won't start on wet morning

[simpson110]

hey everybody, this is my first post on roversnorth. i recently got a 1989 rrc and have fixed a few things already and thought it was pretty much reliable. i was wrong. but anyway this morning when i went out to go to work it would not start, this has never happened before during a wet night. it also got about 20 degrees warmer over the night which is not usual. when i got home from work i tried to start it and still nothing. it turns over fine, and i can hear the fuel pump, so my guess is that the distributor cap is cracked and moisture found its way in finally. well if you any of you guys have had this problem please let me know how to fix it, and i did search the forum with no luck(maybe just wrong use of words). thanks in advance for any help.

[Mike Koch]

It could be your spark plug wires. When was the last time they were replaced?

[simpson110]

i really have no idea, i got the beast from my step dad for free after i totaled my GTI on the way to go snow boarding. it started just fine this morning after the rain had stopped for a few hours. it also started right up at work too. i think i am just gonna get the ignition tune up from roversnorth. that covers the cap, wires, and plugs so i think i should be all set then.

a little off topic, but did my tailgate has the great divide edition badge on it, and i was just wondering if there was such a thing for the '89 model year.

[Mike Koch]

The Great Divide Edition Range Rovers were sold as 1991 models, but built to 1990 model year specifications. Please consult this website for more details:

http://www.rangerovers.net/modelspecs/1991.html

[jgkmmoore]

Take off the distributor cap and dry the inside of it. Bet it is soaked! Big temp change/hi humidity/rain/snow will do it every time.
Your engine sweats like a pig when this happens..and crankcase vapors come up the dizzy shaft. It almost rains inside the dizzy. Dry the wires off as well, and mop dialectric grease on the plug tops and wire cxns, etc. WD40 will do it all in one shot if you don't have a rag. If you don't have several rags, and you now own a Series truck, better get some. Waterpump pliers, bigass screwdriver,duct tape,hammer/sledge, diag cutters,etc should be nearby at all times.

[jgkmmoore]

Just noticed you have an RRC vs a Series. Applies to the RRC tho.
You want to be in the Range Rover Classic forum...this is the Series area.
Welcome !

[dieselrangerover]

Could be a bad coil, too. If drying the cap doesn't work, try cranking the truck in the dark and watch the wires, cap and coil to see fi there is any arcing.

[simpson110]

well i bought the 30k service kit and it came on monday. i already replaced the cap, rotor, wires and air cleaner. i didn't have time to do the plugs but it seems to run and idle much much better. that kit also comes with the transmission filter, which from what i hear is one pain in the ass to change. although i guess it does make a difference in the shifting. i'll be sure to keep you updated.