Waterproofing a petrol

[nejones]

Not too sure where to as k this Q so please feel free to move if necessary.

I'd like to know what you use to waterproof the electrics on your petrol engines?

You know the sort of stuff I mean Dizzy and cap, leads and plugs.

I usually spray all that with a product I got from a mate who worked at a Vauxhall stealership its made by Wurth. I've had water over the bonnet on occassion and all was well but....... the last time we did Strata Florida the water wasn't that deep but I picked up a misfire first on 1 cylinder then on 2.
I'm out grenlaning in a couple of weeks and theres sure to be plenty of water around so what can I do to be as sure as possible that I have protected the engine electrics?

 

[elty001]

water proofing electrics

a big plastic bag around the engine isnt practical but this might be but it sounds expensivehttp://www.slipstream-automotive.com/section.html?secpath=01.01.&pgid=19

 

[nejones]

Good ling Elty :wink:

Anyone know where I can get this from then 'Slipstream Hydra-Dynamic Anti-Friction Plasma'? :?:

 

[Terranosaurus]

Whats the wurth stuff, is it just a WD40 type spray in which case its just a WD40 type spray or is it a sealant in which case I'd say don't us it, it masks problems not cures them and tends to get verywhere and in th elong run makes a mess. Good for a quick cure for a customer but on your own motor I wouldn't us it.


Heres a few pointers.

When did you last replace your leads - older leads do not like wet.

Have you got the standard rubber press studded dizzy cover - thiis seems pretty good.

Silicon grease is the thing to use to seal stuff. Make sure the dizzy cap to dizzy body is clean and grit free. Putr some grease on it.

A 2-3" section of motorcylce innertube can be peeled down the dizzy body, put cap back on and then peel up to seal the joint between cap and body of dizzy.

Take one domestic marigold glove cut the very end off each finger (and thumb). Pass all leads through the holes in the fingers and then re join to dizzy cap. Cable tie te glove fingers tight around the HT leads, cable tie the wrist of the glove around the Dizzy body.

Use silicon grese to seal the boot to the leads and also the boots to the dizzy cap and coil.

Might be worth putting the coil in a water tight sandwhich box and using a grommet out the bottom to get the lead and wires in - but never bothered myself.


One big one - make sure the arch liner is in place.

 

[elty001]

water proofing electrics

i read on difflock about the marrigold glove fingers hb(and laughed)but there is method in the madness.good point about wd as it seals moisture in if it is already there.a good silicone based grease will do it but its messy

 

[Deleted account DD]

Spot on advice about the silicon grease. Excellent stuff but a word of warning about sealing yor engine up , as mentioned above, make sure its bone dry before you start :wink:

I once sealed up a caravan junction box (in the days when electrics were add ons), during the winter and gues what :roll:

I would be more tempted to go along the grease route with a decent maintenance regime. I worked on aircraft for many years and it was quite suprising how many critical parts were maintained and protected by a dollop of good quality gunge. (to put it non technical :lol: )

 

[Terranosaurus]

Only other thing I thought of but never did to my petrol was to add an extended breather to the dizzy cap.

The cap has a breather on top of it, I intended to attach a pipe to this and run it say up the side of the wndscreen or similar and then cove it or turn it through 180 degrees. Probably best not to seal the cap as some method of breathing is a good idea.

The stuff in the above posts is based on whats given in the "book" Escort Preparation this was written by the ford works rally team mechanics in the mid 70s and covers everything you need to know about building an escort rally car but much is applicable to all cars and 4x4 too. Works escorts use to run through really deep water on events like the safari and these guys had the time and resources to do anything they wanted, to test stuff and buy anything they needed.

Having done the above I can also confirm it works. Only time my mav ever died in water was runnig with no alternator on a low battery - so a very weak spark. And even then it didn't take much to get it up and running again after I'd imersed the whole front end in a ford in the lake district. Not a bow wave just really deep water, I only got the front wheels in and the water was on the bonnet!!!!!!