My 86 El Camino 4.3L is running good but when it rains it runs FANTASTIC. What is the reason and how can I get it to run that good all the time? http://www.chevelles.com/forum/confused.gif

[This message has been edited by Dave Flanagan (edited 02-25-2000).]

Dave,
You may have a wiring problem. The water may help complete the circuit when wet. Check all the wiring that is exposed to weather and see if there are cracks, broken wires etc. Good luck!

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Honey, its not a $200 hat. The distributor was $200, the hat came with it. kevin d
Maryland Chevelle Club #362

It's probably running a little lean. When they run lean they run hot, the hotter they are the less fuel that can pack in a cylinder. When it's raining the engine is running cooler and the extra moisture in the air (humidity) is also supplying a small amount more of oxygen which allows more of the available fuel to burn more completely.

Enriching the air/fuel mixture may mess with your emissions however which you need to be concerned with if you have to have your car inspected to license it. You might get much of the same results by just getting the thing to run cooler. BUT the downside to that is if it is computer controlled a lower operating temperature can make it run like crap since it never hits the optimum performance/cleanliness/fuel efficient balance spelled out in the original programming.

Kind of a fix-one-thing-mess-up-another situation if you aren't careful.

I would think cracked wiring getting wet would cause short circuits and make it run worse.

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[This message has been edited by Rich-L79 (edited 02-25-2000).]

Wait, you were being sarcastic?? I didn't get that, my answer was going to be that cool wet air ( i.e. "thicker air" ) always make the mill run better!

Other than running a "reverse" swamp cooler under your hood, ram air might help a bit.

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Chaas
Gold #62/ACES
67 SS396/L88

I was thinking of a ram air or at least some setup that brings air from the outside. She is not running hot and the wires are new (New motor). Where can I get a setup for the TB to draw outside air or where should I start looking for one?

Dave, you might get a four bbl air cleaner from a M/C or a carbureted el camino with the snorkle that runs to the front of the rad support.

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Leo Paugh
Maryland Chevelle Club #017
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten.
www.clark.net/pub/chevelle/mcc.htm (http://www.clark.net/pub/chevelle/mcc.htm)

I've noticed that too in some cars I've had over the years. My theory is that when it's raining, the air is generally cooler and the evaporation of the water as it enters the hot air cleaner/carb/intake cools the air even more. The cooler the air entering the the cylinder, the denser the air and more oxygen it has. Although my drag racing experience tells me that humid air carries less oxygen than dry air, so that theory might be all "wet" (been watching too much HP TV). It could also have to do with octane requirement and being on the verge of pre-ignition. Like factory water injection was used for in turbocharged Olds F-85's in about 1963.

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von '69 300 Dlx SS Murphy's Law is always in effect

Tires spin easier on wet roads?

Tom3; I am not looking to spin tires. Von; Yes it is on the verge of pre-ignition as it is set at 0-BTDC and runing 92oct.. If I set it ATDC I lose all power and any more BTDC and it raps like hell. When I put the new motor in it got all the new things example: cat,egr,escm,ecm,plugs,wires,alt.,belts,water pump ETC...... the list goes on & on. It just runs and idles so nice when it rains. When it's cold and snowing there is no difference so I am thinking that the cooler air may not change things, but I will try to find a snorkle and put it on just for the hell of it.

I've noticed the same--there's a slew of products available called "water injection systems" or something like that.

This has been around for over 50 years--I learned about it through aviation (water injection is used on high-performance engines).

It works because a property of water is high latent content--which means it can absorb lots of heat when it vaporizes--in a combustion chamber that translates into a more complete and even burn of the fuel mixture because the water laps up heat which leads to premature collapse of the wave front (which leads to incomplete burn/predetonation, etc.).

Anyway, you can buy or make water injection systems--it's not hard.

I hear that if you get water into your motor it will turn to steam from there it will erode the pistons & valves in a short time. Is there any truth to this? An old timer told me years ago to spray a little water into the carb to clean out the carbon, so I do that at every oil change.

I would go for checking the wireing,souds to me as if it is a ground problem.If it was a live kable that messed in the rain it would run more poorley.It may not be in the connection to the body but it can also be a poorley crimped cableshoe (sorry guys....I tried to translate from Swedish and it is the best I can came up with)

I had an 86 with the 4.3 like yours. It always ran better during warm up and on the rainy days. I agree with Rich-L79 - these set ups run lean for emissions purposes. I suspect you can get a performance chip that would help - seems like I looked into this and found something from one of the major aftermarket places. It will never be a tire burner anyway, enjoy the good mileage!

I recently sold my silver 86 with about 45K miles to make way for more family cars. I don't miss it on icy days! Good luck. Steve