Heavy Rain = In and out power loss

[mturner2003]

Hey everyone, hope all is well. Looking for some wisdom before I go and start throwing "expensive" parts at her. Hoping someone may have had a similar problem and knows what it is.

Great car. 93', L, original EFI, 5 sp manual. 164k. Runs strong, with amazing fuel mileage. I average 48 mpg every tank.

However since I've own the car since April of 2011. I've only had 2 problems ever occur, and they were during HEAVY HEAVY <--- did I mention HEAVY rain fall. We're talking cats and dogs.

The first time it happened: Just driving along on the interstate, raining hard, highway very water logged, and outta no where power falls on its face. I let off the throttle, ease back in and its there like nothing had happened. Oh... wait... no, there it goes again. On and off, on and off, until it goes all together. So I down shift, hoping the power will come back, but no. So I come to a stop... she is idling. Smooth as can be, I slowly ease into the throttle and hit a false "rev limiter" ooh I'd say around 1800-2200 rpm (guessing here, no tach.) So I get out look under the hood for signs of a spark arcing off something. Rev it up, and she redlines, do it again, redline. Well she seems fine now, no signs of spark arcing, nothing loose. Go on down the road. Its still raining and sure enough 5 mins later. Everything above happens all over again. This time i get a check engine light as I am slowing down, while the car is still running. The car did not stall or shut off. This time I leave it idling for 10 mins or so. By now the rain has calmed down, and decide to give it another shot. On down the road I go and cruise all the way home with out any problems. Huh. That was weird. Drove the next several months with no problems.

Second time: Same scenario, but luckily it happened while I was 1 mile from work. Same heavy rain, same symptoms and a check engine light. But I made it to work and parked it, figuring everything would be fine after work, assuming if water was a problem it would be dried out by the time I go home. Sure enough, that was the case. Drove her for several months with no problems.

UNTIL today. The same exact problems, random power loss, in and out. However no check engine light. The reason for me posting here tonight about this issue is for 1 simple reason. IT WAS NOT RAINING. DRY. To me that is warning sign that what was ever giving me the problem before, is now turning for the worse because water was no where to be seen this time.

So fellas, anyone run into this problem? I'll drive her to work tomorrow, and report back during my lunch to let you know how the drive into work went.

This up coming weekend, I will be doing a complete tune up for the hell of it. Cap, rotor, plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter, blah, blah, blah... I've put almost 30k on it since I got it. She probably could use all of them.

Thanks guys

[GenevaDirt]

cracked cap....bad wires....my guesses. Has happened to me in the past and that was the problem.

[Pu241]

Betting on bad wires.
You have to remember the spark plugs and wires are up front and take the full brunt of water being forced into the engine compartment from the grill.
Had exactly what you describe happen to me a few times.
New quality wires solved the issue.

The wires had gotten so bad that I couldn't even start the car on high humidity days even with jumper cables to another battery.

I'd get all the tune up stuff, but I bet replacing the wires is the key.

Interested in details of how you manage an average of 48 MPG per tank.

[mturner2003]

I'm leaning towards that too.

[mturner2003]

Interested in details of how you manage an average of 48 MPG per tank.

Umm... bought the car, and drove it. LOL! Seriously. I drive 52 miles to and from work daily. Everything I could possible ever need is on my trip to, or from work. So that is all I drive. However, I believe there is one thing helping my mileage. The road I take to work is a 45 mph for half of the trip. The other half is 60 mph. I drive 50 on the "45 mph" road and 60-65 on the other half. Its ALL highway driving. That's my only guess. With such great mileage, I'm driving this car till she flops over dead and catches on fire. I'll post a fuel receipt with mileage some time.

[Movin]

I really doubt your tune stuff is so bad that rain does you in, why would you
be getting good mileage?

These cars have a not so great alternator belt drive and if it starts slipping it
isn't long before computer logic tries to save what voltage is left..rev limiter.
A wet or very glazed belt can slip without belt squeal. A good quality new belt
retensioned after break-in should mitigate this reoccurring fault.

