watered down engine won't start

[white-eagle]

i was cleaning up the bus engine trying to determine oil leak areas and possible fixes.  i had it running to warm up.  sprayed it with some degreaser soap stuff, then let it set for awhile.  went back later and washed the engine off, spraying the heads, oil fill side of the engine, back toward the oil filter where just put a new line on last week, etc.  everything that i could reach from the back of the bus.  regular garden hose, not high pressure hose.

then i thought i'd start back up to dry it off and watch for leaks.  turned the switch up front, but used the starter button in back.  no start.  cranked for 5 sec, then again, then again.  didn't seem to fire.  filters clean and like i said, was just running 45 min earlier.  the battery started to slow up a little, so i quit for a few minutes.

went up to the front and hit the rocker to engage the starter and on she went.

tried it today and the back button worked fine.

any thoughts on what happened? 

[Len Silva]

That's easy, you got water in the distributor

[cody]

I see 2 problems, a clean detroit is a confused detroit. lol

[JackConrad]

Something stuck in engine stop circuit?  Engine stop piston on governor or or engine solenoid? Did you see any white smoke while cranking?  Jack

[Blacksheep]

Sounds more like the rear starter switch got wet and wasn't making a contact. After you got it started, the heat from the engine probably dried it out and all is well!
Keep in mind, that even though it doesn't get wet wet, steam from hot water can seep into areas unknown and cause moisture on contacts to not make a connection, but you already knew that I'm sure!

Ace

[Sojourner]

Ace...amen!
FWIW
I don't know Eagle system but my MCI-8 will not run from rear panel unless front master switch on dash is in on position and trans in neutral. I believe it wired this way to keep stranger from starting.
Along what Jack said about engine kill solenoid or lever stuck in off position. You can see if kill lever is in "on" position while cranking to start.
Check to see if kill lever will move freely via hand with spring tension while in "on" mode.
FWIW
Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

I'm with Jack on this one...

It happened to me twice after power washing the engine.

Reset the butterfly on the emergency stop at teh injector pump.

Nick-

[gumpy]

I'm with Jack on this one...

It happened to me twice after power washing the engine.

Reset the butterfly on the emergency stop at teh injector pump.

Nick-

Tom has a 92 series engine (8V92, I think). He doesn't have a emergency stop butterfly.

Does an eagle have a safety shutdown circuit like MCI?  Maybe water on one of the sensors was grounding it and activating the shutdown circuit.

Or, possibly the stop cylinder was stuck in the fuel off position. I've had them do that. A bit of water could cause the rod to rust a bit and stick it.

craig

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Yea Craig,

I didn't mean to say butterfly but "Rod" is what I ment..

[white-eagle]

Len is pulling my chain, right?  no distributor on diesel.

no white smoke.

power switch up front was on.  was in back after washing, and hit button.  like i said, i think i just walked up to front area and hit the rocker and it started.
there is a toggle which is like putting the key in and flipping on so the lights come on, then a rocker to kick the starter over.  had the toggle on when i hit the back starter button, but it only started up when i hit the front starter rocker.  today, they both worked fine.

i figured since it was turning, the compression had to be there to fire and there should not have been a fuel issue.  maybe the kill switch wire was wet, but it was right next to the start button which worked, but engine didn't kick in.  i even tried just a touch of ether which didn't make sense since it was about 70 dgrees, but tried anyway.

i think Cody was right, just didn't like the bath and the oil i washed off the engine.  gumpy is also correct in that it is an 8v92t. 

thanks for the responses.

[Busted Knuckle]

check your spark plug wires! They cause all kind of problems when wet if they haven't been replaced regularly!   BK 

[VAN]

Don't forget ,wiper blades every 6,000 mi as they seriously affect the single four sided dektophonic relay valve when over lubricated whith your favorite beverage,which in turn can cause premature hyper stagnation of the sub chingus valves thus reducing syncronized harmonic balance of the exhaust reduction device's bearings.

  just my 2 cents of diesel
          VAN

P.S there will always be some sort of bugs
that appear after washing an engine.

[Sojourner]

Van......thank for sharing two of your bugs.

I put one of them in my file so I can test it with my can of bug killer as soon as possible.

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

[VAN]

Hey man I only had one bug when I started ,See what happens when ya add water damn bugs start multiplying. LOL

      Looking for raid

                VAN

[redbus]

Manasst

I think they are pulling your leg. It cannot be the muffler bearing. You just got water in the carb. Have Fran pour a quart of oil in the carb while you crank it over and see what happens.

good luck