Problems After Driving in Intense Rain?

[Gauche1968]

84 1.9L with Digijet. I drove it yesterday for about 45 mins through an intense rainstorm. No problems running it through that, but afterwards parked for a couple of hours, went back out to go somewhere and it didn't want to idle, 500 RPMs, sputter, etc. Have to rev it to get it going, ran after a few mins. Today, its the same symptoms--doesn't want to idle after start, will stall if throttle not pushed.

What's the chance the rainstorm led to water penetration into the gas tank? Van was running fine before the rain. Should I start there or look somewhere else?
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[Farf]

Take a look under the distributor cap, could be some moisture in there.

[E1]

Could be that and that's a good first check.

If not, I'd bet the farm you have either a hole in an evap tank, or a loose grommet or connection into/out of it.

That is, if I had a farm...

Drain a pint of fuel into a clear container, let sit a half-hour, see if water settled to the bottom.

Then try a tankload of fuel dryer, then a quarter to half tank with Lucas Injector Cleaner. If suck action still exists, test the injector spray pattern.

The above happened to us, fouled an injector or more within five minutes of flooded roads, and then took five mechanics and 16 months to figure out. In the end, we figured it out ourselves and swapped in four new injectors.
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[Gauche1968]

Thanks,

It was done dry under the cap. bad valve gasket at the evap tank seems possible.
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[dobryan]

[levi]

Add to that list the 2 fuel expansion tanks.

I had a hole, don't know how it got there, and rain was being flung off the front tires and made its way into the gas tank.
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One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way

https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40

[bobhill8]

I had the exact problem after an hour of heavy rain on the drive home from BUYING my van 2 years ago. Drained the tank by the side of the highway and filled with new gas. Started right up and drove home. Good luck.