had a problem sounds like a freak thing.