Went to go wash my 84 gsl, she has what I've been told a dowl pin leak (leaks oil between the first and second housing) Any how I sprayed water under the body to wash away some of the oil. Go to leave and she wont start. Hear the starter kick in but she wont start. Lights,radio work so I don't think its the battery. I thought maybe the starter may be wet so I set for 2 hours and try agian, still nothing. Wait another hour try again now nothing no starter kicking in but still have lights radio. I even tried push starting..nothing. Any suggestions....

 

just thinking, under car. or under hood also? if the started is turning, then it can be spark or gas. i would check the plug and coil wires first. is it turning like it wants to start? guess i need more info on wwhat you checked and where you sprayed. all i can think of is you sprayed something loose.

 

Ya I agree. Double check that the ignition wires are all connected still and are tight. Make sure there's no water in under your distributor cap. Maybe water is affecting the spark.

Take a spare spark plug and pull off one of the wires of a plug. Ground the plug on the car somewhere and have someone else turn it over - you'll then know if you have spark or not.

If you have spark then like kettleman says, you have no fuel. Maybe the pump just went - they die sometimes so maybe it was just this time.

 

Is the starter actually turning the motor, or just clicking? If its just clicking, then it sounds like your wiring for your starter is wet. Good luck.

 

Distributer is fine, sprayed under drivers side from back of engine to just under drivers side. could hear the starter at first, but then nothing no power but again lights and stereo work.

 

Sounds like you kicked the starter trigger wire off with the water... Check it... Look through my thread for the diagram.

 

Hey Pele,

Tried looking in faq under starter trigger wire get nothing.. little hepl please

thanks

 

You looked under the FAQ or in my Non Starting thread... In my thread, I have a diagram of a starter, there's three wires... It's going to be a small thin one and two thick ones... The small thin one sounds like it's off.

 

But if it's just the starter then why didn't the push-start work?

 

The last time that happened to me was with one of my '82s at a coin-op car wash.
I sprayed down the engine bay and afterward the engine would crank but not start.

Fortunately it was at night. I lifted the hood and had my then-girlfriend crank the engine over. It's amazing how sparks jumping across places they shouldn't be are invisible in daylight but shine brightly in the dark.

The current was shorting across my coil leads due to the excess water. Dried them off, cranked the engine, car started right up.

 

could have been that when trying to start at first car flooded? so when he pushed it it was still flooded. just a guess.

 

Ya ok - I'll buy that. Good thinking.

 

She lives... After removing the starter the black wire coming off the solenoid (not sure of spelling) had been torn, probably from the high pressure wash. Spliced it put a new connecter fired right up. Will learn to clean under the car by hand.

Thanks all for the suggestions

 

Did the diagram help?

 

Hey Pele,

I printed out the diagram to let me know what to expect when I got under the car. I could see that the wire was torn as soon as I got the starter out I could also see where I all my oil is going from the dowel leak. that stuff is everywhere.

 

Number one cause of starter, alternator, and other electrical component failure... Crud... I've saved myself a bunch of cash with a free afternoon, a toothbrush, and a bucket of turpentine.