It would be interesting if the code from the check engine light is still there.
ground the test lead and count the long and short flashes.

There are lots of little repair hints and improvements that can be done, some
document known weak spots of our cars. Study and search this site.

These are the last simple pleasant little cars to drive, sensible..no newer car compares-
Our government mandating how new cars are to be built guarantees
that so enjoy!!

[Pu241]

I'll post a fuel receipt with mileage some time.

Not neccessary.

Keeping the speed down is most of the reason.
But 48 MPG tank after tank is impressive.
Mine is in the neighborhood of 45 MPG, but I have to travel highways posted for 70 MPH.

You might want to join fuelly.com.
You notice more than a few of us list our badges in your signatures, see below.

What size tires are you running?

[GenevaDirt]

I really doubt your tune stuff is so bad that rain does you in, why would you
be getting good mileage?

had one that ran perfect except when it got really wet out. Same exact symptoms described. Was bad wires. Had another with a cracked cap.
Just saying....

[FestYboy]

^ willie's right... Pepe did the same thing untill i replaced the coil due to arcing at the coil tower (it only presented itself when wet out)

Look at your ignition components! look for arcing, use a spritz bottle and hose down the wires, cap and coil. rev the engine when the items are wet ans listen for arcing.

[Movin]

OP would likely report shaking, missing..backfiring..something that would indicate
one or more cylinders missfiring..I did not get that in his report, But totally agree
that wires and cap and water can cause a missfire.

The words "smooth as can be" and "rev limiter" point toward a non misfire loss of power.
OP may see this and bring more information..
But based on only what has been submitted the belt issue needs to be eliminated
before other possibilities are tested.

[GenevaDirt]

OP would likely report shaking, missing..backfiring..something that would indicate
one or more cylinders missfiring..I did not get that in his report, But totally agree
that wires and cap and water can cause a missfire.

The words "smooth as can be" and "rev limiter" point toward a non misfire loss of power.
OP may see this and bring more information..
But based on only what has been submitted the belt issue needs to be eliminated
before other possibilities are tested.

again....not to argue....in both instances I gave...there was no misfire...just no power...put your foot into it and get nothing...let off and fire returned and reved down normally. He used smooth as can be for when it was running fine and I took rev limiter to mean it revved to a certain point and then stopped...which mine also did.
Slipping belt will not give him loss of power he is describing if his battery is charged. Also there would be (normally) squealing going on....been there.

[FestYboy]

the issue i experianced was RPM/load based (rev limiter would be a good illiteration for it), idle was smooth at all times.

[Movin]

If the spark has some where else to go it will, spray it with water and watch.
The slipping belt will not be instant but a 50 mile hourish drive every time
was stipulated. Water present will slip the belt under the conditions I described
with no noise. If the rain quits and it dry's while driving, at some point squeal will occur, then the problem will go away. From the story I assume it was still wet when shut off and dry when started next.

In either regard the OP has some excellent advise to check out, I hope he finds it
before getting frustrated and selling an otherwise excellent car.

[gingerjon205]

i had somethin like that happen to me when i installed all new plug wires..

the new wire in the middle of the cap was shorter then the stock one, and ran fine, then was cuttin out, bt when i stopped idled great, then i noticed the wire was slowly slippn off the cap, had to switch it back to the stock and havent had a problem since..

prob. doesnt help, just puttin it out there.. :p

[mturner2003]

No one get there hopes up... I won't be selling the car, haha!

No problems in on the way to work today.

I'm going to start with a tune up, as suggested by many, I too feel wires, and possible a bad cap are to blame.

I hear you loud and clear about the belt issue. I've went thru 2 of the nice belts since I've owned it. They seem to stretch out, so I occasionally will tighten it when squealing becomes present. I recently replaced the belt about 10K ago.

Thank you for all for your input. I'm quite the hands on kind of guy, and have had enough vehicles, and built a few to know the ins and outs of basic repair. However, just like every car, each one has its own little glitches. Figured this might be a common problem, and possibly something more than wires, cap, etc. However it seems it is coming back to these simple parts. Which is a good thing! Thanks again.