In DIRE need of help!

[Tygershark76]

I have done a terrible thing and WASHED the engine bay in our '04 XLT with 4.0L V6. It has now proved who's boss and will not turn over. I can get it to crank and run (with a HORRIBLE idle) when unplugging the wire from the TB. I have already swapped the plugs which were also fouled out. I have the Service Engine and the wrench symbol on the dash cluster shining. I even had it mildly running and worked the TB blade manually for a while. It would cough back at me through the TB the excess air, kind of sounded like backfiring. I reattached the tubing for the air box and it actually evened out and the idle kind of got to sound normal. I could even restart the vehicle with everything plugged in the way it should be. However I never had any throttle response in any of these repairs. I then went back a few hours later to see if it would still start easily. It did not and again the only way I can get it to run is by unplugging the wire on TB. What have I done to this so badly and what can I do other than replacing the whole engine, getting divorced for being stupid and selling our kids on the black market to be able to afford everything? Please help me ASAP, I am a Chevy guy and this is my first Ford. I really need to get it on the road before my wife has to be back at work on Monday, Tuesday at the latest when I have to be back on base. Thank you for any and all help.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167836 I was just reading a thread where a guy did the same thing and had issues. Blew out some water out of the connector to the ECU and it fixedthe issue. I'd try blowing all the water out ofEVERYTHING possible

-Drew

Here you go:http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167836

 

[Tygershark76]

ECU is on the firewall passenger side right? I pulled those three connectors, all bone dry and let them hang all day just in case.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Well obviously you havea water issue if it was running fine and then after you washed it it is failing. Check other places

-Drew

 

[Tygershark76]

Any other areas to focus on? The battery is good I pulled it and had the core checked it is well over 650 CCU. Alternator would cause this would it? It has something to do with the throttle or air inlet system, I would imagine.

 

[Tygershark76]

What is that supposed to mean? I really do need help and I have searched but nothing really matches with my newer bodystyle.

 

[jprepotente]

I have heard of simliar problems stemming from the same kind of thing. If the TPS gets wet, you will never getting going again wothout replacing the TPS sensor. Drying it out does not work. It has to be replaced.

 

[Tygershark76]

Which one is the TPS on the TB if looking at the piece from the opening of the TB? There are two black units attached to the TB both with wires going into them. Ford I assume would have these on the shelf? What do they run, do you have a ballpark?

 

[Tygershark76]

Also when everything is disconnected that would still allow it to run only when it is taken apart but not when connected?

 

[churd69]

distributor? maybe try some wire dry? did you get water in the intake/filter?

-Rich

 

[Tygershark76]

Air filter was dry as well, it has the coil plate in front with the six plug wires all which were snapped down and dry too. Perhaps wire dry on the TB area?

 

[JDraper]

I'd check all the connections you can under the hood, and dry 'em all out. It's also possible that you have a loose connection somewhere from spraying it with water.

Hmm..maybe Crank position sensor or cam position sensor is unplugged/wet? If they go, you get symptoms like you're describing.

The reason it may be working with stuff unplugged is the computer is going into a "Limp Home" mode where it recognizes that there is a problem with a sensor, and just applies some base settings so you can get the vehicle home.

Since you're getting codes, is there any way you can limp it over to somewhere like Autozone and have the codes read? That at least will give you an idea where to start looking.

 

[jason_paul]

Let it dry out. Should run fine after drying. I have done this on numerous vehicles. Not a big deal. TRying to find the water is a waste of time.

 

[Tygershark76]

I'd check all the connections you can under the hood, and dry 'em all out. It's also possible that you have a loose connection somewhere from spraying it with water.

Hmm..maybe Crank position sensor or cam position sensor is unplugged/wet? If they go, you get symptoms like you're describing.

The reason it may be working with stuff unplugged is the computer is going into a "Limp Home" mode where it recognizes that there is a problem with a sensor, and just applies some base settings so you can get the vehicle home.

Since you're getting codes, is there any way you can limp it over to somewhere like Autozone and have the codes read? That at least will give you an idea where to start looking.

I did check all the connections I could, i.e. vaccum lines and wires and nothing was loose. Actually suprisingly everything was completely dry and tight. I can drive it in limp home as it is right now, it just will not get over 10 MPH. Throttle response is still gone no matter what I do to get it running, that's what leads me to believe that it's problem lies in the TB or TPS. I am basically in for buying a new TB with all the connectors from what you may think? Thanks for the help.

 

[Tygershark76]

Let it dry out. Should run fine after drying. I have done this on numerous vehicles. Not a big deal. TRying to find the water is a waste of time.

About how much longer will it take for this to work itself out if that is the only problem do you imagine? I too have done it on my '00 SS but the LS1 has the individual coil packs right over the cylinder. In about a day that one cranked up with no problem and has never had a problem since no matter how wet it gets. Same with our '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee with V8 washed it, didn't like me and then got over it following day with no problems since. That one was washed back in '03 for the first time by me. Really do need this resolved ASAP since our extended warranty needs to be authorized if not being workd on from the dealer we got it from. It is impossible to get it to that dealer at this time since it is about an hour from here and at 10 MPH we would never make it this year.

 

[brttwttnr]

Just a bit of advice for the next time, use the moisture lock out on your wire connectors before washing. Hope everything pans out well for you. Keep us posted if you find an actual problem, for our future references.

Good luck

 

[Tygershark76]

No problem, will update when I know more. I have been banned from cleaning any more engines of vehicles my wife drives from here on out. The SS is the only one I can mess with from now on.

 

[brttwttnr]

That is so funny, my girl is kind of getting the same way. Every time something major goes wrong with her cars I say the hell with bringing them to the shop I'll have it done in a week. Well that week usually turns into about 2 or 3 but she saves tons of money and she doesn't even have to switch to Geico hahahah.

 

[Tygershark76]

I have Geico...

 

[Tygershark76]

Looking at the TB blade what am I looking at on the housing? Which side is which with electrical connections? I unplug the right side and everything is fine to at least get it to run. Is that the TPS side? I may just pick one up tomorrow if that is the case. Please let me know, thanks.