Can someone rescuse my old dying car?

[Sunnyboy]

Hey everyone first post here.

I own a 1985 Nissan Sunny (not very classy i know, but it beats the bus) and its giving me a bit of grief. Its always had a bit of trouble starting and running when in wet conditions until one day it just refused to start. I took it to the mechanic and he replaced the distributor cap and said it should be fine from now on. Well, it wasn't haha. I recently moved towns and it was about a 15 hour drive, and basically whenever the weather got damp my car would lose all acceleration unless i pulled over for a few seconds and then it worked fine.....for about 15 minutes at a time. I would partically notice it after going over a steep hill in the wet (lots of hills here in new zealand) where i would plant my foot once i was on level ground but nothing would happen. The weird thing is its perfectly fine in dry weather, it just hates the wet. Does anyone know what would be causing this? i was thinking the fuel pump might be stuffed but why would the wet affect this?

Sorry about the long post, but i wanted to see if anyone on here knew before i forked more money over to a mechanic.

 

[JohnD]

sounds very much like water is getting into the ignition. Letting it stand with a hot engine will usually dry it off when this happens so it will start again.

If you take the distributor cap off on a warm sunny day you can see if it has moisture inside and let it dry out

look generally for any damaged or perished wires that water might get in and replace or reseal them. Have a particular look at the coil and the plug caps and look for dirt or damp round the plugs.

Clean it all well and then give it a spray with WD40 to repel water (you don't want to seal in old damp dirt). You can get engine cleaning sprays and wipe clean with rags.

Have a look at the route water might get through and see if you can protect it. On the old original mini, they used to be very prone to water on ignition (no radiator in front of the engine) so a revision put a steel plate between the grille at the front and the engine to protect it from water spray.

It is sometimes possible to tie a plastic bag round ignition parts but (1) if damp gets in this stops it getting out (2) it can burn or melt if it touches hot parts.

There is also a slim chance water might be getting into the air filter, but if its case and trunking is in good condition and properly fitted this should not happen. However you can take out the air filter and see if it is dry (this is a service part and needs replacing occasionally).

maybe a steel part has rusted through and lets water in somewhere.

 

[techwondo]

WD40 has its uses, but over time it can become hydroscopic.

Its better to get your engine completely dry - take it for a long run on a hot day. Let it cool down, and the dowse the engine electrical system with silicome spray grease - its far better than WD40 as its not spirit based and will stay in place longer.

Just to give you an idea of how well this works, my (petrol) Frontera gets a silicone spraying once every few months and in the last floods we had here, i was driving through wather that was upto my headlights without a problem.

 

[Stivino]

WD40 has its uses, but over time it can become hydroscopic.

The word you should have used is hygroscopic.

 

[techwondo]

WD40 has its uses, but over time it can become hydroscopic.

The word you should have used is hygroscopic.

So much for the spell checker.

 

[doyle]

definatly damp on ignition and by christ i remember the many times adjusting timming on dizzy end and all that, when spanners was simple hey.

gat some wax oil spray or silicon sprays, spray ht leads and dizzy cap to protect it against atmosphere, condesations and general wet whether.

what you might have is persished ht leads that are allowing water penetration..great init the old ignition systmes especialy on the pinto engines

 

[Sunnyboy]

Thanks heaps for that guys, ill try that out next time we get a dry day here. I dunno where the distributor cap is (im a real idiot with cars) but im pretty sure i can find it.

 

[doyle]

ussually brown coloured plastic cape with five broad cables, one to the distributor cape and for coming away from it to the engine block.

piece of paper and wite down the order the come of..top left 1 top right 2 lower right 3 lower left 4

looking at engine

from the left cables number 1.2.3.4 so each matches at both ends.

undo leads at the cap end ensure tehy are clean dry and no signs of corrosion, check same on distributor cape, unscrew cap clean it insdie removing the carbon deposits, be carefull not to dislodge the carbon contacts they are on little springs and ruin very easilly, if these are worn out change cape and your ingnition and ignitin timing will improve.

put back together now take leads of at engine and check they are in good condition also.
these are distributor caps also in black
http://www.innerauto.com/Auto_Part/Distributor_Cap/


ps where in new zealand are you me old mucker???

 

[JohnD]

Thanks heaps for that guys, ill try that out next time we get a dry day here. I dunno where the distributor cap is (im a real idiot with cars) but im pretty sure i can find it.

If you ask at your local library, I'd expect them to have, or get you, a workshop manual. Sounds like you need one. You might also pick one up on Fleabay.