K11 won't start when it has been raining

slimey

Club Member (Trial)
I've got a K11 Micra (N-Reg) that won't start when it has been sat around for a day in the rain. Last time this happened, I had the AA out, and they couldn't work out what was going on. Left it for 24 hours to "dry out", and it started first time the next day.

After being sat on the drive for a couple of days last week in the rain, it wouldn't start. I've tried leaving it a few days, but it keeps raining, and still won't start.

I'm assuming the damp is getting into something and stoping it from firing. It turns over fine, just no sign of it firing. When the AA man looked at it last, he was convinced there was no spark.

Any ideas where I should start looking?

Thanks,

Simon
 

pollyp

Club Member
check the distributor cap isn't damp inside.

for ease of access i would mark the dizzy's position against the engine block, unplug the ign leads & connectors to the dizzy, remove dizzy from engine then unscrew the cap.

i also usually wirebrush the oxidised metal points inside the dizzy cap with a dremel whenever it's off
 
hi simon,
take a look at my thread - death to the nats!!
i hope this is not the case for you! - ed of fusion motor sports sold me a ecu for 150 squid and the prob went away - ecu minus immob sold to me.
he said a lass from oop north had the same kinda thing - after rain , no start.
he sent her a refurbed ecu and she didn't call him again - goog fusion or find ed's profile here!!
if the prob is not as i say, he could still give you a quality bit of advice on the phone....
george
:suspect:
 
OP
OP
S

slimey

Club Member (Trial)
Thanks both. I went out to investigate this afternoon, and despite plenty of rain this morning the car started first time. Gah - in a way, I'm happy that it's working, but I'm still no closer to knowing what the problem is.

I do actually have a spare ECU lying around, so could try swapping that next time I have problems. I don't have NATS on my car (that I'm aware of, anyway).

The distributor is certainly an area I'd thought of, but I've not successfully managed to remove it when I've tried in the past. Maybe next time :grinning:

SImon
 

SuluR

Buy & Sell Member
I think you have NATS if you have the red bit on your key for the car, or the blinking light on the dash? correct me if im wrong.

If your spare ECU has NATS Im not sure i it will work.

As for your problem, maybe water is getting in somewhere and causesing the problem, have you tried looking for water in and around the ECU area? IIRC pollyp had that problem when it rains...
 

pollyp

Club Member
^ oh yea i totally forgot bout that water prob i had.

basically water thats leaked from either the fan inlet port or the heater matrix core can trickle down onto the ecu and pool at the bottom of the tray until it causes the circuit terminals to fizz corrode n short out and cause running/starting problems.
can be checked by looking out for a wet ecu or wet carpet during very heavy rain or in a car wash.
 
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