noob question: My car gets NO Power!! HELP

OK here goes. I'm new to this board so be gentle. I got a 94 Civic EX Coupe (D16Z6 engine). I was cleaning my engine bay with some gunk Engine Brite, and I covered up the distributor and air intake and electrical components and stuff, then sprayed the engine down. I let it dry off, then tried to start it and NOTHING. No Power, No Sounds... Nothing when the key is turned. Is it something with the ignition or is it electrical? Someone please help me! What did I do? Any ideas?

Sounds like electrical to me. Make sure the battery stuff is all hooked up and tight.:bigthumb:

Originally posted by syn0s
OK here goes. I'm new to this board so be gentle. I got a 94 Civic EX Coupe (D16Z6 engine). I was cleaning my engine bay with some gunk Engine Brite, and I covered up the distributor and air intake and electrical components and stuff, then sprayed the engine down. I let it dry off, then tried to start it and NOTHING. No Power, No Sounds... Nothing when the key is turned. Is it something with the ignition or is it electrical? Someone please help me! What did I do? Any ideas?

OWNED by cleaning the engine
but really I was going to do the same thing to make things under the hood pretty, but decided I didn't have time last week... maybe I won't do it :biggrin: I got the engine cleaning spray on foam(smells like paint thiner)

Anybody? Any ideas? I need to get my car fixed - moving out of my house in 2 weeks! Please...help.... me.

check your battery posts, 1 if the cables are attached and 2 that they are not covered in that white shit that gets on em. scrape that stuff off so your + and - wires have a good connection.

syn0s--does your dash borad lights up when you turn the key to the first click?

check to see if you have water inside your distributor cap?

Tofuboy - That's a big negative. When I turn the key.. Absolutely nothing happens. No lights on the dashboard... No electrical systems (you can't hear em start up).. Nothing. Very Strange. Thinkin its the fuse, battery or water got in the distributor. Any other ideas? Thanks a ton guys.

pop your hood let it sit in the sunlight for a couple hours?????? try and dry some things up.

syn0s--Did you disconnect the battery cable before you start spraying water or engine cleaner in the engine bay?

If so, did you reconnnect the battery terminals?

If you did not disconnect the battery cable, I afraid you may have fried some electrical systems.

Do you have a volt meter to check to see if the battery has somewhere about 12.6V?

Originally posted by Tofuboy
syn0s--Did you disconnect the battery cable before you start spraying water or engine cleaner in the engine bay?

If so, did you reconnnect the battery terminals?

If you did not disconnect the battery cable, I afraid you may have fried some electrical systems.

Do you have a volt meter to check to see if the battery has somewhere about 12.6V?

Its not really important to do that. You can pour tons of water over a hooked up battery and nothing will happen. I've washed MANY cars engines over the years , nothing has ever happened. I'd say its more likely something became disconnected.

we had a problem with this on a jeep when offroadin, water in the distributor cap, dried up after a few minutes though.

Most serious off-roaders spray their caps with WD40. WD40 displaces water , and is pretty much inert , so it won't catch fire. I learned that trick long ago , from driving old Fords thru deep puddles........:bloated:

yeah, i don't think he was planning on going thru that deep of water, but we egged him on, it was fun tryin to work on it in a huge puddle/pond because no one felt like hookin up the tow straps lol.

I used to do car detailing, and of course cleaning engine bay's is part of that. I'd say most likely you got water inside of the distributor cap. You can try taking it apart and letting it dry out.

so is this problem been solved yet or what?

Problem isn't solved yet.. I haven't had time to look at the car yet, with working and packing to move out and all.. It still doesn't start though. It's probably just some water in the cap or somethin.. I'll take a look at it, but if you have any other ideas please lemme hear em! thanks

Got any ideas crxlvr?

well id check the cap, even the slightest bit of water can cause a hairline crack in it, but if you get no sounds or nothing, id say there is something wrong with your battery.

have ur battery tested at any kind of auto shop and see what it is.

OK so I finally got time to jack the car up and take a look at it. I checked the fuse box.. No water or damage.. All the fuses seem to be fine. The car STILL gets NO POWER. I especially checked the main battery fuse (80 Amp) and it looks fine to me. I personally still think it's the battery or something to do with the Ignition (because right when I turn the key in the ignition.. Nothing happens, so maybe its not getting power from the battery?) Any more input would be greatly appreciated! thanks a ton guys

syn0s

definatly get ur battery tested in the time being, i think after all that you checked this should be cuasing your problems.

Did you check the disturbutor for water damage though?

Do you have a volt meter to check to see if the battery has somewhere about 12.6V?

Like I asked before, but no one cares. May be I shouldn't bug into other people's problem since it does me no good.

OK so I finally got time to jack the car up and look at it. I changed the oil and filter (hasn't been changed forever), looked at the spark plugs, removed them, and I'm going to buy some more this week... Anyways, I am still getting NO POWER. Like I said, the Fuses are fine.. No burnt ones. Also I checked the distributor cap.. No sign of water or any cracks that I can see. I didn't completely remove the distributor, but is that what I need to do to check it??? Also, I removed the battery and will get it checked this week.. It's possible that it could be dead. If it isn't the battery, you guys got Any more ideas? Let me know.. Thanks

-syn0s

Originally posted by Tofuboy


Like I asked before, but no one cares. May be I shouldn't bug into other people's problem since it does me no good.

I know . I noticed that too. Some people persist in stupidity and don't take others advice. Thats fine with me. I bet I'm right about a loose wire. :thefinger