Chrysler Repair: Car wont start after damp, wet weather, spark plug wires, wire insulation

Question
HELLO,
   MY WIFE HAS A 95 CHRSYLER CONCORDE. WE'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM STARTING IT AFTER IT HAS RAINED OR GENERALLY AFTER BAD WEATHER.
   COULD THIS BE A SIGN IT NEEDS NEW SPARK PLUG WIRES OR OTHER ELECTRICAL REPLACEMENT'S.

                               THANKS,
                            RICHARD HOTMER

Answer
Hi Richard,
Yes, the sparkplug wires are often the reason for such behavior. One way to access the problem is to check under the hood when the engine is idling, at night in a dark location, when the weather is damp. If there is sparking going on between the wires and the engine or between each other that is the sign of the breakdown of the wire insulation. Also look at the spark coil and the distributor cap from which the same wires originate to see if there is any arcing around the towers. If that proves unremarkable, then the other thing to do is to check whether the engine controller has detected any faults in the function of the engine or its sensors/actuators. Such faults are stored in the memory and can be readout as two digit fault codes. Begin a readout as follows: Take your ignition key and turn the ignition switch "on-off-on-off-on" and leave it "on". Do this switching quickly so that no more than 5 seconds elapses. Then watch the 'check engine' light to come on and then to begin to flash, pause, flash, pause, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause and make a note of them in the order that they come. The last two flash groups will be 5 in each. Repeat the readout until you have the numbers accurately (the same result, two times in a row). Then pair the numbers two at a time in the order they came, to form two-digit numbers, for example the last number will be 55 which is the code for "end of readout". Then write back and tell me the other numbers that came out and I'll see if any of them are related to your problem.
Roland