Won't start in the rain

[kingdutka]

My Nissan is at the shop and I am currently driving my "family loaner" car (a 1995-96 Honda Accord MT, V4), so I thought I'd ask this here. Sorry if it's not a Nissan, but at least I am posting in a non-specific board. Anyway...

Whenever I get up in the morning, if there is moisture on my windows, I know my car is going to give me troubles starting. It takes 3-7 start attempts (10-15 seconds each with 30 seconds between attempts). This only happens when there is moisture on the windows. If the windows are clear, the car fires up right away.

4 days ago, it started raining. After raining for 2 days and not starting the car at all, I went out to start it while it was still raining and it would not start at all. I tried dozens of times and I got it to sputter once or twice, but then my battery died. No amount of charging would help. Finally, I hooked up my dad's Ford F-150 with jumper cables and the Honda started after like 30 seconds. After unhooking the Ford, I let it idle a while, then, as soon as I touched the accelerator, it died. I did get it started again on its own tho. I drove it half a block, shut it off, and it started reluctantly. I approved it and the wife drove it to her mother's house. She said it died 4 times before she got to the freeway, but then it ran fine the whole way there and started fine when she left her mother's like 4-5 hours later.

What would make the car behave this way and will this condition get worse or better when Winter comes?

[cmfireman]

Possibly moisture is somehow getting in the distributor??

Pull off the distributor cover and inspect it for cracks, burnt spots, etc....

You can probably get another distributor cap/rotor button for around $25. It also sounds like you need a new battery if charging it didn't help.

[alms24sebring]

Possibly moisture is somehow getting in the distributor??

Pull off the distributor cover and inspect it for cracks, burnt spots, etc....

You can probably get another distributor cap/rotor button for around $25. It also sounds like you need a new battery if charging it didn't help.

only thing that i could think of ?? wow

winter has generally has drier air.. but i assume heavy early fog will be a promlem. any word from the shop

[kingdutka]

I was thinking that Winter would be nicer to me due to less moisture in the air, but then... recall the mornings where you gotta scrape a layer of frost off your windshield...

The difference? The moisture I notice on the windows when the car won't start is on the inside of the window. Frost in the Winter is on the outside. Hopefully this means frost might build up outside my engine and not inside....

"Any word from the shop?" - Are you referring to my Nissan? Someone stole my ignition key and I had to get a new one before my guy would work on it. I just got that to him yesterday and he has a day job. I'll post when I know more.

[cmfireman]

The difference? The moisture I notice on the windows when the car won't start is on the inside of the window.

This statement kind of confuses me. Do you park your car with the windows down? Cause if not, there shouldn't be any moisture on the inside.......

[kingdutka]

OMG! That was a mistake. All moisture build-up is on outside of windows. (I recall using my windshield wipers to help keep it clear).

So then, I shouldn't get moisture build-up inside my engine and it shouldn't freeze in the winter?

[cmfireman]

I can't tell you on that, I've never been to MN. I would suggest buying a new dizzy cap/button though. You can replace it in 30 seconds, and it probably needs replaced anyway.

Let us know if nothing changes after that.

[240sx_Guy]

not really help but... michigan is getting chitty rain 2.

[kingdutka]

Well, my dad and I cleared all his lawnmowers and stuff out of one stall of the garage and he's letting me park in there now. That should help a lot with the moisture. I'll know more in the morning.

[hsckris]

V4

[kingdutka]

It has a sideways 4 cylinder with manual transmission. i know, i thought it was a V6 when my mom was telling me about it, but she brought it home and I popped the hood... there it is. 4 cylinders... I was disappointed, but at least I get to drive it free while I wait for my Nissan.

[hsckris]

right, that would mean an I4 -- inline. I've never seen a V design four cylinder.

[kingdutka]

Oh wow.. I didn't know there was a difference! :P So what exactly is the difference between "I" and "V"? (Not meaning to get off topic...)

[LayNLow240]

This would be an I4(Inline 4)

And this would be a V6(2 banks of 3 cyls, a V4 would be 2 banks of 2 cyls)

And this would be a Flat4 or Boxer4

So theres the difference, but on the second engine, pretend there are 2 less cylinders.