Just bought my first Toyota. Here's the facts:
'94 Corolla DX; 175k miles; runs real good; would crank with just a bump of the key.
So . . . being so smart and all . . . . I decide to clean the engine (it was nasty) and change filters, etc.
Go to car wash, choose "engine cleaner" (just as I have with all my cars); wash motor and rinse.
Car then cranks fine; runs about 1/2 mile and starts skipping. So, I assume water somewhere; car gets worse the longer I go. Finally, it won't even pull up a slight hill.
AND, I BEGIN SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING! (not good). Cut car off and notice carpet below the shifter on both sides has melted. (I poured water on it to cool it off). This must be where the Cat Converter is.
Car wouldn't crank back up; I assumed water in dist cap or the like. Pull off the dist cap -- no water, BUT rotor has chip and cap terminals corroded. I scratched them clean and re-tried to crank. Car cranked but was skipping bad. Began pulling of plug wires to check for water. One plug wire came apart.
Went to get new wires and decided to get new cap and rotor, also. Installed all new wires, cap, rotor. (this took a while to go get and install)
Car cranked right up! Yeah!! . . . . so I thought. Went to get help to drive it home. When we get back car cranks but dies when put in gear. Car then cranks again but skips and runs poorly, cutting of when put in gear. Then, it gets to where it won't crank at all.
HELP????
Why did the Cat Convert get so hot? Is it possible that the Cat is clogged up?
When the Cat Converter got so hot, did it damage a sensor or something?
Should I look for more water somewhere else?
Should I set it on fire and collect the insurance? (oops . . . don't have comprehensive, darn!)
Please send help . . . . .
Thanks
Sounds like you did a good job on your car (sarcastic).
I usually keep the car running when I use engine degreaser and then wash it with a hose.
I have never had any problems.
I try not to spray the alternator, batter, fuse boxes, or distributor.
I have never had water in the catalytic converter.
I always run the car as I dry it off with a rag (towel) and it burns off the extra degrease and water.
The engine gets cleaner and runs fine.
You must have water in a place that should not be wet.
Try starting it and keep it running until it gets hot and everything dries out.
I don't know how your carpet would have started to get hot - there is a heat shield between the exhaust and the body of the car.
Is your car a standard?
I'm not sure what "standard" means. It's automatic. But it did get really hot there! I've not looked under to see if anything (heat shield) has been altered or removed. Only had the car 2 days.
I did try to blow out around the spark plugs. I didn't think there was enough water there to get up to the spark plug end.
I did drag it home last night, so I'll try it again this morning.
I had an '62 VW that used to do this when I washed it. Pull the dist cap and dry everything off and it did fine. Their dist was pretty vulnerable anyway.
Funny how the Corolla would seem to run worse the longer it ran. Wouldn't it begin to run better if it was only water. Seems water would begin to dry up and become less of a problem?
All better now . . .
Fri morning, car cranked enough to move it around. Still running ruff.
Pulled the plugs and cleaned them. Noticed that the plug gaps were much larger than I ever remembered seeing. (Remember I'm a diesel guy and haven't seen plugs in quite a while).
Car cranked and seemed to run fine. Pulled it out and began detailing it, inside and out. I thought my problems were over.
Was going to take it to the parts place to get light bulbs, etc. Well . . . didn't even make it out of the subdivision before it began running bad again.
Went and got new plugs, installed them (didn't set the gap - don't have a guage) And . . . . low and behold . . . it runs fine! Actually took the wife out to eat last night in it.
The old plugs were eaten up. Wide gap . . . the prong was very thin. I wonder why they would have burnt up so bad.
By the way, should I try to set the gap on the plugs or is the factory setting OK?
OK - had a new CAT put on yesterday. The old one was really distroyed!!! Looked like someone had beat the inside with a hammer! Small parts of it are now in the muffler! The exhaust smell apparently came because exhaust couldn't get throuch the CAT and was leaking out at all gaskets.
The exhaust and carpet smell is gone now. I cleaned the inside real good.
All is well, running good, I guess I should buy a gap tool and set the plug gaps though.
Thanks for all the replies and tips!!!
Moral of the story - - When your car is not running right, DON"T try to force it to get you home!!!! The CAT got SO HOT the carpet melted through the floor pan and through a heat sheild!!!!! It had to be REALLY, REALLY HOT!!!!!