Won't start after it rains over night

AdirondackFox08

AdirondackFox08

Member Plus
#1
#1
All right, the pos is acting up once again. I changed the coil, cap, rotor, wires, and the plugs a few months ago. This week when it rained over night a few times, including last night, it wouldn't start for shit. I tried spraying some wire dryer, but it doesn't seem to help. The first day it probably took 5 minutes to start, then Wednesday it took at least 10 minutes, and today I couldn't get it started at all. It cranks over fine, the battery is good, and both times when it did start I kept having to play with the throttle before it would run on its own. We checked the spark from the coil, and its an orangeish color, and the same color for the spark at the plug wires. I just tried a new coil to no avail.
When I finally did get it started, it would start up fine the rest of day. The motor would misfire for about 7-10 minutes before it started running fine. Anyhelp will be appreciated. Thanks.
 
MaximumRisk

MaximumRisk

NYC Regional Coordinator
#2
#2
You say this only happens when it rains? Maybe moisture/condensation is getting under the distributor cap wetting the contact points on the cap and the rotor causing weak or no spark?
 
AdirondackFox08

AdirondackFox08

Member Plus
#5
#5
Well the pickup sensor is bad in the distributor, I gotta order a reman distributor maybe next week after I start work again. I have the mustang to drive now so it's not a big deal but now that I will be getting paid I can fix the damn thing. I found out the sensor was bad after I ran the codes on it, and that sensor can mess a lot of things up including starting because of the timing can be off.

I would check the codes on it if I were you and go from there. You can check the codes without a scanner, they are called KOEO, and KOER, you can find how to do them if you search for them on google. Check KOEO ( key on, engine off) first and if everything is good there go to KOER (key on, engine running). Since mine is older, I used a test light from the positive side of the battery to the one slot on the self test output to see the blinking lights for codes, and ran a jumper wire from the self test output to the self test input, then turn the key on. If you need the links on how to do this I can find them for you.
 
mdskinner731

mdskinner731

Member
#6
#6
that would be cool if i/we could figure this out. but one thing my car has NEVER had the CEL (check engine light) come on. even with all the stuttering and stumbling.
it started doing that and a guy i kno said go ahead and put a new head gasket in it. because cyl 2&3 had low compression. so off came the head. out to the machineist and shaved!!! and every gasket in/attached to the motor was replaced since it sat for so long ( just over 40k on the odometer) perfect compression now but there is days it gets up and goes with no issues then, there is other days i've seen old ladies driving the handi-capped carts faster in wal-mart...
 
92BIGREDBEAST

92BIGREDBEAST

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
AdirondackFox08 said:
Well the pickup sensor is bad in the distributor, I gotta order a reman distributor maybe next week after I start work again. I have the mustang to drive now so it's not a big deal but now that I will be getting paid I can fix the damn thing. I found out the sensor was bad after I ran the codes on it, and that sensor can mess a lot of things up including starting because of the timing can be off.

I would check the codes on it if I were you and go from there. You can check the codes without a scanner, they are called KOEO, and KOER, you can find how to do them if you search for them on google. Check KOEO ( key on, engine off) first and if everything is good there go to KOER (key on, engine running). Since mine is older, I used a test light from the positive side of the battery to the one slot on the self test output to see the blinking lights for codes, and ran a jumper wire from the self test output to the self test input, then turn the key on. If you need the links on how to do this I can find them for you.[/QUOTE



I was just gonna say yank out the dizzy and swap with another. Sounds like the pick up coil or module on its last leg. I have a good stock dizzy if you need one. I'll even ship It to ya.
Click to expand...
 
AdirondackFox08

AdirondackFox08

Member Plus
#8
#8
mdskinner731 said:
that would be cool if i/we could figure this out. but one thing my car has NEVER had the CEL (check engine light) come on. even with all the stuttering and stumbling.
it started doing that and a guy i kno said go ahead and put a new head gasket in it. because cyl 2&3 had low compression. so off came the head. out to the machineist and shaved!!! and every gasket in/attached to the motor was replaced since it sat for so long ( just over 40k on the odometer) perfect compression now but there is days it gets up and goes with no issues then, there is other days i've seen old ladies driving the handi-capped carts faster in wal-mart...
Click to expand...
Just because the check engine light doesn't come on, it doesn't mean that there aren't any codes. It wouldn't hurt to check them, and see whatcha get.

92BIGREDBEAST said:
I was just gonna say yank out the dizzy and swap with another. Sounds like the pick up coil or module on its last leg. I have a good stock dizzy if you need one. I'll even ship It to ya.
Click to expand...
Sent you a pm.
 
mdskinner731

mdskinner731

Member
#9
#9
Well even if i hook the scanner to the car (snap-on MT-2500) no codes come up. it does all those tests with a push of a button with nothing coming up? :-/
 
AdirondackFox08

AdirondackFox08

Member Plus
#10
#10
Yeah the mechanic that does some stuff for me put a snap on reader on it and didn't show any codes so I tried the KOEO and KOER ways of pulling codes and I got a few from that. Some reason it didn't work with the scanner, I don't know.
 
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