problems after washing engine compartment
 

Hi. I am trying to sell my 96 accord and I was trying to make it look its best for a potential buyer by washing under the hood with plain water(which I was told by my Honda certified tech man that doing so was perfectly ok). After washing it i drove it around for a few minutes and my temperature gauge shot up all the way to the H. So i immediatly went home and popped the hood. Smoke started rolling out from the fuse box. I took the cover off and didndt see any damage. I called my honda tech man and he said that it just needs to dry. So i let it sit with the hood up for about an hour or so. Everything was dry but once i started my car up the check engine light was now on and the car started Idling VERY oddly up and down up and down. There was also a not so good sound coming from the result of shifting into reverse and D3. I didnt know so much bad st uff could happen just from spraying the engine compartment with water. I was told by 3 or 4 "car people" that it was perfeclty ok. Any ideas on what could be causing the problem? I relaly dont want to have to spend another 300 dollars just to get something fixed before i can sell the car. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated. thanks

RE: problems after washing engine compartment
 

This is definitely not a good scenerio. You shouldnt ever "spray" down the entire engine compartment with water. This is like trying to clean your home stereo with a hose. Its very possible thata fuse panel,essential circuit or sensor is shorted out or damaged. You may need to being your car in or pull the engine codes yourself. Whenever there is smoking electronics, you are in for a headache. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

RE: problems after washing engine compartment
 

haha shoot..i wish the mechanic at the honda dealer that services my car wouldnt have told me it was completely ok to spray the whole compartment down haha, thanks for the future info...in the end everything turned out ok...sold the car for 3500 with 165000 miles on it and got a 2002 olds bravada with 20s haha...works for me :D

RE: problems after washing engine compartment
 

Good to see things worked out for you. Thats one thing I love about hondas, you could set them on fire and they are still worth money.I would reallyget rid ofyour honda tech, dont let him near your bravada, he'll try to ruin that on ya too. :)