Stang won't start...help please!!! Water in lines?
#1
Stang won't start...help please!!! Water in lines?
Car: 96 GT Mustang 5spd
Friday night, I took my girlfriend out to dinner and we drove the Stang. The night was terribly rainy. Left to eat, came home, no problems. Saturday, left to go out of town, again with the girlfriend, again in the Stang, again terribly rainy. On the first night, it was all in town driving, but there were puddles that were unavoidable, and my car is lowered and I have a cold air intake (keep this in mind in case you think it could have something to do with the problem). The second night, it was all interstate speeds and above 40mph for the most part, but it was again extremely sloppy and wet out. Both nights, the car started fine. Friday I had a full tank, by Saturday I had a half tank, and by Sunday I had about a quarter tank. I know I flew through gas, but I drove quite a lot and quite far, so it wasn't actually as bad as it sounds.
Sunday morning, I drove the car to church, it sputtered a little but for the most part started up just like normal. Car was fine, until later that evening after the it sat for about 3-4 hours (not sure exactly), we went to take the car into town again. It just sputtered, never quite turning over, and then the RPMs slowly fell and it died. So, I pumped the gas a couple times while starting to keep the RPMs high. The car let out a huge puff of dark smoke in the left exhaust pipe, and the other was fairly normal, but was still steaming more than usual. Alas, the car was started and I decided to take it into town to see how it was. Car acted fine, no lag in performance, no nothing. Came back home, no problems.
Come Monday evening, after the car sat all day long, I went to start the car again, just to see. But it wouldn't start. Same problem, just sputtered and dropped the RPMs slowly. I pumped the gas again, started right up. Although, this time, there was no dark smoke, only a very clear smoke, like steam and when revving the exhaust seemed to pop a little more than usual (but perhaps I'm imagining this). And also, the exhaust was spitting out condensation of what looked like water like crazy.
After talking to a couple buddies, they each had a different opinion. The first said that it coule be the fuel pump, and I'm almost sure it has something to do with the fuel, as it happened to sporadically and too fast. It didn't seem like anything had been worn down, it was just boom it stopped wanting to start.
The second friend mentioned it could be water in the fuel lines. Remember it had been raining for the past 3 days, and each day I had taken it out to drive. I don't know if it's possible, but perhaps the CAI brought some water in as well, and being lower to the ground, that's all the more possibility that water could splash up into places. As I mentioned, I only had a small amount of gas in the tank, and so he was thinking that on the first couple nights, when the water may have gotten into the tank, there was enough gasoline to not affect anything. But now that my tank was emptier, and still is, after sitting for awhile, the gas probably settled, and the water ended up on top. So when the car goes to start, it takes in water instead of fuel and by pumping the gas you rush in water and fuel, things get mixed up and desolved and so the car is able to start. But, then when it sits, gas settles and car won't start. He mentioned that the steam and condensation from the exhaust probably was from the excess water.
So, I suppose, I take his word, but would still like another opinion. Is this water in the lines? Do I just need to use heet? I've only done it twice, but is pumping the accelerator gonna cause huge damage? Instead of water in the gas lines, did I hydrolock instead? Just wondering what you all think. Thank you...sorry my post was extremely long, but I feel the easiest way to figure out a problem is to have all the information available. So hopefully this will be enough to help you, and thank you for reading.
Friday night, I took my girlfriend out to dinner and we drove the Stang. The night was terribly rainy. Left to eat, came home, no problems. Saturday, left to go out of town, again with the girlfriend, again in the Stang, again terribly rainy. On the first night, it was all in town driving, but there were puddles that were unavoidable, and my car is lowered and I have a cold air intake (keep this in mind in case you think it could have something to do with the problem). The second night, it was all interstate speeds and above 40mph for the most part, but it was again extremely sloppy and wet out. Both nights, the car started fine. Friday I had a full tank, by Saturday I had a half tank, and by Sunday I had about a quarter tank. I know I flew through gas, but I drove quite a lot and quite far, so it wasn't actually as bad as it sounds.
