engine sputter after rinsing - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

GREASEMONKEY72 · 03-01-2009, 01:01 AM

i used to always be able to rinse my engine off with out any problems till the last 3 times ive done it

the first of the 3 it wouldnt start unless i held the choke plate open and then it would sputter everytime you touched the pedal

then these last 2 times it starts fine but will sputter if you touch the pedal and it even died out while i was moving it around on the lawn the time before last and even backfired through the carb

i pulled the carb off and made sure the screws were tight and made sure its tight to the intake, checked and made sure the intake bolts were all tight and the manifold bolts aswell

any ideas???

**Matt's k5** · 03-01-2009, 01:08 AM

water in the distributer cap will cause crossfire to other cylinders and back fire though carb

GREASEMONKEY72 · 03-01-2009, 01:11 AM

never thought of that, ill have to check that out tomorrow in the daylight

enaberif · 03-01-2009, 02:04 AM

I take it you're washing your engine bay?

Should always cover up the alternator and distributor with a plastic bag to make sure no water gets into these spots.

bigbadchev72 · 03-01-2009, 02:08 AM

spray the inside of your cap with wd-40 if you do find water

72blue · 03-01-2009, 02:30 AM

x2. let us know if that doesn't work

ChevLoRay · 03-01-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbadchev72

spray the inside of your cap with wd-40 if you do find water

The letters WD stand for Water Displacer.

Another thing to use is toilet paper. Use it to daub away any moisture that gets into the cap.

Next time, get a plastic freezer bag and place it over the top of the distributor cap/wires. You can take a Cool Whip container, make a hole in the center of the bottom of it and slide it down over the air cleaner stud and bolt it down to keep water out of the carb.

msgross · 03-01-2009, 10:20 AM

sputtering after a car wash or rain is almost always electrical as stated... You could also do a test to see if you can find a short... At night start your engine, open the hood and take a squirt bottle with water in it to the engine... If it sputter when you hit something (wires, distributor, coil, wiring harness etc..) then you found the weak spot. This is another good way to check for small arcs (lighting bolts) where your wires could be shorting out...

68gmsee · 03-01-2009, 10:26 AM

One more thing to check:

Wait till dark and spray the spark plug wires and cap with a fine mist from a bottle spayer. Start the engine and check for crossfiring. I had couple of vehicles do the same thing. One was water condensing inside the distributor cap and the other was old spark plug wires. (If your spark plug wires are fairly new disregard this).

msgross · 03-01-2009, 10:28 AM

must be an echo in here

68gmsee · 03-01-2009, 10:29 AM

msgross beat me to my suggestion....

But forgot to mention that on my distributor cap condensing problem, it happened even after a heavy rain storm. I used silicone to seal the bottom of the cap where it rested on the housing. Not recommending this, but it solved my problem.

gumbudah · 03-01-2009, 10:33 AM

As others have mentioned I'd spray water on the plugs/wires/cap, but I'd also start with the engine cold, and spray one at a time starting with the lowest parts working upward, that way you won't spray everyting all at once and not know which part is causing the problem.

Sinister · 03-01-2009, 10:52 AM

I had this problem after having my motor pressure washed. Tried WD-40, ended up swapping the points dizzy to an HEI.

GREASEMONKEY72 · 03-03-2009, 04:28 AM

well it was water in the cap, i dont know why i never thought of it before, however it did take over 3 1/2 years to cause a problem

there was some oxidation inside the cap which i sanded most of it away with some emery cloth and now it runs and starts a bit better

gona look into just replacing the cap and rotor anyway and either new points or a points eliminator

any recommendations on a good points eliminator?

monte0185 · 03-03-2009, 11:33 AM

Buy an HEI distributor off ebay. Theres a guy on there selling them pretty cheap. Someone will chime in with his name. I cant remember it off the top of my head.

dznucks · 03-03-2009, 03:19 PM

skip white is his name. i think its whitesperformance1 is his store name or skipwhitesperformance1. something like that. i have one. its a decent dizzy for the money.

GREASEMONKEY72 · 03-04-2009, 12:11 AM

i dont want to switch to hei, i like the points setup with the external coil and smaller dizzy

i was wondering if theres any preferences on which points eliminator is better than the other?

03-01-2009, 01:01 AM	#1
GREASEMONKEY72 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bakersfield,CA Posts: 7,893	engine sputter after rinsing i used to always be able to rinse my engine off with out any problems till the last 3 times ive done it the first of the 3 it wouldnt start unless i held the choke plate open and then it would sputter everytime you touched the pedal then these last 2 times it starts fine but will sputter if you touch the pedal and it even died out while i was moving it around on the lawn the time before last and even backfired through the carb i pulled the carb off and made sure the screws were tight and made sure its tight to the intake, checked and made sure the intake bolts were all tight and the manifold bolts aswell any ideas??? __________________ -steven Alte Seele S.S. "Allison" '72 C/10 LWB 350SB/TH350 - DD PITBULL IS NOT A CRIME

03-01-2009, 01:08 AM	#2
Matt's k5 BLAZER THIRTY!! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 323	Re: engine sputter after rinsing water in the distributer cap will cause crossfire to other cylinders and back fire though carb __________________ 49 chevy 5 window 20 year project (sold)😟 57 ford fairlane (dad's car never got to it before he passed away R.I.P I LOVE YOU DAD.) 62 GMC 305 V6 custom L/B 72 HIGHLANDER K5 BLAZER 2nd owner 71 K5 MAMMA'S RIDE! 63 GMC 4X4 305 V6 62 GMC SHORT BED SERVICE BODY V6 (STUMPY) 74 GMC CUSTOM 1500 L/B

03-01-2009, 01:11 AM	#3
GREASEMONKEY72 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bakersfield,CA Posts: 7,893	Re: engine sputter after rinsing never thought of that, ill have to check that out tomorrow in the daylight __________________ -steven Alte Seele S.S. "Allison" '72 C/10 LWB 350SB/TH350 - DD PITBULL IS NOT A CRIME

03-01-2009, 02:04 AM	#4
enaberif Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 1,181	Re: engine sputter after rinsing I take it you're washing your engine bay? Should always cover up the alternator and distributor with a plastic bag to make sure no water gets into these spots.

