wet problem

[fly944]

My car seems to be having a wet problem. IT is ok in light rain, however when it starts to reall y pour my car will start to miss and then die out every now and then. After sitting for a few minutes it will fire back up and run fine unless it starts to pour again. My car has new clutch and new testpipe with new O2 sensor. Could the o2 sensor be getting to wet. If I open the hood I don't see any noticeable buildup of water any where.

Any Ideas?

[Lawrence Coppari]

Battery gets wet on mine. Is passenger footwell dry?

[SoCal Driver]

My 83 944 was picking up water through the cam/timing belts and throwing it into the back side of the distrubutor. Easy to do as there is a very perceptable gap between the outter crank pulley (generator and A/C) and the plastic covers.

There is supposed to be a round plastic shield behind the rotor when you take off the dist. cap. Also there is supposed to be a gasket the shape of the base of the dist cap between the dist cap and the aluminum cover.

Most 944s seem to have these two items missing for what ever reason.

[fly944]

Ok guys it is raining again here in sunny florida and my car did it again. Can't seem to figure this one out. Ill be driving and it just cuts out then it will turn over and start to fire, but won't. After a couple of minutes sitting it will fire back up and run with a slight miss at idle then a few minutes later if it continues to rain it will do it again. Last time it did it as I pulled into my garage and I pulled the airbox, not a drop of water. ALthough there was a strong fuel odor. Water seems to be drainaing properly from my batt. box and fuse box area. Could my o2 sensor be taking on water. It seems that something is getting wet either causing no spark or excessive richness.

ANy Takers?

[97XRAY]

I'm with SoCal driver
Are you sure that water isn't getting onto the coil area, the iginition cables or the distributor cap?
That would be my obvious check; I had a similar problem when I first bought the car, now that I have the new distributor it's gone.

[fly944]

i HAVE CHECKED THIS VISUALLY. wHEN i OPEN THE HOOD THERE ISNT A DROP OF WATER ANY WHERE NEAR THE FONT OR TOP OF THE MOTOR.

[SoCal Driver]

Originally posted by fly944
i HAVE CHECKED THIS VISUALLY. wHEN i OPEN THE HOOD THERE ISNT A DROP OF WATER ANY WHERE NEAR THE FONT OR TOP OF THE MOTOR.

I really hate to tell you this Fly944 but just opening the hood and looking doesn't show you any water that the timing/balance belts my have brought up BEHIND the plastic covers and deposited into the BACK of the distributor cap. You most likely have to PULL the cap or use a flashlight and look carefully though the little inspection hole to the upper right of the dist cap (which may or may not show moisture).

Note: the dist cap is a PITA to take off. Even the 944 repair manual shows you how to bend a screwdriver to get to the two capture latches.

[fly944]

Checked that 1st time. Anything else?

[SoCal Driver]

Originally posted by fly944
Checked that 1st time. Anything else?

So there is the little round sheild behind the rotor sealing the dist. cap proper from the cam gear and timing belt.

There is no water on or around the coil. Or the spark plugs or wires.

Hmmm....

There is a very rare vapor lock that occures when the fuel lines on the bottom of a 944 are cooled too fast. Since the gas recirculates between the engine and the gas tank it sometimes becomes very hot -- for gas that is.

When the steel lines under the car are hit with cool water there is a chance that the thermal shock can cause the expanded hot gas to contract so fast it starves the fuel pump and thus the injectors. Takes a while for the system to reach temperature equilibrium thus your problem restarting.

I would take the temperature of the gas in the tank and the water you just drove through next time and post it here so the delta can be figgured out.

[AFJuvat]

While the vapor lock suggestion is an extremely rare, but valid point, I think we can rule it out since I live in the same area (within 2 miles) and drive a mechanically identical car (mine is an 85.5, his is an 86).

Taking a shot in the dark here but, could it be possible that you are somehow getting water into the fuel pump area, possible shorting it out?

It is theoretically possible that it is O2 sensor related, but in most cases, a faulty O2 sensor just causes the car to run rich/poorly

Bring it by the house, we can nail it down Sat or Sun.


AFJuvat

[951carter]

is the left side fender liner in place? you may be sucking water into the intake, i doubt it, but it is common on early cars w/out the fender liner.
is your battery box leaking and dripping water on the DME?

[SMC]

I have the same issue, do you think it could be the timing or speed sensor getting wet?

[hpservertech]

The speed & ref sensors are sealed sensors. If they get wet it wont effect anything.

It sounds more like what everyone else has suggested. Sounds like the distributor/coil is getting wet.

[Razorback1980]

Also check the right floor for water. The computer is there and if it gets wet, it will cause all kinds of problems. If you can get it to do this at night, then open the hood and look for sparks flying around...that might help you find it. You can also SOMETIMES hear the spark jump if you listen close enough.