Sunday morning, I drove the car to church, it sputtered a little but for the most part started up just like normal. Car was fine, until later that evening after the it sat for about 3-4 hours (not sure exactly), we went to take the car into town again. It just sputtered, never quite turning over, and then the RPMs slowly fell and it died. So, I pumped the gas a couple times while starting to keep the RPMs high. The car let out a huge puff of dark smoke in the left exhaust pipe, and the other was fairly normal, but was still steaming more than usual. Alas, the car was started and I decided to take it into town to see how it was. Car acted fine, no lag in performance, no nothing. Came back home, no problems.
Come Monday evening, after the car sat all day long, I went to start the car again, just to see. But it wouldn't start. Same problem, just sputtered and dropped the RPMs slowly. I pumped the gas again, started right up. Although, this time, there was no dark smoke, only a very clear smoke, like steam and when revving the exhaust seemed to pop a little more than usual (but perhaps I'm imagining this). And also, the exhaust was spitting out condensation of what looked like water like crazy.
After talking to a couple buddies, they each had a different opinion. The first said that it coule be the fuel pump, and I'm almost sure it has something to do with the fuel, as it happened to sporadically and too fast. It didn't seem like anything had been worn down, it was just boom it stopped wanting to start.
The second friend mentioned it could be water in the fuel lines. Remember it had been raining for the past 3 days, and each day I had taken it out to drive. I don't know if it's possible, but perhaps the CAI brought some water in as well, and being lower to the ground, that's all the more possibility that water could splash up into places. As I mentioned, I only had a small amount of gas in the tank, and so he was thinking that on the first couple nights, when the water may have gotten into the tank, there was enough gasoline to not affect anything. But now that my tank was emptier, and still is, after sitting for awhile, the gas probably settled, and the water ended up on top. So when the car goes to start, it takes in water instead of fuel and by pumping the gas you rush in water and fuel, things get mixed up and desolved and so the car is able to start. But, then when it sits, gas settles and car won't start. He mentioned that the steam and condensation from the exhaust probably was from the excess water.
So, I suppose, I take his word, but would still like another opinion. Is this water in the lines? Do I just need to use heet? I've only done it twice, but is pumping the accelerator gonna cause huge damage? Instead of water in the gas lines, did I hydrolock instead? Just wondering what you all think. Thank you...sorry my post was extremely long, but I feel the easiest way to figure out a problem is to have all the information available. So hopefully this will be enough to help you, and thank you for reading.
#2
RE: Stang won't start...help please!!! Water in lines?
First pull ur dipstick and check the oil to see if its milky white or not, aka cracked or warped head. hence water coming from tail pipe and smoke,it would be white smoke pouring out of the exhaust, depending the size of the crack if there was one.
also pull the radiator cap and start the vehicle and look for oil in the coolant also look for bubbles coming up to the top.
Secondly pull your distributor cap off and spray some wd40 inside the cap it gets rid of moisture put some dialetric greas lightly on the rotor and the connections of the plugs inside the cap plus around the bottom of the cap to keep moisture out.
if you hydro-locked the motor you would be able to tell it wouldnt run worth crap or it wouldnt run at all. it usually bends a rod
well check those things and let us know what you find.
It could just be a wet connection somewhere or a fuel pump also
check the simple things first
also pull the radiator cap and start the vehicle and look for oil in the coolant also look for bubbles coming up to the top.
Secondly pull your distributor cap off and spray some wd40 inside the cap it gets rid of moisture put some dialetric greas lightly on the rotor and the connections of the plugs inside the cap plus around the bottom of the cap to keep moisture out.
if you hydro-locked the motor you would be able to tell it wouldnt run worth crap or it wouldnt run at all. it usually bends a rod
well check those things and let us know what you find.
It could just be a wet connection somewhere or a fuel pump also
check the simple things first
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10-01-2015 09:21 AM