mopars in the rain

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vernk

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So I'm new to mopars and the a-body. i've been told by a few people now that i will have issues driving this car in the rain. i did search, can't find anything specifically on drivability issues while in the rain. is there merit to this comment? and if so how can i prevent any issues? i haven't really driven it in the rain just yet but i did move it around the street from spot to spot and i thought about it afterwards....it was actually stumbling more than normal. it does always have a bit of a miss, i've read that a more powerful coil might help. but what's the deal with this rain issue/nonissue?
thanks
vern
 
I lived on a Pacific island that averaged 13 feet of rain per year.

I was there just over 42 years.

Rain was never a negative issue on how any of my cars ran.

Daily drivers & no garage in my youth, so they all sat outside too.
 
The only problem i have ever had is lack of friction between the road and my back tires, but i guess the same is true when its dry outside.
 
vernk said:
So I'm new to mopars and the a-body. i've been told by a few people now that i will have issues driving this car in the rain. i did search, can't find anything specifically on drivability issues while in the rain. is there merit to this comment? and if so how can i prevent any issues? i haven't really driven it in the rain just yet but i did move it around the street from spot to spot and i thought about it afterwards....it was actually stumbling more than normal. it does always have a bit of a miss, i've read that a more powerful coil might help. but what's the deal with this rain issue/nonissue?
thanks
vern
Click to expand...
probably got moisture inside the distributor cap
 
Need to reseal the wiper pivots on the a-body's. They like to leak water into the car on the inside floor.
Change the trunk gasket if needed.
Window adjustments on the doors. if out, the leaks will spray in while moving down the road.
Normal rot holes letting water in. Goto to plug those and repair them.
Good luck and Welcome.
Joe
 
vernk said:
So I'm new to mopars and the a-body. i've been told by a few people now that i will have issues driving this car in the rain. i did search, can't find anything specifically on drivability issues while in the rain. is there merit to this comment? and if so how can i prevent any issues? i haven't really driven it in the rain just yet but i did move it around the street from spot to spot and i thought about it afterwards....it was actually stumbling more than normal. it does always have a bit of a miss, i've read that a more powerful coil might help. but what's the deal with this rain issue/nonissue?
thanks
vern
Click to expand...

I think they are a blast to drive in the rain.
Especially the lockers, because a little throttle makes for a real nice and controlled fishtail and it's not as hard on the tires when they are wet.:D
Rear tire traction is probably the biggest issue in the rain, and since these cars are so light big tires hydroplane real easy on the hiway.
I couldn't go over about 50 in the rain with one car I had without it constantly trying to swap ends.
11" 50's I think they were.
 
Not that we get much rain here in Ca. I learned a long time ago with that other manufacture that puts the distributor on the wrong end of the motor. A little ignition sealer spray goes a long way during the rainy season. Of course they did have those little bendy springy things inside distributors back then.
 
Sure!
Resized952016110595142442.jpg
 
I daily my Valiant, rain, snow, sun. I do have an HEI distributor, but I haven't had any driveability issues is the two years. She even sat through Washingon's rainiest fall in a while last year, just had to clean out the interior, no motor issues at all. I think everyone else is right when they say the biggest "problem" is a lack of traction!
 
Well, I can vouch for lack of brakes with the sorry 9" drums on the corners. Not real good dry, scary when they get wet, like through a puddle. Sis had a rusty 67 Valiant in Hawaii, its probably still running there.
 
When I was in Hawaii about 3 1/2 decades ago, cars were either pre 70 or new. The stuff in between rusted out so fast the locals just trashed them and bought a new one. A local told me that when I questioned him about my observance. And he didn't expect his "new" one would live long either.
 
Remember, our cars were probably all daily drivers when they were new. In my opinion the mods people make to them, make them unreliable or undesirable to drive everyday if they wanted to. Maintain them like they should be and you should have no issues.
 
No problems, here. The sides of the hood are always open.
33 Motor.JPG
 
Disc brakes and attention to wipers, light or intermittent rain you have to keep turning wiper on/off.
Wax windshield helps this situation, might look into wiper delay kit to add.
 
If slant 6 powered, due to distributor being low mounted, you should stay out of puddles more than 15" deep. Other than that I've never experienced any real drivability issues in over a million lifetime road miles in "A" body Mopars.
 
Comments might be due to water coming in. As said above. Rusted out windshield channel, and wiper pivots leaking.
 
well i cut up some panelboard for new door panels....and they are already wet from just sitting in the rain. i'll take heed on the other water leakage issues especially the wiper arm seals....can i rockauto that piece?

yes i was more so speaking of the drivability issues. the distributor sounds as a likely candidate to cause trouble. did i read above there is a spray to help seal the cap? might i also fashion a shield of some sort to block water from splashing directly on the distributor itself in the first place?

about the traction in rain....my 3.7 seems to have trouble making it to 45mph in a timely fashion. im unfortunately not plagued w/ traction issues wet or dry :(
 
sadly i did poke a hole in my floor the other day while running new brake lines and installing my dual master!
 
vernk said:
well i cut up some panelboard for new door panels....and they are already wet from just sitting in the rain. i'll take heed on the other water leakage issues especially the wiper arm seals....can i rockauto that piece?

yes i was more so speaking of the drivability issues. the distributor sounds as a likely candidate to cause trouble. did i read above there is a spray to help seal the cap? might i also fashion a shield of some sort to block water from splashing directly on the distributor itself in the first place?

about the traction in rain....my 3.7 seems to have trouble making it to 45mph in a timely fashion. im unfortunately not plagued w/ traction issues wet or dry :(
Click to expand...
The pivot seals are not the problem finding, the problem come in installing them. You have to remove the dashboard and front glass. (some will say im wrong about the glass)
wp301.png
 
Mopar Tim said:
The pivot seals are not the problem finding, the problem come in installing them. You have to remove the dashboard and front glass. (some will say im wrong about the glass) View attachment 1715087692
Click to expand...
On my early a-body and my 72 Demon... I replaced both seals with out removing the dash or windshield. It's tight, but can be done.
 
Rain-X and drive fast, never had a leak :) It is Fords that are found dead on the road, aways notice that when conditions are tough.
 
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