Laishes

Hi Yota Tech!

Recently acquired a 1993 Toyota Truck, Base model, Reg Cab, 2wd, 22re 5speed with very little rust for a wisconsin truck (Rust belt)

The truck has 160k original miles

I went on a 4 hour round trip to west bend wisconsin yesterday with 0 issue.

Today is a VERY COLD DAY here in madison, wisconsin and i had the dumb idea to take my truck to a car wash.

I pulled the truck into the heated manual car wash bay and sprayed the entire car, including the engine bay lightly. No the truck was not running. However I didn't think this was necessary at the time because the engine bay wasn't being power-washed just lightly sprayed.

After I was done washing the truck I went to crank it and.... nothing. just turning over.

To get my truck out of the bay i popped her in neutral and pushed her on out.

after some time waiting (all the water at this point was evaporating/freezing) I finally I heard a little bit of a sputter after continually trying to turn it over.

Then waited again. while it was turning over I heard a VERY loud "BANG!" and then it sputtered to a start. I got out of the truck wondering why it was sounding so weird and I looked underneath the truck and the muffler was completely blown apart.

After all this I drove it home to where it is now parked.

I also noticed while inspecting the truck that one of the spark plug wires is frayed at the location where it enters the top of the 3rd spark plug. (If were standing in front of the car counting towards the back).

Could this be the issue?

I don't know where to begin.

After parking it again and trying to start it it makes the loud bang again after turning it over a couple times. (Yes the engine was warm all times starting it except for after I started it in the car wash, the engine wasn't completely cold (beyond tick mark) but was at the furthest left white tick mark)

I haven't tried to start it all the way yet don't know if it will again.

Any ideas for me guys? what should i do first etc?a

bswarm

Take the distributor cap off and see if there's moisture inside.

Laishes

ok one sec. going to run out and snap some pictures too.

Laishes

There was moisture around the ends of the wires and in the distributor cover

Laishes

moisture on cover

Laishes

shure is!

Laishes

Went out to the truck and checked to see if the plug wires are dry yet and sure enough they are.

sprayed some wd40 on the distributor cap and she fired right up!

woohoo!

now for new spark plugs and wires....

bswarm

I can see by the second photo you need a set of plug wires. Might as well replace the plugs, cap & rotor also.

Laishes

you think i need plug wires?

atleast she started!

bswarm

Yeah, they looked obviously pretty bad.
At one of the auto repair shops I worked at, we used to mess with each others cars for fun. I replaced all the plug wires with vacuum hose, it looked just like plug wires. Get this, the engine started and ran fine using vacuum hose as plug wires! Blew me away.