It rained heavy this morning - engine problems.

[boostjunkie]

We had a pretty hard downpour this morning while I was driving to work. As I was accerating on an onramp I felt the engine cut out abruptly (like fuel cut), with a loud bang from the exhaust (like fuel dumped on the cat). Drove to work and noticed the car driving normally.

As I got closer to work I noticed my a/f gauge was pegged at the most richest position. Even when idling (what would be closed loop mode), the gauge still showed rich. Pulled into the parking garage and noticed that the engine was idling really strange. Laboring . . .

Shut the car down.

Go to reset the computer and check for codes. None were shown. Car still idles funny. Drove the car around, and off idle accleration's pretty poor, but once I reach about 1500rpm the car runs "normally." A/f gauge still shows very rich.

Drove around for a while in diagnostic mode and no codes came up in the 10 minutes I was drviing (above 30 mph constantly).

Any ideas?

[vrg3]

You should pull out your spark plug wires to examine them. Look for any arcing at the contacts or for any stiff parts of the wire where there may be tiny cracks. When reattaching the wires, be generous with the dielectric grease.

I suspect some part of the high-voltage side of your ignition system is wet, so the spark is weak enough to get blown out when accelerating. The ECU sees all the unburned oxygen in the exhaust and thinks it's running lean, so your fuel trims go up. That would explain why you're idling so rich. You could try resetting the ECU to see if the idle mixtures calm back down.

[boostjunkie]

Without having any dielectric grease I pulled the wires and inspected them. It's kinda hard to do in a parking garage but I didn't notice any cracks. I'll have to take a look later. I'm still at work right now.

Reset the ecu and started the car. It idled okay until I hit the gas, then the same symptoms as before surfaced. A/f was still REALLY rich, and holding the gas until the car warmed up the ecu finally showed three codes:

33 - vehicle speed sensor
35 - canister purge solenoid
51 - neutral switch

Could any of these cause the rough idling problems I'm experiencing? I'm guessing that there's a short caused by the eccessive water from the rainstorm . . . especially since I've been having these random issues whenever it rains.

I would like to be able to dry the car out, but I dunno how when the weather's just about freezing temperature right now.

[DLC]

I think two of those codes could be causing the problem. Since i've done the swap, i haven't connected the neutral switch, and i think the ECU is confused as to which gear i'm in and so it's mapping conservatively. The speed sensor might be the kicker, because if it uses that for a backup to the neutral switch for gear detection, it has no idea what you're doing.

Truthfully, i suspect that your knock sensor might have gotten wet. Bear with me here, but if you're intercooler, your knock sensor is all but open to the elements, being right under the driver side of the scoop. I think this happens to me when it rains, or i get too crazy with the spraying. It only started after i replaced it last fall.

Would a knock sensor with a wet connector cause the car to run rich? Probably.

[boostjunkie]

Interesting.

I know for a fact that there's a short . . . I wouldn't be surprised if you at right about the knock sensor, although I'm curious as to why the knock sensor isn't displayed as one of the faults?

I'm also wondering whether the o2 sensor may have crapped out, which is why I'm getting the pegged a/f signal.

Now where does the wiring for the neutral switch run? And where's the speed sensor? Are they accessible without jacking the car up?

[DLC]

I know the neutral switch goes from the transmission through a harness. Mine's never been connected, just MIA, so i need to either run a wire from it to the harness or right to the ECU.

The speed sensor might be the ABS sensors, still not clear on all of that.

My o2 and knock are newer than 2 years, neither tosses a code, but i do have the Cannister Purge and Inhibitor/Neutral codes. I really don't wanna replace the CPS, it's waaaay down there. Replacing the stock intake took me hours, and i don't feel like removing the JC Sports one and putting it back on. Maybe a CPS relocation kit could be concocted?

[Legacy777]

speed sensor is the trans speed sensor, and will cause issues with shifting and other such non-sense

[boostjunkie]

Reset the ecu yet again. Some idle problems, but not as bad as before. One interesting thing to note. As I was driving, holding the rpms above 3000rpm on the highway, I noticed the a/f ratios slowly holding to the normal closed loop mode. It would switch from full rich to almost full lean (on the gauge anyway), but not completely to the last indicator LED, like it usually does. When I'd come to a stop, the gauge would read full rich again, until I started up the engine above 3000rpm. Got home, and it was way too dark and COLD to go searching through the engine bay. Maybe tomorrow, with a little driving to work, I'll be able to dry out the components some more. Supposed to get down in the 20s tho, so I know it'll be all frozen up tomorrow morning.

Code shown on the way home . . .

44, I think. I know it's the wastegate solenoid, tho.

The other codes didn't show up.

Another thing, the engines exhibiting the same symptoms as when my MAP sensor was screwed up. Not able to get close to boost without hitting fuel cut. Yet, there's no code being shown.

[kyledooley]

Don't get mental yet about codes and stuff yet.

I would go to autozone or the like and buy a can of spark wire drier. It is basically a water repellant. You spray it on your coil and spark wires and it if it is the wires, your problem should improve.

Better yet, new wires for your car are about $20. Just go get 'em and be done with it.

Kyle

[boostjunkie]

Well, I would've done what you said, but seems like my car beat me to it!!

I parked the car in the garage this morning, still running the diagnostic test (so I wouldn't have to keep hooking up the wires to reset the ecu). The code was still boost control solenoid. A/f ratios were normal on the way to work, so I figured I was drying more and more of the system out by running the engine. Still coulnd't boost.

Went downstairs to drive to the autoparts store and blipped the throttle . . . normal . . . usually when I blip the throttle and there's a boost problem, it'll kinda stall just about 0.00 vaccum. Reset the computer once more and then took it out for a drive.

Drives normal.

So, after the 6th or so time since the summer where I've had random electrical issues I've come to the realization that I might as not drive this car when it's raining heavily outside.

I drive a freakin MAGUAI/GREMLIN!! DON'T GET IT WET!!