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After everyone's helpfulness last time I had car problems, I thought I'd quiz you all again.

My little car just wont start when it's wet, she turns over but there's not spark (she says, sounding like she know's what she's talking about). I don't really mind poking around an engine but I don't really know where to start, Dave's not home until late tonight and I was hoping to go out after work so if anyone's got any ideas what I can do to try and get the silly thing going, I'll appreaciate it.

Thanks

The thing that always got my first car to start was spraying the engine with WD40 to drive out the damp.

Kick it in the shins......

Assuming the engine turns over but doesn't start, if there's no spark at the plugs then it's either the engine mangement system electronic gubbins or, if an older car, the distributor. There's a good chance that it's just due to the damp weather so certainly a spray of WD40 would be worth trying, failing that disconnect the plug leads (one by one, not at the same time!) and try drying them out with a cloth. Ditto the inside of the distributor cap if there's one on your car.

oh don't worry, she got a good kicking this morning.

So with the WD40, is that just a cast of spraying the whole engine with it?

This distributor cap, that's the round jobby with the 4 wires comming out of it isn't it? How do you get that off, does it just unscrew? And the plug leads how do you disconnect them? Thanks

I used to use soemthing called damp start from halfords i think ......

Good smattering over anything you can see lol ......

I assume WD is the same?

Fairie x

Plug leads just pull off each plug, only one at a time 'cos if you get them mixed up you're in dead lumber! Distributor has four leads coming off and one main one going in. Might be two clips either side or might have two screws holding it in place. If you have a distributor then check the rotor arm when you have the cap off, it pulls off easily and can only go back in the right place so no worries, check that the brass connection is bright and shiny, if it isn't then just rub it against one of the tyres to clean the muck off. After all that, the WD40 can just be sprayed lightly on the leads and electrical items, no need to spray the engine or anything else.

Yup, my Dad used to spray my engine, but basically give it a damned good spray and it'll drive the water out of the electrics.

The smell of WD40 is also very comforting, especially when you're stuck in a rainy car park. It gets black marks off vinyl flooring and does lots of other interesting things, too.

Some serious editing and you've got a rather sickening innuendo there Tomo

Damp Start is a spray of high octane fuel squirted into the air filter inlet and can work wonders! WD40 is a water dispersant so just makes sure that there are no short circuits which reduce the efficiency of the electrics.

WD40 is great for sticky door hinges, too, and just about anything that needs lubrication -- EXCEPT LOCKS. Don't use anything on locks except graphite.

There are lots of people who swear by rubbing WD40 into arthritic joints.

Lenoir wrote:Some serious editing and you've got a rather sickening innuendo there Tomo

Tee hee.

On the subject of WD40 and joints, be careful or it'll take your eyebrows off!

I'll get me coat...

In case anyone's confused, the WD40 reviewed at http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic24237.php is unlikely to help start the car although it will pass the time until the AA arrive......

That's everyone, you're all stars as usual!

I've got myself a can of WD40 so when I get home I'm looking forward to an evening of pulling off distributor baps, rotor arms, plug leads and giving eveything a good spraying with WD40. Lets just hope eveything goes back where it's suposed to afterwards.

I couldn't find any damp start around here, but I'll pop into Halfords next time I'm near town and grab a can of that too.

If you are distributing your baps with a serving of WD40 then I'm there lol!!!