My Festiva doesn't like heavy rain....

[NTRCOOL]

Hey guys I have been puzzled lately the other day I was driving home from work and there was a rain storm that was dumping so much rain it made it quite hard to see. On top of that I knew and noticed that my car would sputter here and there while driving in the heavy rain, also the check engine. light would come on during the sputtering. I had to run it at a higher rpm to keep it from dying.(note this isn't the first rainstorm it has sputtered and died in the rain.) I managed to keep it going and made it to the outer part of the storm where the rain was less intense, and the sputtering went away.

This Festiva is as close to stock as I can tell ya. I drilled a couple of holes in the bottom of the air box( that being one idea for the sputter in the rain).

So if you guys have any Idea what is up with it I would be appreciated.

[Festevil3]

Water in the dizzy cap would be my first guess, same problem just happened to TheNewAmerican

[Pu241]

NTRcool, since I've been using a grill block I have had way less issues with that.
Suspect water in the engine bay, on wires, or in distibutor.
Grill block keeps a lot of that water out.
See if I can get pick for you.
Just a piece of polycarbonate across the grill above the bumper.

[David88]

Time to change plugs and wires.

[Movin]

Blocking the grill is one thing but leaving a known ignition problem unfixed is another. It may continue to get worse but without symptoms until someday you hit a water puddle and it sprays up from down under! By then one little splash could completely kill the engine leaving you to figure out how to dry it enough to run again while it is blowing rain !

I let things go to long too..

[NTRCOOL]

I don't think the tune up is that old but i do have a new set ready to go i could give it a shot. and that grill block sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the info.

[Movin]

You may be able to use dielectric compound, the same stuff that comes with some wires in a little bag, to water proof both ends of the wire and seal the cap too. Some mud boggers actually bag their disty and wires. It sure sounds like there are several reasons to block the grill and few against so far. Keeping weather from the off all electrical stuff should be beneficial.