Battery not charging aft. engine wash.

[cjcride]

Help!
2003 Toyota Echo, sprayed engine with cleaner and washed it off with garden hose at gentle spray pattern.
Started fine, but after 4 minutes of driving noticed Battery light came on, headlights were dimmer.
Barely got back home.
Hooked up to trickle charger.
What did I wreck?
Thanks

 

[dsmith41]

You screwed up your alternator.

 

[cjcride]

Hope not. I did cover the alternator with a plastic bag.

 

[Seguino]

If you have a shop vac try blow drying the alternator.

 

[cjcride]

Just found the alternator fusible link [120 amp] blown.

 

[Chris142]

Thats odd. I don't think that getting the Alt wet would hurt it. You would think that any water in it would get thrown out as the rotor spun.

Did you knock off a wire to it?

 

[Steve S]

See what happens after everything drys out .

 

[mikered30]

Serp belt slipping?

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Just found the alternator fusible link [120 amp] blown.
Oh. You posted that as I was typin mine

 

[Cutehumor]

I never wash my engine compartment. my car keeps chuggin along.

 

[Michael_P]

Depending how caustic or solvent concentrated the engine cleaner is, you could thin out the coating on the windings on the alternator. It is never a good idea to spray an alternator directly with degreaser. Usually if I use a heavy duty degreaser on an engine, I use simple green around the alternator. The coatings in the windings will dissolve with solvent. Its amazing what can get past a plastic bag. Good luck with that and I hope I am wrong.

 

[hate2work]

You may have simply got engine cleaner on t

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted By: Michael_P
Depending how caustic or solvent concentrated the engine cleaner is, you could thin out the coating on the windings on the alternator. It is never a good idea to spray an alternator directly with degreaser. Usually if I use a heavy duty degreaser on an engine, I use simple green around the alternator. The coatings in the windings will dissolve with solvent. Its amazing what can get past a plastic bag. Good luck with that and I hope I am wrong.

Was simple green. Covered alternator with a plastic bag, best i could.

 

[dsmith41]

Did replacing that fuse fix the problem? I love it when I have a problem and the solution is as simple as a blown fuse!

 

[Michael_P]

If you used Simple Green I doubt you did any permanent damage.

 

[Cutehumor]

I think the critic had a similar problem. paging critic..

 

[cjcride]

Thanks everyone, Nice Site we've got here.

The problem was the large connector to the alternator, it was very corroded i must have broke it when i switched out the thermostat. That is why I was washing off the engine and rad. to clean up.

When I opened the case that houses the fusible links one was completely gone. I assumed it must be the Alternator link but it turned out to be the ABS link and this car does not have ABS.

Enjoy the long weekend everyone.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I think the critic had a similar problem. paging critic..


Never had a problem with washing or power washing engine compartments. I do it all the time.

I think you were thinking about the time when the straw fell into the intake manifold.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I never wash my engine compartment. my car keeps chuggin along.

+1

 

[ahoier]

I've heard of a similar occurance on Mazda vehicles. There's a solenoid that connects the battery/starter/alternator - when the solenoid would get damp/wet (even from as little as some "dew" condensation in the morning per se, the vehicle would appear to have an issue like this.

My friend took it to the mechanic, all he did was sprayed some WD40 around the solenoid to help "displace" the water, and he's never had an issue since.

Interesting enough, I've heard some vehicles have the solenoid "under" the rad. overflow tank....so, say you get some overflow, the water/coolant leaks down to the solenoid, and causes problems, pfft.

But yea in the future, some wd40 MAY help, keeps a sort of barrier so condensation, morning "dew", water, etc can't do any harm.