little help

[ubernasty]

I'll keep it short and sweet just so you lazy smart guys will actually read this and give me your opinions.


My 325e runs rough only when it rains. When i try to accelerate it sputters and doesn't want to rev up. But, when it hits around 3-3,500 rpm it will kick in and run strong like usual.

I'm thinking a few things could be getting damp.
- plugs/ wires/ connections
- distributor cap
- MAF

[whatt18yahoo]

i'd check to make sure that the distributor cap is dry/ has a good seal if it does then i would check the ecu and associated relays. the issue you're having is definately due to electrical as over 3000 rpms you have a near constant flow of electricity under that the water can disrupt the current. this could turn out to be a nightmare of a problem but i'd look at the distibutor cap first. let me know what you find, i'll try to help

[ubernasty]

i'd check to make sure that the distributor cap is dry/ has a good seal if it does then i would check the ecu and associated relays. the issue you're having is definately due to electrical as over 3000 rpms you have a near constant flow of electricity under that the water can disrupt the current. this could turn out to be a nightmare of a problem but i'd look at the distibutor cap first. let me know what you find, i'll try to help

Thanks for the help brotha man.


Any other input from other people....who's comments all generally seem to be intelligent and knowledgeable?

[Mike325]

It is most likely the distributor or spark related in general.

[StereoInstaller1]

Personally, I would start by checking the spark plug wires.

Easy way to get started is pop the hood and with the car running, get it 100% dark, like a "closed garage at night" kind of DARK...then look for sparks.

A tiny carbon trace can cause a bad misfire and you will never notice anything until you see the spark in the dark. High humidity makes it worse.

Also, whenever an M20 starts to run rough all of a sudden, especially in the rain, check that main relay. If it is old or crusty, that might be the whole damn problem.

main relay is nearly always the culprit of "my car just quits on the freeway then starts right back up again" kind of shit.

3rd on the list is the AFM.

GL!
Luke

[Bin_jammin]

A good test for humid weather is to get a bottle of soapy water in a squirt bottle and spray it in a fine mist around your plug wires/cap area. That'll give it the worst possible scenario for making it run rough due to moisture. If it still runs nicey-nice after that you should look into other areas. You don't need to soak everything, just a fine mist will do it.

That's not a dead giveaway, but it's pretty standard. Pop your cap off and check for external wear on the terminals/rotor. You can use a meter to check the resistance in the wires. Pull your plugs and check 'em out, make sure they're worn evenly and are gapped correctly.

[ubernasty]

A good test for humid weather is to get a bottle of soapy water in a squirt bottle and spray it in a fine mist around your plug wires/cap area. That'll give it the worst possible scenario for making it run rough due to moisture. If it still runs nicey-nice after that you should look into other areas. You don't need to soak everything, just a fine mist will do it.

That's not a dead giveaway, but it's pretty standard. Pop your cap off and check for external wear on the terminals/rotor. You can use a meter to check the resistance in the wires. Pull your plugs and check 'em out, make sure they're worn evenly and are gapped correctly.

Not a bad suggestion, I pulled the plugs and they all show normal wear.

[Hick]

cracked distributor cap

[HarryPotter]

Thanks for the help brotha man.


Any other input from other people....who's comments all generally seem to be intelligent and knowledgeable?

This fuckin cracked me up!

[ortholithiation]

Sounds like you got it. Check all of what you suggested in that order. Before you spend some money, clean the connections.

Sometimes a little cleaning goes a long way.

It's easier for plug wires to arc when it's humid, so give them a check if the distributor looks good.

Its almost always the distributor cap or the wires. Your battery is not relocated to a trunk that leaks is it?

Do you have an aftermarket air filter/ cold air? If not, have you changed stock one recently.

[ubernasty]

This fuckin cracked me up!

muahahaaa....

Sounds like you got it. Check all of what you suggested in that order. Before you spend some money, clean the connections.

Sometimes a little cleaning goes a long way.

It's easier for plug wires to arc when it's humid, so give them a check if the distributor looks good.

Its almost always the distributor cap or the wires. Your battery is not relocated to a trunk that leaks is it?

Do you have an aftermarket air filter/ cold air? If not, have you changed stock one recently.

325e were always in the trunk, and hell yes that muv leaks... its a 325e so obviously.

I've been too busy to work on the damn car, besides pull the plugs which were fine... so i plan on gettin to my shop tomorrow to check things out and hopefully get the car back on the road cus i'm getting bored as fuck driving the beater saturn around.

I only had this problem after i cleaned up my bay (pullled intake mani off and other odds and ends)... but the first time i encountered the problem was with an intake in a huge rain storm. Since then I put the stock intake back and on, and its always been a bitch when it rains or the roads are wet now.