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Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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smcvey
User
Sep 8, 2009, 10:39 AM
Post #1 of 22
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Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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I have two (don't ask why) Dodge Ram 1500's. One is 2000 one is 1999. Neither of them will start up after it rains. It takes forever and sometimes I have to wait 20 - 30 minutes and then come back out and try again. Both of them turn over but don't catch. Is this a common problem with Dodge's?
Also, when we were trying to start one of them up today....and it hadn't rained but it's been quite humid and foggy....we lifted the hood while trying. In the case where the air filter is housed there was smoke coming out of there. Sometimes the engine makes such a loud noise that I can't believe it still runs at all.
The trucks always start up eventually, although sometimes we have to jump them due to running the battery down trying.
I haven't tried anything because I don't have any idea what to do. I can get around an engine a little bit, but give me a break, I'm a mom with teenage kids that have no idea how to do anything other than put gas in and drive......HELP!
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 8, 2009, 1:27 PM
Post #2 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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smcvey; No, this isn't a 'common' complaint with Dodge's. Could be moisture around/inside the distributor cap? Lack of fuel pressure? Coolant temp sensor? Do you have a check engine light on while the engine is running? Next time it refuses to start, try holding the gas pedal to the floor. Don't pump it, just hold it steady. If the engine then starts, of course, start letting off of the pedal so as not to allow the engine to over-rev. This will tell us if it is an over-fueling issue. Smell the oil. Does it smell like gasoline?
Loren
SW Washington
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smcvey
User
Sep 9, 2009, 12:16 AM
Post #3 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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Since it's really misty again today I tried just holding it to the floor and that didn't work. And no, the oil doesn't smell like gas either.????
I can probably locate the distributor cap but if there isn't an apparent crack how will I know if moisture is getting in? Sometimes is acts like it's just shutting everything down at once and it's a really weird sound that I can't even describe.
(This post was edited by smcvey on Sep 9, 2009, 1:37 AM)
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 9, 2009, 9:13 AM
Post #4 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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smcvey; You can remove the distributor cap and take a look inside, checking for condensation. Also, at night, take a spray bottle with water in it and spray the distributor cap with a mist while looking for 'spark' jumping. We may not even be headed in the right direction....could be something totally different going on, but I'm trying to think of the simplest, common, type problems. You mentioned a 'weird' noise. Can you try to describe it and when you hear it? I know, noises are very hard to describe in text. Just do the best you can; Maybe, hopefully, one of the others here may have some suggestions to look at or try?
Loren
SW Washington
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fliptail
User
Sep 9, 2009, 2:54 PM
Post #5 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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I think that's headed in the right direction. There is most likely an insulation break down some where.
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smcvey
User
Sep 10, 2009, 12:24 AM
Post #6 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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OK I will locate the distributor cap today and try misting it tonight. We're having trouble again this morning....will it ever dry out....and one sound that it makes sounds like a big gush of air makes it's way through and then everything just sort of sputters. Another sound is like the engine is cranking and then all of a sudden a metal on metal screech that shuts everything down. That's the best I can do at these sounds, I've just never heard the one before.
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 10, 2009, 10:34 AM
Post #7 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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The 'gush' of air you describe could be from the engine backfiring up through the plenum? Again, from moisture inside or outside of the distributor cap? Very rare, but the metal screech could be coming from the distributor, too. Once running, listen closely to try and find the origin of the screech. If you let me know which engine this has, I can get you a pic of the distributor cap.
Loren
SW Washington
(This post was edited by Loren Champlain Sr on Sep 10, 2009, 10:35 AM)
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smcvey
User
Sep 10, 2009, 2:27 PM
Post #8 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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It has a V8 Magnum. I hope you can get the diagram because I didn't see anything that looked like a distributor cap to me. I want to thank you for all the work you're doing, I really appreciate it.
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 12, 2009, 11:10 AM
Post #9 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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 This is a pic of the distributor cap. The spark plug wires attach to it.
