QuestionQUESTION: i have a 99 sebring lxi it has a 2.5 v6 i started having problems one year ago i had it looked at and they said that the coil was breaking down that i need to replace the distributor well the part cost 1,000 from the dealer well the car started doing fine now a year later it will not start it has no spark so i put a distributor in thank god it was only 200 dollars, but still no spark i hope u can help the only other things i can think of is crankshaft sensor,camshaft sensor, or the brain box, all cost a lot of money can not afford to buy the wrong part again
ANSWER: Hi Craig,
The cam sensor is part of the distributor so presumably that is not the cause. The crank sensor is separate. You can check it by reading the voltage across the gray/black and black/light blue wires of the sensor when, with the ignition switch "on", you rotate the engine by hand with a socket and handle on the crank pulley bolt. You should see the voltage oscillate between 5V and 0.3V. That sensor is located just below the distributor. You can use straight pins stuck through the wires or into the plug's sockets to reach the wire conductor inside each. There should be 8V on the orange wire, compared to a ground point. So try that, and see if you have a crank signal or not. Also check the rotor under the distributor cap just in case you got a bum one. Other than that, a code readout is necessary to see if the pcm is bad or has and other clues. But that requires a plug in code reader to a socket under the dash next to the steering column.
Roland
PS Use the "thank/rate" tab to get back to me without having to wait for me to be 'available' to take a question.
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QUESTION: I APPRECIATE HOW FAR YOU HAVE GOTTEN ME SO FAR BUT I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS I REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR IT HAS SPARK IT STARTED AT FIRST THEN DIED I CHECKED THE SPARK ITS NOT AS HOT AS IT SHOULD BE BUT ACTS LIKE ITS NOT GETTING GAS I SPRAYED STARTER FLUID IN THE INTAKE AND IT STARTED BUT ONCE AGAIN DIED I HAVE LOOKED FOR FUEL PRESSURE VALVE BUT ITS NOT ON THE FUEL RAIL OR ANY WHERE ELSE I HAVE LOOKED ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED
AnswerHi Craig,
I would test that you are getting spark for a full 5 seconds of cranking. When you put in the crank sensor, did you press the tip of it against the flex plate surface and then tighten down the retaining screw? If not, and you think it might not have been in contact then you could do that again and maybe improve the crank signal. However, if you did hold it against the surface while you were tightening it, don't touch now as the paper spacer may have worn away so if you re-do it without a spacer it will run the risk of damaging the sensor. You could do the sensor signal test that I listed in the original response to verify that it is putting out a solid consitent pulse from 5V to 0.3V,
There is a plate on the driver's end of the front fuel rail which is where you attach a fuel gauge, using an adapter, after removing the end plate. So that is the only way to test for pressure that I can see. The other thing you could try is to jump the ASD relay (which is the middle one on the firewall in front of the driver*), jump from front to back pin after removing the relay from the socket. That will assure that the pump/spark will run even if the signal from the crank sensor might be a bit flaky. See if it runs any better, but of course don't operate it that way because it will run all the time and also is unsafe.
If you can get it to a place with a code reader (like Autozone parts where they will give you a free code readout, or an independent garage that might charge $40) you might find something else that is the cause.
Please keep me up to date. Use the thank/rate tab to get back without having to wait for me to be 'available' for a question.
Roland
* I assume you have the Sebring sedan, otherwise the fuel pump relay is in the power box under the hood, third from the front and you would jump between two side-by-side in-board pins (this in case you have the convertible).
Thanks for the reply, Craig. I just was suggesting possible reasons for spark not being as "robust" as you thought the spark should be.
If you have good spark, and the fuel pump runs when you first turn the key to run, for about a second, then I would believe the pump is probably OK. The other mixture possibilities are a bad map sensor or a bad coolant temp sensor. Those would be revealed by a code readout. Of course the fuel pressure regulator could be bad, but there is no code for that.
The coolant sensor should read across its terminals 7,000 to 13,000 ohms when the engine is cold. And the map should read around 2V when it is actually running, vs 4.7 or so when not on the yellow-black wire (again wire color based on the sedan wiring diagrams).
Was there anything else in the history when this all began that would be relevant?
PS I have another idea: check the mechanical function of the egr valve which is located along a pipe that runs from the left exhaust manifold (on the side of the engine facing the front of the car) to the intake manifold area (where the incoming air in the large rubber tube enters the throttle). That valve is metal and has a round fitting with a vacuum hose attached, mounted on the top of the valve, and the round part is attached to the main body of the valve by a sort of saddle. Inside the open saddle you will see a metal rod (with a slot) that connects the round top fitting to to the valve body. That rod is a stem on the valve and it is supposed to go in and out in response to the engine vacuum which varies with RPM and throttle opening (gas pedal position). Take a spray can of WD-40 or other penetrating lubricant and spray the stem where it enters the valve body and then use a regular screwdriver blade tip inserted in the slot to lever the valve in and out to try and free up its motion. Also check all the rubber vacuum hoses associated with the valve and a nearby vacuum solenoid valve. If the valve seems to open (against the action of a spring) and close firmly by the spring action when using the screwdriver blade to facilitate the motion, then you should be able to now start the engine. You can, once it is idling, check that the valve stem moves when you rev the engine from idle to 2500 rpm and back to idle. If it still won't start, then removing and cleaning the interior of the valve, or buying a new one if it seems too crudy and corroded inside.
Roland
