96 240sx: Won't Start After Driving in the Rain

[offtheline]

I've been having this problem now for a long time and it is getting to the point that I almost want to sell my S14.

This happens intermittently, but sometimes after I drive in the rain (not always) my car will not start. Actually, it will start, but then will immediately die. Then after I try it a couple more times, it won't even fire up. It seems like the motor just doesn't get enough fuel somehow. Sometimes it will die slowly.

Usually after I wait for a few days, it will start and run fine. Then, the cycle repeats itself and I get stranded in some parking lot and have to get my car towed after a rain.

I have had a mechanic look at the car and every time I get it towed to the mechanic, it will start up and run fine. Nobody has been able to find the problem.

I am guessing that it is an electronic fuel delivery problem where something gets shorted out in the rain. That, or maybe it is some sort of electrical problem related to the vacuum system.

Does anyone have any ideas? Please help. This car has been so unreliable now for months and I'm not sure what to do with it. It is my baby, but this problem just won't go away.

[offtheline]

It just started today.

I didn't do anything to it.

The weather warmed up and some of the water must have evaporated.

Though, a bit of white smoke came from my exhaust when revving it just after I started it up. I wonder if water isn't somehow getting into my gas tank?

[Felipe]

seams like watter is getting in and shorting out some thing... does this also happen when you wash it?

[wrenched_1]

ok heres how you figure out your problem:

1.Get your car to start when dry (should be a problem i assume).

2.start pour a little water on electrical components under the hood (distributor, wiring harness, sensors, ect.)

3. Listen for your engine to start to die and stop pouring, this should help pin point your problem.

Hopefully this works for you, I know i have used this technique several times.

[offtheline]

Actually I haven't washed the ol' girl in a while, but simply washing the exterior has never caused any problems.

Once when I took it to a mechanic, it fired up for them after I had it towed there, and they tried spraying the underside with water to get it to act up, but it never did anything.

The strange thing is that it doesn't always happen either. When I drive it in the rain, it often doesn't act up at all.

I dunno. It is crazy.

[offtheline]

ok heres how you figure out your problem:

1.Get your car to start when dry (should be a problem i assume).

2.start pour a little water on electrical components under the hood (distributor, wiring harness, sensors, ect.)

3. Listen for your engine to start to die and stop pouring, this should help pin point your problem.

Hopefully this works for you, I know i have used this technique several times.

I may try doing this, but I fear that it is some electrical connection hidden out of sight that is getting wet.
Modified by offtheline at 12:54 AM 3/5/2007

[vancouverbc]

when its not working, check to see if your spark plugs are sparking.is the fuel pump coming on when it is not working. learn to listen for fuel pump. it comes on for 5 seconds when you first turn ignition to on.

[boriquaS13]

Next time you get it started take a windex or some sort of spray bottle empty the bottle and put water in and spray water on the distributor cap see if it stalls sounds like your getting moisture in your ditributor cap. Or you could wait until it does not start remove the cap and check for moisture in there, if there is you found your problem. Good luck.