ggfits

I did a bone head thing last weekend by removing the Radiator cap before it was cool. I was in a rush. It sprayed up and all over the front of the engine.
66 with a 302 -edelbrock 600 carb, Pertronix Hei Distributer, 3core Aluminum Radiator, everything else is stock. I had wiped it down and poured water over best I could. The engine will start but will quickly die once I put it in gear. It also sounds rough and if I'm not giving it gas it dies. It also starts to crank and just locks up. THOUGHTS???

racer_dave

clean all the electrical contacts, make sure there's no moisture in the distributor. Clean the carb if it got drenched. Is there any way the coolant got in the oil? through an open breather? If so, change the oil and filter.

Why does it 'lock up' does the engine seize, or does the starter stop?

bop11

Since it did run, you can rule out water in the intake manifold causing lock up. Sounds like the spark is jumping and firing a couple of cylinders at the wrong time. Back in the 60's cars were very susceptible to water on the ignition wires, distributors and coils. You probably need to pull the wires and dry them out(or replace if the wires are old) Pull the distributor cap and dry it out. There is no hole in the distributor cap to let water vapor out so you must dry it from the inside. Back in the 50's and 60's condensation would form on the cylinder walls below the rings and drop into the oil. When the oil got hot, this water would boil off and some would go up through the distributor drive and condense on the inside of the cap. Now days the distributor is electronic. I had solved many poor running problems back then by just drying the inside of the cap.
By pouring water on the engine you may have pools around the plugs or water inside the plug connector. Dry them off and use some dielectric grease made for that purpose on the plugs. Use the grease on the center tower of the coil also. There must be no dirt accumulation around the center tower.

fastbackford351

Just for good measure, I'd suggest getting a factory distributor condom

ggfits

It was moisture in the cap.
Thanx guys!!!!

Gun Jam

awesome glad you got it!