Rain Stops Engine

[wardmw]

Hi all,

 

Around London last night it rained a fair bit. Not a huge deluge but more than just a shower you understand.

 

This morning our Galaxy refused to start. All the ignition lights came on as normal but when I turned the key to start it up nothing happened. My first thought was that the ignition key transponder had broken (again) but on trying to start it again four hours later it started up... and died again immediately. Starting it and keeping the revs high for about 20 seconds seemed to resolve the tickover problem and I was able to drive off.

 

The question is: Did the rain cause this and if so, what exactly did it do? I mean, it's not like the car has never seen rain before, we've had it for more than three years and it sits out in the road all the time, not in a garage. It's not like rain is new to it or anything!

 

Any ideas, thoughts or opinions?

 

|\/|artin

[chazhead]

Hmmm...initialy thought that the fuel pump trip under the passenger seat had trigered, or maybe got wet and shorted...but as you said it resolved it's self I'm not so sure now.

[Smilge]

Sounds like you need to get the WD40 out matey and disperse some of that damp.

[mumof4]

Could it be to do with the battery??????

[sparky Paul]

That story sounds strangely familiar... was the engine turning over but not firing? Almost the exact same thing happened to my 2.3 about 6 months ago. The car seemed to fire, then cut out immediately. After that, the starter turned but the car would not start. I gave up trying after a while and retired to study the Haynes book and Ford TIS.

 

After an hour or so, and not much wiser, I tried to start the car again. I found that the car started to fire on odd cylinders with full throttle, and eventually the car started, although it took a few minutes for it to run okay.

 

The subsequent struggle to start the car makes me think the engine was seriously flooded (but not with rain!). I believe that during the initial attempt to start the car, for some reason, the immobiliser had not disengaged and turning the engine over had flooded it. Never had the problem since.

Edited September 25, 2007 by sparky Paul

[Sher]

I used to get this problem in the 60's before the invention of that magical water dispersant WD40.

 

This illustrates just how good it is/was.

 

I once had a Hillman Imp which had snow blowing into the engine compartment whilst we were inside a Drinking Establishment on the Pennine Hills. We left and drove away from the tops and as the snow melted forming water the Hi-tension spark went down. When I looked everything was covered in snow and water. We were able to coast some miles down the road to within 200yards of a petrol station. One passenger who worked at Car Plan of Bury, knew about this new Magical Substance and we bought some.

 

Voila! The engine started even though it was still covered to some extent in melting snow!

 

The firing on one or two cylinders at 1st is symptomatic until the plug leads dry somewhat.

[Sher]

The firing on one or two cylinders at 1st is symptomatic until the plug leads dry somewhat.

 

Should read

 

The firing on one or two cylinders at 1st is symptomatic until the plugs/leads dry somewhat.

 

 

Plus :-

 

My almost foolproof method of finding HT faults on visible parts of the system was to look at the uncovered electrical system when it was very dark, away from street light/ car lights etc. and with the engine running. (Use a blanket over the bonnet when its dark?)

 

A FAINT PURPLISH GLOW around various parts of the electrical system means it is (1) dark enough and (2) the HT voltage is present and is normal. It should be about the same intensity on on similar components-leads/ plugs

 

A careful inspection to look for intermittent or persistant Sparks/tracks/mini lightening flashes may show.

 

If nothing, increase revs until misfiring is evident look again.

 

If nothing I often found that checking/reducing the Spark gap just slightly from the norm reduced the problem. The smaller gap meant that the spark was able to jump the gap instead of tracking elsewhere. Symptomatic of failing HT leads. I seldom had a problem with Copper HT leads with external suppressors though.