water puddle problems 1999 Corolla

[everunQ]

Hi. I drove my 1999 Corolla through a big puddle a couple of times for the kids. A few hours later the check engine light comes on and I feel like I am running on two cylinders. I pulled the plug wires and saw standing water in the spark plug wells. I removed the water and dried the plug wells. The car ran well for a short time. Then same thing. I have no owners manuel so I can't figure out how to remove and dry the distributor (if there is one). I sprayed WD40 on everything electrical. Again it ran better for a very short while. Someone told me they had a similar problem with a different make of car and that it was a sensor that had gotten wet.

Can anyone tell me what may be wrong and how to fix it or how to find this sensor of some kind please?

wet in Waukesha
everunQ

[glow-plug]

What's the mileage on the car?
Could still be worn out ignition wires.
Have a look under the hood in the dark with engine running look for arcing.

The engine has 2 coil packs mounted to the block drivers side just to the right of the oil fill cap , they have the spark plug numbers on them, well actually two numbers, one of the orders is correct, the numbers are hard to see.

Originally Posted by everunQ

Hi. I drove my 1999 Corolla through a big puddle a couple of times for the kids. A few hours later the check engine light comes on and I feel like I am running on two cylinders. I pulled the plug wires and saw standing water in the spark plug wells. I removed the water and dried the plug wells. The car ran well for a short time. Then same thing. I have no owners manuel so I can't figure out how to remove and dry the distributor (if there is one). I sprayed WD40 on everything electrical. Again it ran better for a very short while. Someone told me they had a similar problem with a different make of car and that it was a sensor that had gotten wet.

Can anyone tell me what may be wrong and how to fix it or how to find this sensor of some kind please?

wet in Waukesha
everunQ

[everunQ]

Originally Posted by glow-plug

What's the mileage on the car?
Could still be worn out ignition wires.
Have a look under the hood in the dark with engine running look for arcing.

The engine has 2 coil packs mounted to the block drivers side just to the right of the oil fill cap , they have the spark plug numbers on them, well actually two numbers, one of the orders is correct, the numbers are hard to see.

You were right. It was plug wires. Even though I WD40'd the heck out of them, changing them and the plugs put the CEL out. Car has 112,000 on engine. Thank you very much for the reply.

Now I have to read the post about the problem someone was having with electrical and the AC light blinking. It is nicer to have smaller problems.
EverunQ

[glow-plug]

Good to hear you got it.

Did you use Toyota wires?

Had the same problem.
I was able to borrow a code reader and it told me plug 3 was missing. Sure enough the plug was arcing over, replaced the plug still had issues, replaced the wires with after market (cheaper) ones lasted 2 years.
Finally replaced the wires with a Toyota part no worries, I can wash the motor and it fires up.