Car died in the rain today and now won't start
#1
Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Guys, I was driving my 98 SE in the rain today and my car just died when I went through a little water (VERY little). It sputtered momentarily and gave out. Now it turns over like a champ, but won’t start. Any ideas?
Here’s the background: I have an oil leak from the timing chain housing. It drips down the underside to the front bottom corner, then falls onto the alternator casing or past the alternator to the ground or plastic shield underneath. It doesn’t seem to have affected the alternator at all, except that once in a while the oil burns and you can see and smell a little smoke. One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up. Well, I don’t think that’s the problem this time.
Help!
Hal
Here’s the background: I have an oil leak from the timing chain housing. It drips down the underside to the front bottom corner, then falls onto the alternator casing or past the alternator to the ground or plastic shield underneath. It doesn’t seem to have affected the alternator at all, except that once in a while the oil burns and you can see and smell a little smoke. One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up. Well, I don’t think that’s the problem this time.
Help!
Hal
#2
Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Maxwell
Guys, I was driving my 98 SE in the rain today and my car just died when I went through a little water (VERY little). It sputtered momentarily and gave out. Now it turns over like a champ, but won’t start. Any ideas?
Here’s the background: I have an oil leak from the timing chain housing. It drips down the underside to the front bottom corner, then falls onto the alternator casing or past the alternator to the ground or plastic shield underneath. It doesn’t seem to have affected the alternator at all, except that once in a while the oil burns and you can see and smell a little smoke. One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up. Well, I don’t think that’s the problem this time.
Help!
Hal
Guys, I was driving my 98 SE in the rain today and my car just died when I went through a little water (VERY little). It sputtered momentarily and gave out. Now it turns over like a champ, but won’t start. Any ideas?
Here’s the background: I have an oil leak from the timing chain housing. It drips down the underside to the front bottom corner, then falls onto the alternator casing or past the alternator to the ground or plastic shield underneath. It doesn’t seem to have affected the alternator at all, except that once in a while the oil burns and you can see and smell a little smoke. One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up. Well, I don’t think that’s the problem this time.
Help!
Hal
#3
Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Maxwell
One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up.
One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up.
I know someone who disregarded the warning light on a 2002 Q45, and the engine seized because they tried to drive it again AFTER it went into limp mode.
He didn't have coolant ... but no oil = no lubrication & no cooling capability too. I would have gotten the oil leak fixed too.
Your first step is check your oil level. If it's not visible on the dipstick, you may know why. Or could just be coincidence.
#4
Re: Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Drove THROUGH water? Or over water? I think there's a big difference there.
I've heard that your car can stall if the water level is too high and backfeeds through your exhaust ... true?
I've heard that your car can stall if the water level is too high and backfeeds through your exhaust ... true?
#5
Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Maxwell
Guys, I was driving my 98 SE in the rain today and my car just died when I went through a little water (VERY little). It sputtered momentarily and gave out. Now it turns over like a champ, but won’t start. Any ideas?
Here’s the background: I have an oil leak from the timing chain housing. It drips down the underside to the front bottom corner, then falls onto the alternator casing or past the alternator to the ground or plastic shield underneath. It doesn’t seem to have affected the alternator at all, except that once in a while the oil burns and you can see and smell a little smoke. One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up. Well, I don’t think that’s the problem this time.
Help!
Hal
Guys, I was driving my 98 SE in the rain today and my car just died when I went through a little water (VERY little). It sputtered momentarily and gave out. Now it turns over like a champ, but won’t start. Any ideas?
Here’s the background: I have an oil leak from the timing chain housing. It drips down the underside to the front bottom corner, then falls onto the alternator casing or past the alternator to the ground or plastic shield underneath. It doesn’t seem to have affected the alternator at all, except that once in a while the oil burns and you can see and smell a little smoke. One time, I let the oil level get too low and the car sputtered and died, I’m assuming as a preventative measure. When I filled the oil it started up. Well, I don’t think that’s the problem this time.
Help!
Hal
#6
Re: Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Cashj2002
Why don't you get the oil leak fixed first of all???
Why don't you get the oil leak fixed first of all???
The Max, as far as I've been told, has an emergency sensor that shuts the engine down before the oil level gets dangerously low, so I'm not really worried about that other time it died on me.
OK, back to the starting problem. I drove through a "T" intersection. The intersection is at the depression between two hills, so I was coming down from one direction, splashed through a puddle (in the trenches left by cars that wait at lights), and the car stalled on the other side of the intersection.
