Truck won't start when wet

[GIJoe4500]

1988 Ranger 2wd 2.0L Carb'd

If I splash through any water, small puddles, light rain, etc, my truck dies and won't start back up. Starter turns the motor just fine, lights all work, etc. But my truck won't fire up.

A guy I once talked to said it was my coil packs on the fender getting wet. How would I go about finding the problem?

Should I pop the hood, and start sprayin' stuff with the water hose until it stops running?

And once I find the problem, what would be the best solution? Sealing it up with marine silicon sealant or somethin?



I heard this was a common problem on 1st gen 4bangers.

Thanks for the help ahead of time.

[Black_Splash]

Coil packs or maybe a cracked distributor.

[Explorin94]

1988 Ranger 2wd 2.0L Carb'd

If I splash through any water, small puddles, light rain, etc, my truck dies and won't start back up. Starter turns the motor just fine, lights all work, etc. But my truck won't fire up.

A guy I once talked to said it was my coil packs on the fender getting wet. How would I go about finding the problem?

Should I pop the hood, and start sprayin' stuff with the water hose until it stops running?

And once I find the problem, what would be the best solution? Sealing it up with marine silicon sealant or somethin?

I heard this was a common problem on 1st gen 4bangers.

Thanks for the help ahead of time.


I don't believe you have coil packs with a carb. Sounds like you have water getting into your distributor cap. If you haven't already put a new cap and wires on. Get a tube of dialectric grease and put it around the mating surface of the distributor and cap. Then put the grease in the both ends of the plug wires as well as the coil wire. Also put the grease on your connection for the ditributor and any other connection that is on or around the engine.
If you really want to find the problem don't use your garden hose, covers too much area. Use a spray bottle and spray the cap and wires.

[jubangy]

I think I would also check the little grey module on the outside of the distributor cap as well as well ans the connections at the starter.

[baddis]

i agree with brett it sounds like water in the cap. have you ever changed it? it is also possible that it is getting in through the vent in the top of the cap if there is one some have them some don't

[jubangy]

After re-reading you 2 are probaly right. The only thing I do not understand is the op mention small puddles and light rain. How would that make it up into the cap? I am not disagreeing I honestly do not understand it. thx

[baddis]

not hard every time it rains around here the underside of my hood is wet. and on the 2.0 and 2.3 the distributor is on the side of the engine right behind the left wheel.

[jubangy]

not hard every time it rains around here the underside of my hood is wet. and on the 2.0 and 2.3 the distributor is on the side of the engine right behind the left wheel.
Makes sense.

[Mark_88]

Had the same problem...same truck...you should try getting one of those rubber boots from an 89 or similar year Tempo...they fit over the distributor and keep it dry...except the distributor on a Ranger is slightly different but if you cut the boot to feed the wires through you will prevent quite a bit of moisture from getting on the cap and wires...

One other thing I did that worked well was to put a half sheet of cardboard over the driver's side of the rad opening (do NOT cover the whole thing if you're in a warm climate...as I'm sure you would know why...but I did do that in the winter to get more heat out of the heater)...this will keep road spray off the distributor and wires also...

Oh, and some of that waterproofing wire spray might help too...I also put a boot on my coil since it was suspect too...didn't have too many problems after doing that...but my carb would back up and the truck would die sometimes in wet weather...

This was one of the reasons I seriously considered FI...still thinking about it though...

Hope that helps!

[Plum Ranger XLT]

I had a 1984 Ranger with a 2.0 carb 2wd that did the same thing but it only died when the outside temp was between 40 & 60 degrees and raining and I would get a slight amount of water under the distributor cap.

[Mark_88]

I had a 1984 Ranger with a 2.0 carb 2wd that did the same thing but it only died when the outside temp was between 40 & 60 degrees and raining and I would get a slight amount of water under the distributor cap.

Same thing with mine...would run like a dream all summer but spring and fall with wet weather would have me pulling off the highway (well, coasting off)...let it sit for five minutes and it would start up no problem...go down the highway 20 KM and die again...very annoying!

[tomw]

Start the truck when it is dark out and look under the hood for arcing from the spark plug wires. If they get wet, and are porous, the plugs won't fire. Ditto the wire from the coil to the distributor. There should be a plastic panel that covers the connections on the drivers side inner fender. It was held in place by being pushed onto the bolt threads of three (?) bolts. Just friction between the plastic and threads. You could also check that the coil connections are clean, and if there is dust or dirt, wipe it off as when wetted it could act as a conductor and make the coil inoperative.
tom

[Mark_88]

I never noticed any arcing from the wires and I spent plenty of time in the dark under the hood during wet weather...thing is, the truck always started after about five minutes of sitting...except the time the starter jammed and wouldn't shut off...it was a blizzard that night and there just happened to be a tow truck sitting beside me...I had him tow me home and when I went out the next morning it started right up...

I had a feeling the carb was crapping out or it was giving too much fuel or something...still not sure if it works properly since I haven't driven it since early 2005...once I get some free time and some money to throw at it I might get it running again...