DerSchlechtSpecht

I woke up this morning after a horible rain storm that lasted all though the night and most of yesterday. When I started the car I noticed something was wrong immediatly, It seemed as if The engine was missing firing alot, sometimes the idle was smooth then extremely rough and missing, then okay then bad. When The car was warmed up I gave it a drive, I noticed it upon acceleration in low rpm's especially, but in high rpm's i notice nothing, what gives, could it have to do with the storm, maybe water in the engine compartment? The car ran perfect before the storm.

Thanks
Christian

Jason-85944

Seems as if water may have gotten into some electical component. Check the connection around the coil and make sure its dry, check plug wires and dist cap. Seems as if it is definately an ignition prob though.

Jason

Bill

I had a simmilar problem after bathing my motor at the $0.25 car wash. I found that water had gotten into the electrical connection at the fuel injectors. This condition could either cause a no start condition or a nasty miss.

So the moral of the story is that water in any of the electrical system connections (fuel/ignition/management)can ruin your day.


The easy fix is to spray the affected connection with WD 40 (light oil aerosol spray). The spray will remove the water and allow the electrons to flow properly again. Since I am a fanatic about a clean engine (read: frequent $0.25 carwashings) I keep a small can of WD 40 in the glove box.

During the connector removal/spray/reconnecting process, make sure that the connectors all reseal properly to avoid this issue in the future.

Roy LaZelle

Check the passengers side foot well for signs of water leaking from the battery box area into the DME.... and pray that is not your problem --Roy--

rplencne

Sounds like you're due for a new set of plug wires. You might want to have a peek under the hood once it's dark out. If it's still missing, I suspect you'll see/hear the arcing.

-Bob P.

Manning

Oh my G-d, your engines missing after it got wet. Did it melt like the wicked witch of the west? <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

Just kidding.

I had a problem last summer where my car would not stay running when starting on a warm afternoon if it had rained a lot the night before. It may have had to do with the humidity, but replacing the DME/fuel pump relay seemed to sort that problem out. Then it happened again this spring one time. I figured why not go ahead and replace the position and speed sensors. When I was in there doing that I noticed that one of the drain holes for the area in front of the windshield drains right onto those sensors. If your sensors are original and the wires are crusty and cracking maybe water is effecting their signal.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I don't have that starting problem any more.

Type_LT

Generally if you car drives poor in the rain drive it harder so it gets warmer and burns the water up! How's that technical deep thought recommendation?

tifosiman

Man, if I woke up and my engine was missing, it would give me the excuse to buy that 3 litre and install it in the gaping hole that was there....

Tifosiman

Type_LT

tifosman: why didn't I think of that joke? <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" />

Steve Lavigne

Yeah... I really hate acid rain!

<img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

Bill

DerSchlecht,

One thing about the rennlist, ask a simple question.....and get more confused.

By the responces (all good), you can really see how many areas the electrical system affects. This is why "old timer" mechanics hated the onslaught of the computer era.

Just remember KISS when trouble shooting (Keep it Simple Stupid).

Always start at the end of the system. IE: If you have a no start condition, pull out a spark plug (the end of the ignition system), if you have spark, whala the entire ignition system is good - move on to the fuel system, if not back track.

In your case where the car is missing at idle and you don't have a scope, pull individual plug wires, if the miss increases at all cases, move on to the fuel system, if you pull a plug wire and the miss is not increased, you have found your culprit, back track that circuit.

But most importantly, when you find the problem......share the cure with your fellow listers! Good hunting.

DerSchlechtSpecht

Guys,
thanks for all of the replies. Before I had a chance to read all of them, I took the car out for a drive, it has been about 18 hours since I last drove it this morning, and It has been dry since. The car started right up, not missing a beat. Maybe it was water somewhere stuck in the you know what but Its good now. But I think I will get thoes plug leads anyway. Im thinking of going with the oem bosch, any suggestions?

Christian

muso58

Just wondering could it still be there buyt smaller!!

Dave951M

I had a similar problem, caused by a leak in the battery box. It got progressively worse, ultimately the instruments went out, as did part of the lighting system. The cause was a short in the ground bus under the dash coupled with a wet passenger footwell. Thoroughly dried the car out, patched the hole, cleaned the ground bus, no further problems.

Dave