# 1998 Volkswagen GTI won’t start after pressure wash

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** gti, volkswagen\
**Created:** [January 27, 2021, 9:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532 "2021-01-27T09:36:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GladmanGrawana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/41988e/32.png) [@GladmanGrawana](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GladmanGrawana)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 9:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532/1 "2021-01-27T09:36:33Z")

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Good day!

Last night I washed my engine using Engine cleaner and pressure water and of course it was iddling, now it won’t start.

What could have gone wrong?

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**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532/2 "2021-01-27T13:58:56Z")

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Something got wet that should be dry.  
Now you have learned to never, ever, use a pressure washer on an engine.  
I take that back, you could use a pressure washer on an external combustion engine where the firebox is manually fed.

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**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532/3 "2021-01-27T16:20:25Z")

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Do you have a crank, no start situation? If yes check all your fuses.  
No crank—hydro locked?

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**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532/4 "2021-01-27T23:12:03Z")

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What possessed you to wash an engine?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-volkswagen-gti-won-t-start-after-pressure-wash/174532/5 "2021-01-27T23:22:51Z")

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Wet ignition components will prevent an engine from starting.

Remove the distributor cap, and spray the inside with WD 40 and see if it starts.

Tester