Chrysler Repair: Cold weather no start, exhaust gas recirculation valve, exhaust gas recirculation

Question
92 New Yorker will turn over fine just won't start in cold weather under 40 degree. Above will run. I have changed ignition and Plugs. Make sure battery is charge. Can you help with this problem? Thanks Mike

Answer
Hi Mike,
I would question if one of the coolant temp or air temp sensors that control the mixture is inaccurate. The quickest way to find out is to use the igntion key:"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 flashes before each pause. Then repeat to assure an accurate set of flash counts. Then write back with the counts in order of appearance.
Another possibility is an egr valve that is sticking ajar. That too would cause a too lean mixture to start. Because I don't know which engine you have I can't be sure how to tell you to test for this. When you write back tell me.
Roland

Thanks Roland for quick response.. I did do the flash count and 2 combinations 1-2-5-5 or 3-5-5. Also wanted to let you know it is 3.8 liter 6-cyc 1992 New Yorker.. Thanks Mike


Hi Mike,
Those codes are not remarkable: the 12 means that the battery supply to the computer was disconnected sometime in the past 50-100 key cycles (let me know if the battery has not been touched) and the 55 just says "end of readout". The sensors, if off value but not so far as to set a fault code, is one possibility, and to test that you need an ohmmmeter. Let me know if you have one.
The other possibility is that you have an exhaust gas recirculation valve that is gummy and not closing all the way, which makes the mixture to lean to start in cold weather. It is not certain that your vehicle has one (the manual shows and adds "if equipped" without qualifying how know other than to look. So here is what to look for and if you find it, what to do. You will want to remove the corrogated intake air hose from the air filter to the throttle as it os likely hidden under that hose.
The valve is located near the throttle body air intake at the end of the engine, mounted in a pipe that recirculates exhaust gas from the rear cylider bank exhaust pipe back around to the intake manifold. The exhaust gases have some fumes that can plate out a crud on the valve stem and thus keep it from closing tight when you are at idle. That makes for a too lean mixture so the engine stalls. The valve proper is mounted horizontally with the stem visible in a space between the body of the valve mounted on the pipe and the round top of the valve which is flanged and so if you look carefully you will see a metal rod (stem of the valve) with a slot around its circumference. You can take the tip of flat blade screwdriver and insert it in the slot and then lever the valve back and forth to check if it is moving freely (against spring action in one direction) or not. If it doesn't seem to close easily with the help of the built-in spring, then I would spray the base of the stem with solvent from a pressure can (such as WD-40 or carb cleaner) while moving the stem back and forth.  Then see if that solves the issue.
As you already used the 'thank/rate' once, you may need to ask a new question to reach me again with the answers or progress report. But that is OK; thank you very much for the nomination.
Roland