'98, trouble starting

1998 Ram w/5.2L & 72,000 on the clock.

There is no pattern whatsoever with this, other than the fact that it only happens for the "first start of the day". Doesn't matter the temperature or conditions. If the truck has ran previously that day, even for a minute, it won't happen for the rest of the day, and for a few more weeks.

The truck will turn over, and turn and turn and turn, but it will never fire up. I'll feather the gas for awhile, and it will start to cough a little bit, but will eventually continue to just turn. After I pause and do the cycle a few more times, it will fire up; but only a few of the cylinders catch at first, and it runs like shit. I have to take the RPMs up a bit for a few seconds for it to run normal.

I've had a shop (been a customer there for awhile, ASE certified, good people) relpace the crankshaft position sensor awhile ago, and the frequency of this has greatly been reduced. Now it only does it once every few weeks.

I've been thinking of changing the spark plugs & wires, and possibly cleaning the fuel injectors.

Does anyone know what may be causing this?

Have you checked the distributor cap and rotor? Perhaps it is worn or cracked. If cracked, moisture could get in it at night causing starting dificulties. Once running, the heat would dry it out until the next day.

you're on the right track plugs wires cap and rotor also raplace the coil with dealer part they aren't too expensive as original equipment and the best quality for your truck or you can try running the truck and take a spray bottle and spray cap and wires to attempt to duplicate your problem and check for fault codes with a scan tool

Thanks for the replies, I'll have to check out the cap & rotor as the next step. Moisture is probably a strong possibility.

I don't have a scan tool, so can someone link me to a site (or post) the codes for using the 'ignition' to find faults on the Ram 5.2?

Thanks

on this year of vehicle the ignition cycling doesn't work must use a scan tool to retrieve codes