Water lock??

I left my IM out with just the top covered up (not a full cover)for the past few days and its been pouring rain most of the time. When I went to start it today it turned over a bit then, clunk, wouldn't go anymore. Seized I figured. Took a big wrench and turned it over backwards (wouldn't go forward) by hand about one or two revs then tried again and it started but ran very poorly and smoked like hell. It then started to smooth out and settle into idle so I got out and there was a big puddle of water under the back of the car where the exhaust exits.

Car is 911 powered, webers, rain hats but I recently put on a louvered rear deck. I've left it out before in the rain when I had an ordinary deck on and no problems. Any thoughts? I'm pretty sure water got into one or more cylinders...only thing I can think of. Anything I should do to make sure there are no lasting effects of having water in it?

I can't answer the question of how to keep rain out of your engine other than parking it in a garage or putting a tarp over at least the engine compartment however, it's not wise to turn a 911 engine backwards. The chains that drive the cams can skip a tooth and destroy your engine. If this happens again, take the difficult route and pull the pulgs then rotate it clockwise.

The rain hats SHOULD keep the water out of the carbs unless the bolts holding them on are loose enough for water to get in that way.

Kelly Frazer had that happen to him at Carlisle in '08. Had to remove a couple of spark plugs and pump the water out. getting the water out of the carbs themselves is an adventure, too. Running a few cans of dry gas through might help.

I'm really surprised with rain hats that you got that much water in it. But, apparently that is what happened. I am almost wondering if you got so much water that it went over the engine and filled up the heat exchangers - maybe a leak in the exhaust filled a combusion chamber from the bottom? Probably not - must have been from the top.

If the engine is a 3.0 or earlier, it has a bottom sump drain. I would change the oil including the engine sump. Refill and take it for a long drive. The oil change should drop any water in the oil system out and what it doesn't get, the long drive should burn out. If you wind up with a mayonnaise like look on the oil cap, then you have more moisture.

Repeat the process if you see the mayonnaise.

angela

I doubt if it entered from the exhaust as the car has headers and not heat exchangers. I'll have to check the oil then. There was water all over the top of the engine, on and under the shroud. Still, I don't see how water could get in just from sitting on top of the engine unless there is a hole or leak there.

My thinking is that its coming in from the carbs, even with the rainhats and I think its the result of the louvers in the deck. I had to cut out the underside of the deck, the frame, to clear the rain hats. The deck was confirgured for a 4 cyl when it came from IM. I cut it out to provide just enough clearance, just barely. I'm thinking maybe more clearance would help so that water does not run from the frame of the deck then over the rain hats. I'll have to douse it with the garden hose and watch how the the water behaves. Do that after the big move...all I need now is to be able to drive the car onto the truck.

Might have gotten in through the screws that hold the hardhats/filters on. Was it really windy?

A good car cover is worth it's weight on gold. I've got one for the spyder that rolls into a package the size of a loaf of bread. Great to travel with and will absolutely positively keep the interior and the engine dry. Even without a top. California Car Covers.

And you're right - from the top is really the only logical way for the water to get in.

angela

Yep, pretty windy and its been raining 40 days and 40 nights I swear. We're supposed to be semi-arid up here??

My cover is packed away in one of a few dozen boxes awaiting the moving truck 9 am Tuesday.

Drove the car again yesterday, no problems with starting however there was some moisture on the ground by the exhaust tip after startup. However, it settled into a smooth idle almost immediately and ran well. Still runs too hot though...something I will have to look at closer after the move. I wrapped the headers and collectors with header tape however that has not solved the problem. I'm thinking the oil cooler is not getting enough air flow...I changed the stock shroud for a Getty Design one in raw fiberglass. The eingine's overheating however the oil is not flowing to the front aux cooler like it should. Maybe an air lock or something? It has a Mocal thermostat, braided lines to an RX7 cooler that has been modified to eliminate the thermostat in it.

How hot is it getting and what engine do you have Brian?

Is the engine mounted oil cooler getting hot to the touch?

angela

Are you finally moving south Bri?

Yep, finally. Moving truck arrives today and we load it with all it can take including the IM and the Passat. The rest goes to the dump. Then we do a final clean up on the house and new owners take possession tomorrow noon. Then off we go in the MB for the 5,600 km trip. Have to be there by 9 am on the 30th to unload the truck. Been years in the planning...at least the weather looks like it might not rain while we're loading. Might not...who knows? Now I know why I haven't moved in 30 years....what a pain!

You might mention where you are moving to.

I'm pretty sure he's moving SOUTH - LOL!

Seriously, Brian, where are you heading to? Or for purposes of witness protection, must it remain secret?

angela

Thought he was heading to the Canadian side of Niagara......