Power washed engine, now it wont run!

[Sooner1970_K10]

Ok, so I had a lot of gunk build-up on the manifold near the valve covers. I took it to a near by car wash, left the engine running and sprayed down the area with simple green and then proceeded to spray the engine clean. During this 10 min spray job the truck died once. I stopped spraying opened the door and started the truck back up, it ran fine. I got done spraying and drove to town which is about 8 miles (highway). The engine seemed to have plenty of power and I did about 80mph all the way to town. I stopped went in to sears and spent over an hour admiring all the shiny tools. I spent to much money and when I came out, my problems started. I went to start the truck and it sounded like the truck barely had enough juice to turn over. It did finaly turn over; it burped and spurted to life backfiring and belching out huge clouds of black smoke from the exhaust. It had no power, no idle and if I stopped giving it gas it would die. I did this several times and finaly got the rpm's high enough that it started to smooth out and run ok but as soon as I let off the gas it died. I figured I better try to limp my way back home the next time I got it started. Once again it started very hard like it had no juice and made some god-awful sounds. Basicly the engine ran like **** in every gear as I limped my way to the highway untill the rpms got to a good clip. Everytime I would get the rpms up and shift gears it would loose all power and act sluggish like it wanted to die but would then slowly climb back up in that gear and once the rpms climbed up it began to run smoothly. Once on the highway it ran fine at 80mph. I got off at my exit ramp and it idled fine at the stop sign before I turned onto the next road. Once onto the road it accelerated fine and ran good for the next few miles to my house. Once home I stopped and let it idle. I turned the key off let it set for a minute and tried to start it. It would only start if I gave it gas. I waited 30 mins and went outside to try and start it and its backfiring and carrying on like it doesnt want to start and it will not idle.

My first guess is that somehow water got into the distributor cap and that is what is causing the fouled engine. My next guess is that the water knocked a vaccume hose or something else loose? That or water is in the intake or something like that. I just wanted to come home and ask you guys before I tried to troubleshoot it and forget something from this experience. Its getting dark so I guess I will have to wait untill morning to take a look at the truck. What do you guys think? Is there something else I should check?

[krue]

Make sure you didn't knock any spark plug wires off the plugs or distributor. Go ahead and check your vacuum lines. make sure your distributor is tight and didn't move on you. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Hope that it helps.

[Randy70C-10]

If it's a points distributor check the coil wire.

[smitty62]

hot engine + water=steam. Condenses inside distributor cap-shorts out.

Dry it well, spray inside cap well with penetrating oil--WD-40? Dry again, start engine.

[franko72]

Ill bet that tommorrow everything will be OK when things dry out. I would leave my Dis. cap loose from the Dist. Tonight.Hope that it doesnt rain at your place.

[Orange70chevy]

I think your truck is wanting you to use your new tools you bought on it!

[Classic Heartbeat]

I don't think that there is much question, it sounds like a wet distributer cap. When you first start it up, it actualy has water droplets inside causing the electricity inside the cap to be spuratic and all over the place. One it warms up, like smitty62 says the water turns to steam and doesn't efect the flow of electricity nearly as bad. Dry the distributer and cap and I think that your problem will go away. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

[jimfulco]

Take it off, spray the inside with WD-40 so the water will go away, then with brake cleaner to get the WD off. Reinstall after the cleaner evaporates, not before.

[fleetside72]

I hate to say this but someone should,,,It's Flooded!!

[super-k]

I think you should spray a layer of oil&dirt and see how it runs. Actually,if it`s not going yet,it`s most likely carbon tracks in dist-cap.Lectra-motive is the best way to clean them up and it`s alcohol-based so will leave no residue.The carbon forms when the arc follows the moisture,then misdirects the spark.If your cap is black,throw it away and replace.Either a Standard"Blue-Streak"(blue)or other brand tan cap will give far less problems than the"cheap"black caps.