So.... My car stalled.

"Redhondamike" (Redhondamike)
10/15/2014 at 12:54 • Filed to: Rain sucks

Hey oppo . I was out for lunch today when a huge rainstorm hit. I was pulling into the parking lot and drove through a huge puddle AND MY CAR STALLED. My buddy, I, and another student who was behind me pushed it into a safe spot. I tried to crank it, and it cranked fine, but it wasn't starting... I'm going to check the air filter after school's over(and hopefully this storm). Anything else? It's a '95 miata. (idk why my photo won't upload. F this day >=[)

DISCUSSION (20)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 12:57

May have gotten some ignition stuff damp - which will be hard to dry out in the middle of a storm.

macanamera > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 12:58

What do you mean stalled? Were you at idle RPM's? Or were you at like 3000-4000 rpm and it just shut off?

Rainbow > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:00

All I can say is don't try to start it more than once at a time. I killed my starter that way before. (Although, it might have more to do with the fact I was almost completely dry on oil. And yes, I was on my way to get some more. I'm not that careless with my cars, although in retrospect I should have pulled over and walked the rest of the way when it got as bad as it did...)

HammerheadFistpunch > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:01

Cracked distributor. My bet. I've had this problem 2 times, stalled out in the wet, worked great in the dry, a leaky dizzy was the culprit both times.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:02

Likely you soaked your air filter.

I know people who have done this at the car wash.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HammerheadFistpunch
10/15/2014 at 13:03

No way. He used a legit leak key on that distributor when he installed it. He's careful with his car warez, bro.

jariten1781 > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:05

Stock intake? Nearly impossible to injest water in that.

My guess is you flooded your sparkplug wells or otherwise gunked up an electrical connection. Pull the plug wires and look then blow them out. WD40 all the electrical stuff.

Redhondamike > jariten1781
10/15/2014 at 13:13

Nope, it's aftermarket. Cold air intake bro!

Redhondamike > macanamera
10/15/2014 at 13:15

Just off idle, going through a huge puddle.

Captain of the Enterprise > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:25

Possible hydrolock if water got through your intake and into the engine

Redhondamike > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
10/15/2014 at 13:26

Now that's a shitty car wash.

Redhondamike > Captain of the Enterprise
10/15/2014 at 13:28

Yeah, I was worried about that, but it cranked smooth, I think I'm in the clear on that one.

kanadanmajava1 > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:28

Here's couple of guesses.

You probably don't have bent connecting rods if it cranks without much extra noises.

Some parts cease functioning temporarily if they get wet. If the water was able to reach your spark plug wire's conduction parts the spark goes to a wrong place. That shouldn't happen if have good spark plug wires and tight rubber end pieces.

If the intake got some water in the MAF sensor might be giving wrong readings. Then it's probably not going to start. If some really dirty water decides to dry on the sensor wire it might be permanently ruined.

Some air filters also let air through them really badly when they are wet.

Captain of the Enterprise > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:32

you could try starter fluid to see if its a problem with the fuel system, if it only runs when spraying you have a fuel problem. If not at all perhaps an electrical issue with ignition so spark plugs, distributor, spark plug lines, etc

jariten1781 > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 13:33

Ahh, then you could have ingested. In addition to the electrical stuff, if you hydrolocked you're going to want to pull the plugs, crank the engine, and dry out the cylinders as well as drain the oil and see if you blew a head gasket. If the water already cleared you're still going to want to watch for a head gasket leak since the cylinder probably saw an over pressure.

Redhondamike > kanadanmajava1
10/15/2014 at 13:34

It wasnt TOO deep. I'm banking on air filter because it's exposed. Buuuuut I got a good checklist to go through. Thanks!

kanadanmajava1 > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 14:03

I hope the poor and wet Miata gets resurrected.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 14:54

And then there's the possibility of water ingestion into the engine, which, if bad enough, can bend con rods, and do all sorts of nasty things.

But that's easy enough to tell when you try to re-crank it. So it's not likely hydrolocked.

Check the ignition system, and make sure everything is dry, along with any inputs to the computer (NB and later), like MAFs, etc.

My brother hydrolocked a Toyota 2ZZ engine after putting on a CAI. Not a good thing to do.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Redhondamike
10/15/2014 at 15:45

or a super crazy intense car wash

Redhondamike > kanadanmajava1
10/15/2014 at 17:14

Look for an update soon, I should be heading over with my dad arround 6EST