Here's what I think happened. The water caused the stall because the engine wasn't hot enough yet to evaporate the water soon enough. I let the car sit for about an hour, and it started right up. It seems like the water evaporated, the car started, and all's fine.
Now, is this stall-causing splash avoidable? Are there exposed wires I need to be concerned about? Is this normal?
Hal
#7
Re: Re: Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Maxwell
OK, first let me address the oil leak. It's very very slow. And will cost at least a thousand dollars in labor I don't know how to do myself. That's generally what's known as an acceptable leak -- until the leak becomes a potential cause of more damage, but I don't think that's the case here.
The Max, as far as I've been told, has an emergency sensor that shuts the engine down before the oil level gets dangerously low, so I'm not really worried about that other time it died on me.
OK, back to the starting problem. I drove through a "T" intersection. The intersection is at the depression between two hills, so I was coming down from one direction, splashed through a puddle (in the trenches left by cars that wait at lights), and the car stalled on the other side of the intersection.
Here's what I think happened. The water caused the stall because the engine wasn't hot enough yet to evaporate the water soon enough. I let the car sit for about an hour, and it started right up. It seems like the water evaporated, the car started, and all's fine.
Now, is this stall-causing splash avoidable? Are there exposed wires I need to be concerned about? Is this normal?
Hal
OK, first let me address the oil leak. It's very very slow. And will cost at least a thousand dollars in labor I don't know how to do myself. That's generally what's known as an acceptable leak -- until the leak becomes a potential cause of more damage, but I don't think that's the case here.
The Max, as far as I've been told, has an emergency sensor that shuts the engine down before the oil level gets dangerously low, so I'm not really worried about that other time it died on me.
OK, back to the starting problem. I drove through a "T" intersection. The intersection is at the depression between two hills, so I was coming down from one direction, splashed through a puddle (in the trenches left by cars that wait at lights), and the car stalled on the other side of the intersection.
Here's what I think happened. The water caused the stall because the engine wasn't hot enough yet to evaporate the water soon enough. I let the car sit for about an hour, and it started right up. It seems like the water evaporated, the car started, and all's fine.
Now, is this stall-causing splash avoidable? Are there exposed wires I need to be concerned about? Is this normal?
Hal
#9
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Maxwell
Nope. Bone stock except cleared ambers and FSTB.
Hal
Nope. Bone stock except cleared ambers and FSTB.
Hal
I'd get under the car and look for any loose connectors or striped wire that water could have gotten into.
#10
Re: Re: Re: Car died in the rain today and now won't start
Originally posted by Maxwell
OK, first let me address the oil leak. It's very very slow. And will cost at least a thousand dollars in labor I don't know how to do myself. That's generally what's known as an acceptable leak -- until the leak becomes a potential cause of more damage, but I don't think that's the case here.
The Max, as far as I've been told, has an emergency sensor that shuts the engine down before the oil level gets dangerously low, so I'm not really worried about that other time it died on me.
OK, back to the starting problem. I drove through a "T" intersection. The intersection is at the depression between two hills, so I was coming down from one direction, splashed through a puddle (in the trenches left by cars that wait at lights), and the car stalled on the other side of the intersection.
Here's what I think happened. The water caused the stall because the engine wasn't hot enough yet to evaporate the water soon enough. I let the car sit for about an hour, and it started right up. It seems like the water evaporated, the car started, and all's fine.
Now, is this stall-causing splash avoidable? Are there exposed wires I need to be concerned about? Is this normal?
Hal
OK, first let me address the oil leak. It's very very slow. And will cost at least a thousand dollars in labor I don't know how to do myself. That's generally what's known as an acceptable leak -- until the leak becomes a potential cause of more damage, but I don't think that's the case here.
The Max, as far as I've been told, has an emergency sensor that shuts the engine down before the oil level gets dangerously low, so I'm not really worried about that other time it died on me.
OK, back to the starting problem. I drove through a "T" intersection. The intersection is at the depression between two hills, so I was coming down from one direction, splashed through a puddle (in the trenches left by cars that wait at lights), and the car stalled on the other side of the intersection.
Here's what I think happened. The water caused the stall because the engine wasn't hot enough yet to evaporate the water soon enough. I let the car sit for about an hour, and it started right up. It seems like the water evaporated, the car started, and all's fine.
Now, is this stall-causing splash avoidable? Are there exposed wires I need to be concerned about? Is this normal?
Hal
#12
The Direct Injection system of all 95+ maximas made the old school spark plug wires and distributors caps and rotors completely obsolete
DW
DW
Originally posted by CoolMax
Alternator, wires, dist. cap (if you have one).
Alternator, wires, dist. cap (if you have one).
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