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  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

Am I screwed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TXJUGGERNAUT
  • Start date Start date Dec 10, 2008
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TXJUGGERNAUT

New Member
Oct 24, 2008
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Dec 10, 2008
#1
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #1
So im driving home today and its raining/snowing... Well for some reaso WHENEVER it rains I get water in my intake. Well it was really bad for some reason today and I had no choice but to drive straight home. No ride for hours if I parked it and sat...

So I get to my driveway and right as I pull it in, it dies.... I start it back up to get up the driveway and I hear a pop and strange smell from the exhaust... I immediately popped the hood to see if I could smell anything... nothing.

Am I 100% F***'ed? Or is there a chance its not that crucial?
 

96SCstang

New Member
Jul 22, 2006
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novi, MI
Dec 10, 2008
#2
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #2
i wouldnt say that yet. why are you getting so much water in the intake? pics would be helpful. it may be something else...like when it rains it gets your coils wet and creates a misfire. just wait a little while and try to start it again and see what happens. if there is water really getting into your intake....you should remedy that situation soon!!
 

BurningRubber

10 Year Member
Dec 6, 2004
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Dec 10, 2008
#3
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #3
Do you have a ram air hood or something?

Cold air intake with the filter in the fenderwell and no fender lining?

There is no reason water should be getting into your intake unless it is right off the ground or one of the above conditions.

Your coils shouldnt be getting wet either, but if you have any holes in your hood (ram air, open hood scoop) that could create a problem.

What did the stange smell smell like? Oil, coolant?

If you REALLY pulled that much water into your intake the engine would have hydrolocked, and your chances of destruction would have risen alot more.

If your motor was still running thats a good sign, but it can still cause damage if you were getting a constant feed of water into the cylinders.

I'd doubt there is any water collected in the cylinders if it actually ran, but if you REALLY want to be cautious...

Remove ALL of your coil packs, and unclip the fuel injectors from their individual harnesses.

Once the coil packs are removed blow the plug wells out with either compressed air, or make a funnel out of a peice of paper and blow down into the wells (wear glasses) to get the loose dirt/grime out.

After that, remove the spark plugs on all cylinders and turn the engine over like you were going to start it. If there IS any water in there it will safley eject from the cylinders out of the plug holes without causing any (or any more) damage.

When you are done, re-install the spark plugs (don't over/under tourqe them), re-install coil packs, and reconnect the fuel injectors.
 

SaleenGT2001

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2005
2,811
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Four Oaks NC
Dec 10, 2008
#4
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #4
will it turn over when you try to start it?
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
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Canada
Dec 10, 2008
#5
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #5
Doesn't sound like you hydrolocked it. Probably just got the MAF wet. Take it off, spray the internals liberally with brake-part cleaner and let it dry.

How did you get water in it?
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
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UCSD/La Jolla
Dec 10, 2008
#6
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #6
Cold Water Intake FTW
 

SaleenGT2001

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2005
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Four Oaks NC
Dec 10, 2008
#7
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #7
trinity_gt said:
Doesn't sound like you hydrolocked it. Probably just got the MAF wet. Take it off, spray the internals liberally with brake-part cleaner and let it dry.

How did you get water in it?
Click to expand...

NOT BRAKE CLEANER!
it will ruin it. get some for electronics
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
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99
Canada
Dec 10, 2008
#8
  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #8
SaleenGT2001 said:
NOT BRAKE CLEANER!
it will ruin it. get some for electronics
Click to expand...

Contact cleaner would be preferable , agreed. However, non-CFC brake part cleaner has always worked for me and never damaged a MAF.

A quick check of google showed that many preferred electrical contact or "MAF cleaner" and shied away from brake cleaners though those that used non-CFC brake cleaner were just as satisfied with the end result.
 
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TXJUGGERNAUT

New Member
Oct 24, 2008
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Dec 11, 2008
#9
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #9
Thanks for the quick responses... Im gonna look at it when I get off work today.

