Spark Plugs are submerged in Water.... hrmmm

[Ryan Coft]

well.. she started running rough on the way home today...massive hesitation as soon as you hit the gas.. so i figured i was close to home, no big deal

get home.. pop off my IC pipe b/c it felt like an intake leak.. nope.. not it.. ok.. so pop off the spark plug covers..

look in #1 - bone dry.. and yup.. it's a spark plug
look in #2,3,4 and well... 4 was the worst! but they were anywhere between 1/4 and almost all the way submerged under water (yes it was water... wierd..)

i soaked up the water, took out the plugs and cleaned them, threw it back together and it works great..

my question is.. how the fark did water get into the top half of the spark plug cylinder???

i did wash my engine recently.. but ...? it would have had to make it past the spark plug cover and the boots of the spark plug wires that snap on.

Anybody got ideas? checked the FAQ's but didnt see anything like this. Never had this one before myself...

~Ryan

[Chao C. Yin]

If you have the plastic plug wire cover on and hose the engine with water, I wouldn't be surprised to find water getting past the boot because you will be submerging the wires and boots in water.  Especially if the tiny drain hole at the lower right side corner of the valve cover is plugged with junk.

[Aaron Moore]

Happened to me the first time I washed the engine bay too.  Just be a little more selective with your spray pattern

[Jeremy Clarke]

When I wash my engine I stick the shop vac down each hole afterwards. You have to expect the water. It's another of our "small price to pay" issues.

[Ryan Coft]

hmm... well imagine that.. ok thx guys.. think i burnt out a plug or something too... b/c it did the same hesitation on the way to work...

good to know though.. didn't think water would get in there easily... yet another DSM trait

[Travis Merrick]

By any chance are you using Magnecor 8.5mm wires on your car?

[Ryan Coft]

nup.. NGK

[John Hartman]

Yea, just pissin out the upstairs window so to speak will get these plug wires/plugs in a tizzy. They are not "clean engine friendly"

Your hesitation is probalby your wire terminal (plug end) still being wet.  yes you cleaned the plugs, and the head, but there is probably some in the wire end.  And its gonna take a long time for it to evaporate, due to steam rising  Its just gonna go up in the wire and then condense again on top of the plug.

Use some compressed air.

[Mike Schmid]

Maybe pull the wires off and leave them draped over the valvecolver overnight, that should do it.  If you have a garage anyways, if not you could pull them off and take them into the house.

[John Hartman]

aim a hair dryer in there too, or a cloth. Just don't wreck anything

[Ryan Coft]

or just use this as a damn good excuse to go buy 50 ohm resistance 8.8 MM MSD Wires and new plugs... and perhaps coilpacks and... ok i'll stop...

[John Hartman]

hey, if you are buying new wires, have a look at Aurora wires.  they are very good, and made in Abbotsford.  Not a Yankee part, but good Canuck stuff  Fairly cheap too, and availiable at Fortins, and other places

[Travis Merrick]

Aurora are good, but they actually take your old stock ends and make new wires in them, sometimes they can be good sometimes they can be bad, depending on what your old boots were like, I looked into this, you have to give them your old ones, I dont think its a good idea.

[John Hartman]

thats a big negative Travis.  I went into Fortins, bought the wires(all brand new parts, I am anal that way,and have good eyes) and drove home.  then the next day, I took my old wires off, threw them out with the cat litter, and put in the new Auroras.  No probs.

[Scott Girvin]

Ya, I just bought a set of Auroras. All brand new parts. What is with the use of old boots?