Chrysler Repair: 99 Voyager wont start or turn over

Question
QUESTION: my apologies previous email wrong... correct is .......I have a 99 voyager se 3.3 engine.... it cut off on me one day on the way to work.....  I replaced battery.... pcm an it will not start or turn over.....  jumped starter from battery wit key in run position starter is good but engine wil not run....  I recently replacement the pcm an still the same issue....  but with the new pcm(used) if I leave my code scanner tools cord attached to the terminal it wil crank up an run until the cord is removed....  horn an cruise control is the only other components that do not work.... please advise.....  need vehicle running asap.... thanks... john

ANSWER: Hi John,
It is very interesting that leaving the code scanner tool plugged into the data link connector under the dash resolves the starting and runing problem. By the way, do you have any fault codes showing on the scanner?  
The only possibility I see so far is that one of the ground connectors under the dash may be loose or corroded. I base this on the fact that the data link connector has two separate ground wires, one on pin 4 and the other on pin 5, that go to different ground locations. It may be that the scanner internally connects those two pins such that if one or the other were bad then this temporary 'jump' of 4 and 5 solves that grounding issue. Check to see if you jump a wire between 4 and 5 of the data link connector socket whether that produces the same "repair". If so, then check pin 4 and pin 5 separately with an ohmmeter/continuity tester to chassis ground to see whether both are grounded or not. Let me know and then I can describe where those 2 ground points are located.
Otherwise, this is very strange...
Thanks for the rating and nomination.
Roland


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QUESTION: Ty so much for assistance....  u jus have no idea how much I truly appreciate it..... I haven't had chance to check as u advised yet but soon as I get free time this week I'll keep u posted.... I wk nites so im sure u understand.....  btw no codes found stored or permanent.... in either pcm....  an yes problem is strange... very strange.. u r the only person that has even had a logical explanation or possible solutions..... ty soo much again.... I'll keep ya posted....

ANSWER: I will await your response, with interest, John.
Roland

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QUESTION: Good afternoon Roland..... I check pins 4 an 5 on aldl.... pin 5 jus blanks out my meter (digital ) pin 4 shows good contact gives me a clear 0 an when I used jumper the van started up an ran..... pin 5 black wire white stripe.... pin 4 black wire light green stripe....  whats my next step?  I'm sure I can not leave jumper in place without problems wit y emissions testing....  an by the way thank u again an u r awesome.... got me closest to getting this thing on the road again... ty again roland

Answer
Hi John,
Your noticing that the engine would start and run with the code reader plugged in was very useful information and now you have confirmed what I suspected, the black/white wire on pin 5 is NOT connected to the battery - post clamp by a thin solid black wire (to which it is spliced, or possibly it is but one of the other two black wires at the clamp, the medium thickness black wire at the clamp, is not connected to the chassis frame rail nearby).  As the result, many modules that share that same ground pathway may also not be grounded!
So go to the - post clamp at the battery to check that there are three black wires connected to it and that all three are in good condition and connected at their far ends as appropriate. The thickest black wire is attached to the engine block, the thinnest black wire is connected to a multi-wire splice nearby, and the medium thickness wire is connected to the chassis frame rail.
I believe that you will find one of those black wires corroded or disconnected from its proper connections at one end or the other. Once you re-establish the connection the problem should be solved.
Please consider clicking on the 'thank/rate' button and giving me another 'nomination' as you did earlier when I answered your original question.
Thank you.
Roland