03-01-2009, 02:08 AM	#5
bigbadchev72 People know me Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hermiston, oregon Posts: 840	Re: engine sputter after rinsing spray the inside of your cap with wd-40 if you do find water __________________ 1972 k/5 blazer CST 4X4 Crate 350, th350/205, dana44with trac-loc/14 bolt with detroit locker, 4 wheel discs 4.56s, 8" suspension lift using 73-87springs, 1" zerorate custom front crossmember, HAD CV drivelines and driveshaft e-brake, full cage, PRP seats, Full autometer gauges, 38x14.5x16 Toyo M/Ts, 16x10 Polished aluminum rockcrusher wheels 1967 longbox 4x4, Strong 400/400/208, 44/12bolt 4.10s, 6" lift, 35" Toyo M/Ts on corvette rally wheels

03-01-2009, 02:30 AM	#6
72blue Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: arroyo grande, ca Posts: 206	Re: engine sputter after rinsing x2. let us know if that doesn't work

03-01-2009, 10:20 AM	#8
msgross Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 12,201	Re: engine sputter after rinsing sputtering after a car wash or rain is almost always electrical as stated... You could also do a test to see if you can find a short... At night start your engine, open the hood and take a squirt bottle with water in it to the engine... If it sputter when you hit something (wires, distributor, coil, wiring harness etc..) then you found the weak spot. This is another good way to check for small arcs (lighting bolts) where your wires could be shorting out... __________________ The Garage: 1968 K-10 SWB - "Project Money Pit" 1996 Z-71 - "huntin rig" 1969 C-10 LWB (SOLD) "Project flip that truck or else" 1993 Passport, F@rd 1-ton (SOLD)"Project Cousin Eddie" My Garage Build "The 1,000 footer"

03-01-2009, 10:26 AM	#9
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: engine sputter after rinsing One more thing to check: Wait till dark and spray the spark plug wires and cap with a fine mist from a bottle spayer. Start the engine and check for crossfiring. I had couple of vehicles do the same thing. One was water condensing inside the distributor cap and the other was old spark plug wires. (If your spark plug wires are fairly new disregard this).

03-01-2009, 10:28 AM	#10
msgross Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 12,201	Re: engine sputter after rinsing must be an echo in here __________________ The Garage: 1968 K-10 SWB - "Project Money Pit" 1996 Z-71 - "huntin rig" 1969 C-10 LWB (SOLD) "Project flip that truck or else" 1993 Passport, F@rd 1-ton (SOLD)"Project Cousin Eddie" My Garage Build "The 1,000 footer"

03-01-2009, 10:29 AM	#11
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: engine sputter after rinsing msgross beat me to my suggestion.... But forgot to mention that on my distributor cap condensing problem, it happened even after a heavy rain storm. I used silicone to seal the bottom of the cap where it rested on the housing. Not recommending this, but it solved my problem.

03-01-2009, 10:33 AM	#12
gumbudah Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Superior, WI Posts: 30	Re: engine sputter after rinsing As others have mentioned I'd spray water on the plugs/wires/cap, but I'd also start with the engine cold, and spray one at a time starting with the lowest parts working upward, that way you won't spray everyting all at once and not know which part is causing the problem.

03-01-2009, 10:52 AM	#13
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	Re: engine sputter after rinsing I had this problem after having my motor pressure washed. Tried WD-40, ended up swapping the points dizzy to an HEI. __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match... Last edited by Sinister; 03-01-2009 at 10:53 AM.

03-03-2009, 04:28 AM	#14
GREASEMONKEY72 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bakersfield,CA Posts: 7,893	Re: engine sputter after rinsing well it was water in the cap, i dont know why i never thought of it before, however it did take over 3 1/2 years to cause a problem there was some oxidation inside the cap which i sanded most of it away with some emery cloth and now it runs and starts a bit better gona look into just replacing the cap and rotor anyway and either new points or a points eliminator any recommendations on a good points eliminator? __________________ -steven Alte Seele S.S. "Allison" '72 C/10 LWB 350SB/TH350 - DD PITBULL IS NOT A CRIME Last edited by GREASEMONKEY72; 03-03-2009 at 04:28 AM.

03-03-2009, 11:33 AM	#15
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: engine sputter after rinsing Buy an HEI distributor off ebay. Theres a guy on there selling them pretty cheap. Someone will chime in with his name. I cant remember it off the top of my head. __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together. Last edited by monte0185; 03-03-2009 at 11:34 AM.

03-03-2009, 03:19 PM	#16
dznucks Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Smyrna, Ga Posts: 1,647	Re: engine sputter after rinsing skip white is his name. i think its whitesperformance1 is his store name or skipwhitesperformance1. something like that. i have one. its a decent dizzy for the money.



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03-04-2009, 12:11 AM	#17
GREASEMONKEY72 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bakersfield,CA Posts: 7,893	Re: engine sputter after rinsing i dont want to switch to hei, i like the points setup with the external coil and smaller dizzy i was wondering if theres any preferences on which points eliminator is better than the other? __________________ -steven Alte Seele S.S. "Allison" '72 C/10 LWB 350SB/TH350 - DD PITBULL IS NOT A CRIME

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