Washed the WRX today and had a starting problem!!

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Old 09-15-2004, 05:55 PM
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Washed the WRX today and had a starting problem!!

I washed the car today and after i washed it I tried startng it to move it and it wouldn't start. First time this has happened...I first thought that I didnt press the clutch down enough, so I took the key out and presses the clutch and it started right up...NOW I did get some water in the exhaust, not alot...and tried to keep the water away from the hood scoop....It was parked at an angle on its side about 30 degrees...I have searched a learned we have to keep the key in the on position for about 3 seconds for teh fuel pump to run the fuel...Could this have been my problem by starting it too fast...Now it starts up fine, it has 17K miles and has helix uppipe,downpipe and exhaust and HKS BOV....

any ideas?
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:03 PM
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Make sure you don't get your I/C wet!!!


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Old 09-15-2004, 06:07 PM
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Originally Posted by brucelee
Make sure you don't get your I/C wet!!!



i dont think i think , because i used the shower method and kept the water really low...but wat if i got a little in the I/C wat would happen?????.i just checked the battery terminal its all good and its a new battery from subaru i got last week....
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:13 PM
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...I'm not sure, but since the STi comes with a I/C water sprayer, I think getting the I/C wet might make it work better...
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:20 PM
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i have a cusco vented hood, and i never bother to block the vents when i wash my car. tons of water get inside the hood, but i never had any apparent problems with the water.
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:21 PM
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You don't want to stick the hose into the hood scoop and spray full blast into the I/C if the motor is hot.

As you probably know, the I/C is directly over the engine block.

the sti I/C has a mist sprayer, not a garden hose!

I usually stick a rag in my fartcan exhaust when I'm washing my car, just to prevent any water getting in.
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:26 PM
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ive sprayed the entire engine bay with a garden hose before... then again, taht was when i was planning on cleaning the emjin.
only think i coverd up was the alternator and my ballasts.
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:32 PM
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i spray in the I/C all the time. but then i'm stupid so who knows.
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Old 09-15-2004, 06:35 PM
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Originally Posted by hYpE-R-29
I washed the car today and after i washed it I tried startng it to move it and it wouldn't start. First time this has happened...I first thought that I didnt press the clutch down enough, so I took the key out and presses the clutch and it started right up...NOW I did get some water in the exhaust, not alot...and tried to keep the water away from the hood scoop....It was parked at an angle on its side about 30 degrees...I have searched a learned we have to keep the key in the on position for about 3 seconds for teh fuel pump to run the fuel...Could this have been my problem by starting it too fast...Now it starts up fine, it has 17K miles and has helix uppipe,downpipe and exhaust and HKS BOV....

any ideas?


on a more serious note, what's the problem?
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Old 09-15-2004, 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by AzN121184
on a more serious note, what's the problem?
his problem is that the car wouldn't start the first time. Try reading.


getting water in your exhaust won't hurt it. I'm sure it won't travel all the way to the front of your car and upwards into the turbo. We saw some guys at the BDG meet not know how to turn their car on because they had to let the ECU turn on first. If you have an aftermarket one, that may be the case. Otherwise, maybe that note you mentioned about the fuel pump warming up was what didn't allow it to start. I'm sure there's nothing wrong.
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Old 09-15-2004, 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by yayitzian
his problem is that the car wouldn't start the first time. Try reading.


getting water in your exhaust won't hurt it. I'm sure it won't travel all the way to the front of your car and upwards into the turbo. We saw some guys at the BDG meet not know how to turn their car on because they had to let the ECU turn on first. If you have an aftermarket one, that may be the case. Otherwise, maybe that note you mentioned about the fuel pump warming up was what didn't allow it to start. I'm sure there's nothing wrong.

he stated his initial problem of not being able to start the car. Then he proposed an idea as to maybe it led to his clutch not being down all the way. He tried that plan, and it started. So one would think it wasn't really a problem to begin with.



so yes i did read.
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Old 09-15-2004, 07:28 PM
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I read some where on i-club that the reason why you want to put the ignition on the "on" position is so that the fuel lines can be pressurized. I've been doing that ever since and I don't have any issues about starting up.
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Old 09-15-2004, 08:04 PM
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Originally Posted by supertek75
I read some where on i-club that the reason why you want to put the ignition on the "on" position is so that the fuel lines can be pressurized. I've been doing that ever since and I don't have any issues about starting up.

also on another note..i had about 25% gas left and parked it slightly at an angle to the left side...could this also cause the fuel pump not to extract fuel???...Also do I have anything to worry about, I took it for a drive and now it starts back up normally, just that one time had me all paranoid and shietttt!!

Thanks guys for helping a newbie out
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Old 09-15-2004, 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by hYpE-R-29
also on another note..i had about 25% gas left and parked it slightly at an angle to the left side...could this also cause the fuel pump not to extract fuel???...Also do I have anything to worry about, I took it for a drive and now it starts back up normally, just that one time had me all paranoid and shietttt!!

Thanks guys for helping a newbie out

i'm by no means a tech guy, but would all this be a little too much? For any car brought into the market sold to almost anyone, i would think they dont have a certain "waY" or method to start the car such as turning the key to the on position and things like that. I have had the car for over a year, and i haven't never purposely waited X amt of time before actually starting the car and so far so good.
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Old 09-15-2004, 09:19 PM
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its all in your head dood.

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