I have my air filter in the fender well, yes... no liner... ding ding ding (im an idiot)

Now that I have had a chance to cool off and im not so pissed anymore. My personal opinion, being the idiot I am.. I think its my mass air.. What I think was happening was it was running way to rich, cause the water caused the mass air to screw up. Thats why I was running like that.... I think the "pop" I heard was from a back fire cause I was running rich? Smelled like fuel...
 

BurningRubber

10 Year Member
Dec 6, 2004
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Dec 11, 2008
#10
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #10
TXJUGGERNAUT said:
Thanks for the quick responses... Im gonna look at it when I get off work today.

I have my air filter in the fender well, yes... no liner... ding ding ding (im an idiot)

Now that I have had a chance to cool off and im not so pissed anymore. My personal opinion, being the idiot I am.. I think its my mass air.. What I think was happening was it was running way to rich, cause the water caused the mass air to screw up. Thats why I was running like that.... I think the "pop" I heard was from a back fire cause I was running rich? Smelled like fuel...
Click to expand...

Thats possible if the mass air is fouled out or dirty.

Spray it with some electrical parts cleaner like suggested above and see if that helps. If the MAF is messed up or was wet it could definatly cause it to run rough and backfire.

I DEFINATLY suggest putting a fender liner back in, or buying a different intake with the filter in the engine bay and blocking the hole into the fender off. It's really unhealthy to be sucking water in like that.
 
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Smokeurhonda

New Member
May 1, 2003
457
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Maryland
Dec 11, 2008
#11
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #11
BurningRubber said:
I DEFINATLY suggest putting a fender liner back in, or buying a different intake with the filter in the engine bay and blocking the hole into the fender off. It's really unhealthy to be sucking water in like that.
Click to expand...

:Word:
 

merc123

Active Member
Jan 27, 2003
420
2
39
North GA
Dec 11, 2008
#12
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #12
I have a CAI in the fender and on a heavy rain it started sputtering a bit. I just backed of driving behind people with the rain mist coming off their cars and it stopped, but no ill damage.
 

IICrazy

taken away
Mar 28, 2003
976
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Maple Valley, Washington
Dec 11, 2008
#13
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #13
Hopefully you didn't hydro lock the engine




that was my hydro lock disaster
 

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Smokeurhonda

New Member
May 1, 2003
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Dec 11, 2008
#14
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #14
Did it come through the block?
 

BurningRubber

10 Year Member
Dec 6, 2004
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Dec 11, 2008
#15
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #15
Wow, that certainly is painful to look at...
 

IICrazy

taken away
Mar 28, 2003
976
0
36
Maple Valley, Washington
Dec 11, 2008
#16
  • Dec 11, 2008
  • #16
Smokeurhonda said:
Did it come through the block?
Click to expand...

Nope, the block was fine
 

the98stang

Active Member
Aug 12, 2005
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Clovis, CA
Dec 12, 2008
#17
  • Dec 12, 2008
  • #17
IICrazy said:
Nope, the block was fine
Click to expand...

LMFAO.....silver bullit Coors light in the background.....
 

IICrazy

taken away
Mar 28, 2003
976
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36
Maple Valley, Washington
Dec 12, 2008
#18
  • Dec 12, 2008
  • #18
the98stang said:
LMFAO.....silver bullit Coors light in the background.....
Click to expand...
cheap beer to keep in the garage
 
S

Smokeurhonda

New Member
May 1, 2003
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Dec 12, 2008
#19
  • Dec 12, 2008
  • #19
you didn't run synthetic oil did you?
 

IICrazy

taken away
Mar 28, 2003
976
0
36
Maple Valley, Washington
Dec 12, 2008
#20
  • Dec 12, 2008
  • #20
Smokeurhonda said:
you didn't run synthetic oil did you?
Click to expand...
I've always ran sythetic, except Im not sure what the shop through in there after I brought it to them to see what was wrong.
 
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