97 Ls400: Problem When It Rains! Please Help

[Hybrid-JD]

Hey guys/gals,

i am currently driving a 97 LS 400 which has 211000 km's and i've been experiencing some starting problems when it rains. Whenever it rains, i sometimes wont be able to start the car. I've been trying to figure out if it could be the starter or just the alternator? But i jsut got my alternator replaced not too long ago.. and the cars FINE when its dry.. only when it rains does it give me the starting problem. And also i've been getting the engine light / trac control blinking on and off usually after a big rain fall... but once it dries up.. its all gone!!

i can't figure out what it is?? could it be just a wired or fuse getting wet? could it be my starter? or could it just simply be my rotors and caps?

PLEASE HELP and give me as many suggestions in what i should do to fix this problem!! It's scary not konw if the cars gonna start after a big rain fall........

thanks in advance

Jimmy

[fjstl]

Hey guys/gals,

i am currently driving a 97 LS 400 which has 211000 km's and i've been experiencing some starting problems when it rains. Whenever it rains, i sometimes wont be able to start the car. I've been trying to figure out if it could be the starter or just the alternator? But i jsut got my alternator replaced not too long ago.. and the cars FINE when its dry.. only when it rains does it give me the starting problem. And also i've been getting the engine light / trac control blinking on and off usually after a big rain fall... but once it dries up.. its all gone!!

i can't figure out what it is?? could it be just a wired or fuse getting wet? could it be my starter? or could it just simply be my rotors and caps?

PLEASE HELP and give me as many suggestions in what i should do to fix this problem!! It's scary not konw if the cars gonna start after a big rain fall........

thanks in advance

Jimmy

I had the same problem with my previous 97 LS 400. Changing the plug wires and caps resolved the problem.

[Hybrid-JD]

i changed them not too long ago.. i changed the caps / rotors when the car had about 140km's.. it can't go that fast??? or could it?

thanks

Jimmy

Hey guys/gals,

i am currently driving a 97 LS 400 which has 211000 km's and i've been experiencing some starting problems when it rains. Whenever it rains, i sometimes wont be able to start the car. I've been trying to figure out if it could be the starter or just the alternator? But i jsut got my alternator replaced not too long ago.. and the cars FINE when its dry.. only when it rains does it give me the starting problem. And also i've been getting the engine light / trac control blinking on and off usually after a big rain fall... but once it dries up.. its all gone!!

i can't figure out what it is?? could it be just a wired or fuse getting wet? could it be my starter? or could it just simply be my rotors and caps?

PLEASE HELP and give me as many suggestions in what i should do to fix this problem!! It's scary not konw if the cars gonna start after a big rain fall........

thanks in advance

Jimmy

I had the same problem with my previous 97 LS 400. Changing the plug wires and caps resolved the problem.

[nc211]

well you have put on 71,000 km's since then.

[Hybrid-JD]

is that usually HOW often i'm suppose to change my caps/rotors? not too sure how often i'm suppose to chang them..

BUT today it snowed in Toronto and again.. i had the same problem.. car didnt start.. but after like 5 minutes of constant cranking and turning the ignition.. it finally started.. so maybe it could be the starter???

any more help would be great.

thanks

Jimmy

[SKperformance]

If the engine is turning over then it is not the starter.

Wires can be damaged easily if they are cheap/non oem or pulled without a proper tool.

[dcfish]

If the engine is turning over then it is not the starter.

Wires can be damaged easily if they are cheap/non oem or pulled without a proper tool.

PLUG_WIRES_V_8.pdf

[nc211]

is that usually HOW often i'm suppose to change my caps/rotors? not too sure how often i'm suppose to chang them..

BUT today it snowed in Toronto and again.. i had the same problem.. car didnt start.. but after like 5 minutes of constant cranking and turning the ignition.. it finally started.. so maybe it could be the starter???

any more help would be great.

thanks

Jimmy

Jimmy, I'm going backwards in progression here, as I've noticed myself that when something is wrong, and I think it's a "5" on the "1-10" scale, it usually ends up being a "2". So...with that said...

Are you not getting power when you turn the key at all? I'm asking because I'm wondering how your battery terminal(s) look? I'm wondering if you have extensive corrosion or a loose connector, and the added humity of rain and snow is enhancing the lost connectivity at the terminals.

Check on those two terminals, and let us know a little bit more about the symptoms "ie, no power at all, or have power but just won't crank, or have power & start spins but engine just won't catch".

