So I've detailed my 5.0's engine a few times in the past using information gathered across the web. In a nut shell, I run the engine to warm it up, cover my alternator, distributor cap, and one or two other components then spray it down to get steam going. Then i wash it with a certain detergent and scrub for a few hours. This has worked fine for me several times.
However, I did the exact same thing on my wifes 1994 V-6 and for some reason I couldn't drive over 20 mph when I started it up and drove it the next morning. Come to find her catalytic converters were shot and I was told they were flooded. The one who repaired it explained how cats basically melt when water reaches them.
Anyway, does anyone know why this may have happened? What did I not cover to allow water to get all the way down into the cats? There where no problems with the headers that I could tell (no holes). The car has since been sold and is out of my hands, however I'm afraid to detail my 1991 5.0's engine again in the fear that I may repeat what happened with her 1994.
I,ve never heard anything like this I worked in a detail shop on and off for about 7 years and the only thing I ever ran into was some times we would get some water into the distributor cap. So we would spary a shot of wd-40 and be good to go, but we never covered anything and sprayed everything lots of degresser and just did not get real close to the motor with the hotsey power washer. I hope someone can tell you what happened cause I'am curious.
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1990 5.0 lx, 302 saleen votech intake, bbk 75mm throttle body, cold air intake, bbk headers and exhaust all the way back, bbk traction bars, 373 gears, aod with a shift kit
The only way water could have gotten to the converters would be to shoot high pressure water into the intake system and then have it drain down through open intake valves into the combustion chambers. Then before it fired up, it would pump the water through the open exhaust valves into the pipes. I think this is something you could NOT do even if you tried since the intake system is pretty much closed other than the airbox opening, where the baffle and filter would have blocked it.
Hmmmm, maybe the intake duct was off at the time and a quantity of water did go down the tubes?.
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Bone Stock '07 GT 4.6, Redfire w/ parchment leather, Automatic.
If it looks right, it is right, and I decide if it looks right. Paraphrasing Sir Sydney Camm (of Hawker aircraft IIRC)
Melt? Whoever told you that needs to go back to school. If cats melt when water touches them how do they survive when it rains? Engines get detailed all the time and there is no way water can get into the cats that way. HERES TO THE STUPID MECH OF THE DAY
Melt? Whoever told you that needs to go back to school. If cats melt when water touches them how do they survive when it rains? Engines get detailed all the time and there is no way water can get into the cats that way. HERES TO THE STUPID MECH OF THE DAY
LOL +1
this "technician" took you for a ride... you probably just got the coil pack wet.
Detailing your engine...possible problems 
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