Why Not starting in damp weather 2001 dodge ram 1500?

Answer 1

I had some trouble with my 1997 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.2L 4x4 not wanting to start intermittently in damp weather. It would crank over and over but not fire up.what a nightmare! I had to leave it at work once, and nearly paid to have it towed to the nearest garage. I was very fortunate in that it finally started the next day in drier weather so I could get it back home, then I started experimenting.

I ultimately found the problem to be as follows: Everything on the exterior of the truck was coated with a film of salt from the treatment they use on the winter roads up in Northeast PA. When this film of salt became dampened from the moisture in the air, it became extremley conductive. This situation was causing the iginition coil to short out and deliver no spark to any of the cylinders. Wash off the coil and coil wire with fresh water, and the truck runs fine (ideally you should dry these parts too, but my truck ran fine with them wet).