Audi no start after water spilled on engine

firefly08

Car is an Audi A6 1998 2.8 30v. I was changing a leaking valve cover gasket and a plastic coolant connector under the reservoir broke, spilling coolant on the valve cover. Some of it spilled when the plug leads were out (plugs were in though). Anyway, now the car will crank over but not start. It spluttered and kind of started to run briefly a couple of times, but now it just cranks over with no sign of catching. I have sprayed WD-40 on everything electrical in the area, all the connections, plug connectors, and left it over night - still the same this morning. I have scanned the car, no codes.

Any suggestions on what I can try next? Should I pull the plugs and hope it will dry out? Thanks!

richardsheil

firefly08 wrote: »

Any suggestions on what I can try next? Should I pull the plugs and hope it will dry out? Thanks!

Yes. Pull plugs, wipe them and leads with cloth. Reinstall. Off you go.

firefly08

richardsheil wrote: »

Yes. Pull plugs, wipe them and leads with cloth. Reinstall. Off you go.

Hmm ok that didn't work. I made sure they were dry and the leads too. Still no dice.

I tested with an in-line ignition tester, and I'm seeing it light up no bother. I only tested 4 out of the 6 (because it was a huge pain in the *** to get the tester attached to the recessed plugs) but I tested all 3 on the side where I spilled the water, and 1 from the other side.

The only other thing I've been able to check so far was the fuel pump fuse, which is ok. Too dark now to check the relay or anything else.

It seems like too much of a coincidence that it would be the fuel system, after I was working on the car, spilled some water, and now it won't run - that's what made me think it had to be ignition related. Is the ingition tester a valid test? For instance, could the tester light up even though water is somehow preventing the spark from firing inside the cylinder?

shamwari

firefly08 wrote: »

Hmm ok that didn't work. I made sure they were dry and the leads too. Still no dice.

I tested with an in-line ignition tester, and I'm seeing it light up no bother. I only tested 4 out of the 6 (because it was a huge pain in the *** to get the tester attached to the recessed plugs) but I tested all 3 on the side where I spilled the water, and 1 from the other side.

The only other thing I've been able to check so far was the fuel pump fuse, which is ok. Too dark now to check the relay or anything else.

It seems like too much of a coincidence that it would be the fuel system, after I was working on the car, spilled some water, and now it won't run - that's what made me think it had to be ignition related. Is the ingition tester a valid test? For instance, could the tester light up even though water is somehow preventing the spark from firing inside the cylinder?

You didn't trip an interia cut-off switch ?

Paddypowered

As you said you changed the rocker cover, did you unplug any connections and forget to plug them back in?? ie...camshaft sensor??

firefly08

shamwari wrote: »

You didn't trip an interia cut-off switch ?

Nope definitely not!

Paddypowered wrote: »

As you said you changed the rocker cover, did you unplug any connections and forget to plug them back in?? ie...camshaft sensor??

No, everything was plugged in.

So, the latest on it is that after cranking for a long long time I got it to fire up and start. Now it seems to be back to normal! I can't explain it tbh but there you go.

firefly08

After some research I think I know what it was now. Bear with me:

Before I started replacing the vcg, the car was parked too close to the kerb. I hate starting cars for just a few seconds, so I tried pushing it back...but this car weighs about 4000 lbs so that wasn't happening. So I started it, reversed a foot or so, and stopped it, then set to work. 24 hours later, car wouldn't start without a very long crank time.

I suspect the problem was something called "lawnmower syndrome". It seems to be a known thing with older, high mileage cars (this car has 192,000 miles). You start the car cold, run it for just a few seconds, then let it sit for a long time (mine sat for 24 hours before I tried to start it, because I have had bad luck with RTV sealant failing if it's not allowed to cure).

The name comes from the apocryphal story of backing the car out to get to the lawnmower, then hours later you try to start it to put it back in, and it won't run.

Some people say it's caused when the extra fuel from a cold start washes the cylinders and you loose compression. Of course if the car was allowed to come up to temp the problem would never appear.

Any thoughts on that?