97 Lumina won't start when it rains

[geekbyday]

Since I have been driving this car, sometimes, & only sometimes, when it rains the car won't start. This doesn't mean that I have driven it in the rain just that it rained on it... Usually if I wait from 10 minutes to a couple of hours, it will start like normal but not this time.... This time the only thing that will work is the door bell when I insert the key and that even stops when I turn on the ignition but I have no lights the lights on the dash wont come on or anything. I have tried jumping it and it acts the same way like there must be a loose wire or something. To clarify, this is the way it acts every time that this occurs it just usually works correctly eventually. I am no auto mechanic, I am a computer tech and am handy if I know what I'm dealing with so any suggestions would be great!
Thanks,
Gerald

[maxwedge]

Clean and tighten the battery cables, remove them and wire brush and resinstall, look for any visible corrosion going up inside the cable from the battery connectors.

[geekbyday]

maxwedge you hit the nail on the head. I actually discovered the corrosion after deciding that the battery had to be bad. It isn't an easy task removing the battery or even seeing the cable ends on this car but when I pulled the battery for replacement is when I saw it. I went ahead and had the battery tested and it was fine so I cleaned the connections with coca cola and after hooking the original battery back up, she cranked like a charm. I felt kind of foolish for posting after discovering that this is all it was but am very pleased to not have to put it in the shop or even drop a bill on a new battery..... Thanks for the reply!!! problem solved!!

[maxwedge]

Hey, good deal, common problem for your symptoms.

[Chris2007]

I had a different problem w/my 1992 3.1 Lumina sedan. I payed some loser to fix my car (when it would start intermittently, then would die on the road when it did). He replaced the ignition module alright, but after that whenever it would rain (or when moisture content of the air was high), it wouldn't, it just cranked. I found out from some kid that I needed to "dry out" my engine compartment, w/some sort of heater (probably a small ceramic unit). He discovered this when his gf's car, missing splash shields, exhibited the same problem. I got to thinking - what if I shone a spot lamp on the area in front of my wires/spark plugs (between the fan and all that that is). IT WORKED LIKE A FREAKING CHARM! In less then 5 minutes I was able to start my car. I've had to do this more then 1/2 dozen times since then. I even picked up this twisty lamp thing from Walmart for 3$ (has a twisty neck, clip at one end, socket and shroud at the other). Can't use a big spot lamp, rather the smaller kind (about 5" in diameter), so it will take longer (10-20 minutes), but still does the job. You can even connect this thing to your battery through an inverter, but only do so if you're battery is up to snuff. If you're having starting problems, your battery better not be too old anyway. Definitely mandatory equipment as far as I'm concerned. A hair dryer also works, but you can't get low wattage ones these days (the only ones I've seen sold are 1800+ watts). The lamp _does_the_trick_. Perhaps if someone altered an inverter to deliver only 60 volts I could see using a big honker of an air dryer, but 1800 is more then peak even for my inverter.

[jeffcoslacker]

That shouldn't really happen but the area you describe is where your ignition module and coilpacks are located on yours. I suspect that maybe where the IM was replaced, they didn't put any dielectric grease on the wiring connector or where the packs plug down onto the module, and moisture is building up in there and disrupting the spark during high humidity.