Loren
SW Washington
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smcvey
User
Sep 12, 2009, 2:48 PM
Post #10 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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That's what I've been looking for but can't find it. Do you have any idea where it is located?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 12, 2009, 2:57 PM
Post #11 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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What engine do you have?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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smcvey
User
Sep 12, 2009, 3:00 PM
Post #12 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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v8 Magnum??
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 12, 2009, 3:02 PM
Post #13 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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That doesn't tell me anything. There are numerous V8s and a V10. I need to know the exact size engine and whether it's a 1500 or a 2500.
If you don't know, give me the 8th digit of the VIN#
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Sep 12, 2009, 3:03 PM)
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smcvey
User
Sep 12, 2009, 3:10 PM
Post #14 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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It's a Dodge 1500 and the 8th digit is Z.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 12, 2009, 3:18 PM
Post #15 of 22
(54412 views)
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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You have a 5.9 light duty.
The distributor is in the rear of the engine at the center top. You may have to remove the air filter housing to see it.
Just follow any of the plug wires back to it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Sep 12, 2009, 3:19 PM)
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smcvey
User
Sep 12, 2009, 3:22 PM
Post #16 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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Thank you. I think I will have to remove the air filter housing because I absolutely can't find it right now and all the wires lead to that area. THANKS!!!
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wdano
Novice
Sep 18, 2009, 6:27 PM
Post #17 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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my father had exact same issue with his 1500, and yes his is also a 5.9L. I don't know what it was that finally fixed the problem but we changed all ignition wires, distributor, distributer cap after all of that the truck seemed good for about a month, then wet weather hit and it did it again...we then noticed a slight whistle from underneath the intake manifold, sure as snow is white the seal was completely done. we fabricated a new seal right then to test our theory, its been two years now with our "temporary seal" and the problem has not occurred again. just my two cents.
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smcvey
User
Sep 19, 2009, 12:43 PM
Post #18 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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Sounds like a great place to start! Thanks for your input.
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rags2rags
New User
Jan 18, 2010, 9:45 PM
Post #19 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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wdano,
Very interesting theory. I think you may be on to something regarding the intake. How did you fabricate a new seal?
My 2000 Dodge Ram has the exact same problem as your dad. I've always noticed a constant sort of vacuum-like sound coming from the engine compartment, as if I had the air cleaner off or something. If I leave it sit for over 24 hours without a start, and it gets humid (and cool) out, it just plain will NOT start. Plain and simple. And by the way, on ANY other type of day, whether -20 degrees, +90 degrees, whatever, as long as it isn't really humid, it'll start guaranteed on first pull within 1.27 seconds give or take. Baby runs swwweeeeettt!!!
smc, did you ever find the source of your particular problem?
Rgds,
John
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nhguy
New User
May 18, 2011, 3:20 PM
Post #20 of 22
(50526 views)
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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Have a 99 Ram 1500 5.9 About a year ago, had this problem. Refused to start during rainy weather, til the point that actually had a MAJOR backfire thru the intake. ALL plastic above the manifold literally blew apart off the engine!
AAA towed to my mechanic, then was asked how much dynamite I used? Short answer- they did a diagnostic, and a "cold" temp sensor told the ignition system that the temp was (get this-) 8 MILLION degrees below zero! Basically, all air intake was shut down and copious gas was being shot in to compensate. Only happened in wet weather. Mechanic replaced sensor and destroyed intake plastic.
Worked well for the last year, but is now starting to rear its ugly head again. Gotta get get it back in the shop before I have another explosion and lill the neighbor's cat with resulting flying shrapnel.
RUST RUST RUST is yet another issue! Body is slowly dying from salt cancer, as is the case with most Dodge trucks of this vintage. Probably will not take a sticker this summer. Should have stuck with being a FORD guy!!!! Gonna replace it with one and not look back....
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 18, 2011, 3:51 PM
Post #21 of 22
(50518 views)
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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This thread is 2 years old. If you have a question, please start a new thread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 18, 2011, 3:55 PM
Post #22 of 22
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Re: Dodge Ram won't start during/after rain
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Sport - this thread is almost a year and a half old. Please look for dates and post as you wish on current threads or start your own new one,
Tom (thread now locked)
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