I wouldn't think 71km would require new plugs "how many US miles is 71km anyway?" The distributor cap could be loose, or have a crack in it that is letting in the moisture? How's your fuel consumption these days? Good, bad, no change? How about your gas cap, have you checked it's seal? Maybe rain is running down the side of the car, into the gas cap area, and dripping into the tank and settling at the bottom of the tank overnight, which is then fed into the engine 1st when you try and start it. If I recall, water is heavier and sits at the bottom, not the top.

Seeing as how the starter is encased in the engine, and your plugs and wires are pretty well isolated from direct contact with rain, makes me think it's around your battery connectors, gas cap or maybe even a cracked fuel line or fuel filter. Somehow water is either killing your electrical supply, or getting into the fuel supply. Have you tried a can of HEAT fuel stabalizer yet? It gets the water out of the gas tank. Maybe run some of that in your next tank, and see what that does. If you put that stuff in, and then it rains and the car starts, then it's in your fuel supply lines, which would make me think fuel cap in general.

so check your battery terminals and gas cap first.

[Hybrid-JD]

I just want to say thanks for everyones support so far. But i'm gonna give some points in whats been happening recently.

When its COLD COLD this is what happens..

1. car does NOT start after a long rain storm or even a snow storm.

2. interior lights and front dash board does NOT dim when trying to ignite the car. But i do not hear any kinda click click sounds or even anything...

3. After 20-30 tries, it catches and ignites.

after or even during when it rains.

1. car doesnt start.

2. the cars stereo will cut off all of a sudden and come back on when it rains.

3. when it rains, it sometime seems like the cars looosing battery power, lights kinda dim out..

4. and all this only happens when its RAINING or after a rain storm.

5. after 20-30 cranks when it STARTS.. the engine/trac light comes on but after about a half hours drive everything goes away and the cars BACK TO NORMAL.

so this pretty much has happened say around 2 months after i got my BIG TUNE UP DONE.. where i did my timing belt,water pump, alternator replaced, spark plugs all fuids changed. And the rotors and caps were done around the 140 area...

i dont konw if i've provided enough info.. but those are my symptoms...

when its COLD and WET.. the cars pretty much wacked out =-*(

Jimmy

is that usually HOW often i'm suppose to change my caps/rotors? not too sure how often i'm suppose to chang them..

BUT today it snowed in Toronto and again.. i had the same problem.. car didnt start.. but after like 5 minutes of constant cranking and turning the ignition.. it finally started.. so maybe it could be the starter???

any more help would be great.

thanks

Jimmy

Jimmy, I'm going backwards in progression here, as I've noticed myself that when something is wrong, and I think it's a "5" on the "1-10" scale, it usually ends up being a "2". So...with that said...

Are you not getting power when you turn the key at all? I'm asking because I'm wondering how your battery terminal(s) look? I'm wondering if you have extensive corrosion or a loose connector, and the added humity of rain and snow is enhancing the lost connectivity at the terminals.

Check on those two terminals, and let us know a little bit more about the symptoms "ie, no power at all, or have power but just won't crank, or have power & start spins but engine just won't catch".

I wouldn't think 71km would require new plugs "how many US miles is 71km anyway?" The distributor cap could be loose, or have a crack in it that is letting in the moisture? How's your fuel consumption these days? Good, bad, no change? How about your gas cap, have you checked it's seal? Maybe rain is running down the side of the car, into the gas cap area, and dripping into the tank and settling at the bottom of the tank overnight, which is then fed into the engine 1st when you try and start it. If I recall, water is heavier and sits at the bottom, not the top.

Seeing as how the starter is encased in the engine, and your plugs and wires are pretty well isolated from direct contact with rain, makes me think it's around your battery connectors, gas cap or maybe even a cracked fuel line or fuel filter. Somehow water is either killing your electrical supply, or getting into the fuel supply. Have you tried a can of HEAT fuel stabalizer yet? It gets the water out of the gas tank. Maybe run some of that in your next tank, and see what that does. If you put that stuff in, and then it rains and the car starts, then it's in your fuel supply lines, which would make me think fuel cap in general.

so check your battery terminals and gas cap first.

[SKperformance]

Car doean not start mean it does not turn over/crank or cranks but does not fire. That needs to be clarified.

[Hybrid-JD]

car does not crank nor start.... but after a WHOLE bunch of trying ......... then it would just catch.. and it would start.

hope that makes sense..

SKperformance, i see that your in Toronto.. so maybe i can give you a call directly to speak about this if your knowledgable about the LS... =)

thanks

Jimmy

Car doean not start mean it does not turn over/crank or cranks but does not fire. That needs to be clarified.

[SKperformance]

send me a pm with your number and i'll give you a shout.

I am in Scarborough tonight if you want.