Q: Car cranks, but won't start - 1995 Jaguar XJS

asked by on September 21, 2016

I did some engine compartment degreasing a week ago. I also washed the car using water and let the engine run as I was finishing up. I closed the hood and was about to go, when the engine shut off. Now, it won't start. There is a lot of cranking but no actual startup. It's now been several days since I let the car sit and each time I try to start it, the car only cranks and nothing more. Is this some kind of a damage caused by my cleaning and degreasing the engine compartment?

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Hey there. It’s quite possible for some water or degreaser to be shorting a connection, but it should hopefully dry out eventually. Pull a spark plug and check for spark. If none, check the ignition module, then ignition connections for wet connections. Have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, diagnose the hard start problem to have this repaired appropriately.

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