Q: engine sputtering in the rain and having a harder time starting in the cold recently
This June my engine started sputtering in the rain. I figured it had to do with the crack in the plastic top of my radiator, so I replaced my radiator and I stopped losing coolant and the engine stopped sputtering in the rain. but for the last month or so the engine's been misfiring whenever it's damp and starting with difficulty in the cold. last week my ipod would turn off and then on while I was driving, the heating fan was wavering, and then, all of a sudden, my car wouldn't even start. I got a jump, the engine started up just fine and I got it home. when I tried to start it later that day I heard current running through the engine but it wasn't turning over or cranking or even clicking. Are these the symptoms of a bad ignition coil? Could it be the wiring going to the spark plugs? I replaced the sparks about 40000 miles ago and they dont look particularly dirty.
My car has 90000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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Consistent occurrence of poor operation during periods of high humidity is a clear sign of current leakage in the ignition system. Such leakage can occur as moisture provides an unintended path to ground on the high tension spark plug wires and could even originate at the coil on account of corrosion and rust (both attract more moisture) in the coil terminals. The contacts on the coil should be inspected as well as the coil itself and it might not be a bad idea to proactively replace the spark plug wires, which don’t last forever anyway. These wires are presently 15 years old on your vehicle if they are original. What I would recommend is a diagnostic for the sputtering during which the aforementioned possibilities will be examined as well as quite a few other possibilities, too.
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