During these last few weeks when its been rainy and generaly wet I am finding if the Escort is left out,ie at work in the carpark,it doesnt fire on the first turn of the key and will splutter into life,not all the time,only when it is rainy or damp.
Once its started you can turn it off and start it first time every time,I have changed the distributor cap and rotor arm but this hasn't helped,any one got any ideas please.
Mat

 

How are your HT leads?

 

Thanks Azrael, I had a horrible feeling someone would say that! ,how do I check them?,I dont want to buy a new set at around 100 quid only to find this isn't the problem.
Do you reckon this is definately an ignition problem?,is there anything else it could be?
Mat

 

It can be e.g. electronics or electric instalation. But if you say it's only in the wet there is very high chance it has something to do with electric connections. Not nececarilly high voltage, but electric.


Do you have water sprayer of a kind people used for weting cloths while ironing? You could spray some water on leads on working engine and look for sparks (best to do in darkness), or/and missfiring. My mechanic always does does with different cars. We never tried with a Cossie because mine has no leads as it is late Escort.

 

Any ideas from anyone else, Chris ?????

Mat

 

HI.
Check the 2x 16pin plug connections behind the n/s headlight for water
problems damp, and grease up to protect from water it come's in from the bonnet vents.
Dave.

 

regarding the connectors behing the headlight,,,

i ended up cutting them out, soldering the wires together and heat shrinking each wire before covering them all in tape, now they match the rest of the loom and all the gremlins have gone, even ones that i didnt know i had until they were gone -

 

Guys,are we talking about the main loom conectors between the header tank and the headlight near the coil ? as I have already had these removed some time ago?
If you are,is there anything else you can think of except the HT leads?
Thanks
Mat

 

could still be moisture in the dizzy cap, give it a wipe out with a cloth with wd40 sprayed on in,

 

I had a very similar problem 2 m8 i tracked it down 2 a corroded terminal on the coil it was full of moisture , ended up putting a new coil on and angling downwards 2 stop sitting water.

 

Thanks to everyone for there ideas,I will get out to the garage with spanner in hand!
Mat