2 New problems damp out shus off the other smell radiator fluid no drips

[93bluesholady]

As I said 2 new problems. What is new.
1. My sho shuts off when damp out, like raining, snowing etc. Engine area dry dry dry. Any ideas on this one? I have climbed under it to look around no wires loose or frayed.

2. After I drive her I smell rad fluid. No steam, not dripping and / or leaking anywhere. Fluid goes down after awhile. As I said I have climbed underneath and find nothing.

Talk about frustrating.

Thanks for any help on these 2.

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

*almost* sounds like your water pump is leaking onto your CPS, but i could be way off base. let see what some of the others have to say.

 

[SHO--ripper]

I totally agree with you BlackonBlackATX. This sounds like you have a bad water pump (radiator fluid going down/smell) which is leaking and causing your CPS to fail. I don't think your problem is related to the weather even though this problem seems to occur on rainy/snowy days. Good luck and run a search on CPS/waterpump failure.

 

[projectSHO89]

1) If an engine doesn't run when it is damp (atmospherically speaking), it is usually a problem in the secondary ignition system. For the SHO, this would mean plug wires and the coil. To test, wait for a nice dry day, then mist the plug wires and coil area with a spray bottle while the engine is running and see if you can duplicate the fault.

2) Either a) the WP is leaking and coolant is hitting the cat and evaporating or b) the radiator is leaking and the coolant is hitting the other cat and evaporating. To diagnose, get the pressure tester from AutoZone and test the system to 16 psi while looking for leaks.

Steve

 

[93bluesholady]

Thanks I will check all the answers. It will **** me off if the water pump is bad replaced it in 2001 fall of. Recent complete tune up wires, plugs, etc., just last fall. Thanks again.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Since nobody else has chimed in with this basic diagnostic tool, I will... First thing you need to do is read your codes. There are links in my signature to sites which have the directions to do this with something as simple as a paperclip or small piece of wire.

If I were a betting man, I'd say that the waterpump leaking on to the CPS could very well be the culprit for both problems. Next time you're looking around under the engine, run your fingers along the bottom of the lower timing belt cover right behind the crankshaft pulley.

 

[SHO--ripper]

Look for a code 14 if you run the codes. That is what my bad CPS threw. I am going to be replacing that this weekend. If you bought a rebuilt waterpump it might have gone bad in the 1-2 year period .

 

[93bluesholady]

When it shuts down like it has when damp out. The rpms will work when trying to turn the engine over. But she will not kick over. You do not hear the whirl in the rear end at this point. Then any wheres from a minute to hours later the whirl is heard she'll start. Take yesterday damp out twice shut done within miles of each time. Today damp out stayed running fine so far. It is driving me crazy. I drive no main roads right now fearing she will just shut off from what ever is going on. I will on a dry day check to see if she is leaking around the water pump. I will also check the codes when it is dry out. Thanks headbang again. headbang

 

[shojuan]

93bluesholady:
When it shuts down like it has when damp out. The rpms will work when trying to turn the engine over. But she will not kick over. You do not hear the whirl in the rear end at this point. Then any wheres from a minute to hours later the whirl is heard she'll start. Take yesterday damp out twice shut done within miles of each time. Today damp out stayed running fine so far. It is driving me crazy. I drive no main roads right now fearing she will just shut off from what ever is going on. I will on a dry day check to see if she is leaking around the water pump. I will also check the codes when it is dry out. Thanks headbang again. headbang

No whirl from the rear end where you normally notice one means the fuel pump isn't running. Either an intermittant fuel pump failure or a circuit fault to the fuel pump. The ICRM module that's right above the radiator has relays that provide power to the fuel pump. These things occasionally fail on high mileage SHOs too.

To start with check the connector to the ICRM module. Make sure all the spades are clean and even. If some of the spades look slightly pushed in then pull them back out with a set of small needle nose pliers. If the spade pins aren't clean then clean them. If you know anybody with a SHO in your area, try swapping in their ICRM module and see if the problem goes away.

Also check out this writeup (thanks Steve!) for a procedure to test the entire fuel pump circuit: http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=003274#000010

 

[rangerj]

93bluesholady,

Look behind the water pump pulley and on the underside of the pump. Use a small mirror. There is a "Weep" hole under there. Look for any signs of a leak.

First look for any green fluid (the old look for the wet spot trick), then look for a trail of white mineral deposits, or a trail of clean metal (cleaned by the hot leaking fluid). Occasionally I have seen a black trail where the metal has been discolored. Check the car while it is cold, that is after it has sat all night.

If you do not find anything, then check it after it is fully warmed up and just shut down. then check about every 15 to 20 minutes after shut down (as the engine cools down).

The trail will obviously flow downward and end up at the back side of the lower timing belt cover. You may find a few drops down there that have not been blown away by the airflow.

As projectsho89 has suggested, if you do not find the obvious leak, you can rent a pressure tester from Auto Zone. Apply 16 PSI and check the various spots for the leak.

In re. your other problem, check for codes and get back to us. rangerj thumb

 

[CharlieR]

Re: small coolant leak, no drips found and smell coolant. Consider a leak in the heater core inside the passenger compartment. Bit of a job to get at it and check, but if the smell is greatest inside and you can find no other leak in the engine compartment, this is where your problem could be. Another hint of this problem is that the windshield fogs up easily due to the defrost air being moist with evaporated water from the heater core leak.