QuestionQUESTION: I changed my fuel pump and i can hear it turn on when i turn the key but car won't . I have no power coming from coil. Checked with meter and have 11.8 going to coil but nothing coming out so i replaced coil. Still have same problem and no spark ???
ANSWER: Hi Bruce,
Have you tried for fault codes: Use your ignition key to get a fault code that may tell you if so and which:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the check engine light, which remains 'on', to see it begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause. Then repeat the process to be sure you have an accurate flash count. Then group the flash counts into pairs in the order that they appeared, The last pair will be 5-5, the number 55 which means end of readout. The numbers formed before that are the fault codes. An 11 means the cranks sensor is not putting out a signal, a 54 means that cam sensor is not putting out a signal. Let me know of any other codes that you get and we'll go from there. Let me know which engine you have as well.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,
I tried what you said and it seems to give me 1 flash a space and then 2 more flashes and then the 55 . It was good advice because I've been messing with this car for a while now and no mechanic has ever mentioned that procedure, thanks!!! I think the engine is a 2.3 4-cylinder turbo with an automatic trans. I don't know what that code means please help .Thanks again .
Bruce
ANSWER: Hi Bruce,
Chances are it is the 2.5 turbo, not that it makes much difference if instead it was as 2.2 turbo.
If you are sure it is one then 2 flashed then that is code 12 which is simply saying that the battery was disconnected from the powertrain computer recently (in the past 50-100 key cycles). In contrast an 11 code would say that there is a problem in the distributor with one of the two rotation sensors, but you apparently don't have that code. When you did the check for spark, did you do it using the tip of the wire that comes out of the spark coil and goes to the distributor cap? Then indeed you have no spark pulsing. If by chance you tested for spark at one of the plugs then one possibility would be a bad rotor or faulty distributor cap.
I assume that you have 11.8V to the + post of the coil so long as you are cranking.
The primary cause of no spark, assuming the coil is good, is that one of the two sensors in the distributor is failing and not putting out a pulsed signal as the distributor shaft rotates. This can be checked with a voltmeter. You could measure the pulsing from the sensors to see if they show signal when you turn the engine by hand via a wrench on the crank pulley bolt, and with the ignition switch in the run position. You will find there are two 3-wire connectors at the distributor. You would measure the voltage between the black/light blue wire of each plug and either the tan/yellow wire or the gray/black wire (depending upon which harness plug you were checking out). You should see the voltage oscillate between about 5v and 0.3v as you turn the engine by hand, doing that pulsing several time per revolution if a specific sensor is good. You can do the measurement by using fine straight pins to probe throgh the insulation of the wires to reach the conductors inside, then attach the leads of the voltmeter to the pins. I believe that if one of the sensors is bad you will have to replace the hall-effect module which contain both sensors.
Other than those possibilities I can't identify another reason for no spark unless the powertain control module itself is bad, but there is a code for that as well. May I ask what was the history of the problem?
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,
I finally got some help with car. I needed someone to crank the car while I watched the distributer. I descovered that it is not turning. I don't know what makes it turn , if it is bad,or how to change it. Does it only go in one way or is it a timing issue!
AnswerHi Bruce
That most likely is the timing belt has broken because it drives the cam shaft which in turn drives the distributor shaft. Fortunately there is no damage to the engine when that happens with to 4 cyl engine of this time frame. You will need an instruction for how to accomplish the replacement. Do a search at a site called Allpar.com to see if they have a timing belt replacement document. If not let me know and I can xerox copy and postal mail you the pages from the '91 Chrysler service manual.
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer. Thanks
