QuestionQUESTION: Hi again, Roland,
I was hoping to share good news on the 1993 Dodge Spririt fuel system problem you helped me with. In fact, after some irregular test results on the fuel pump relay, I
replaced the fuel pump and I was able to start and drive the car to the gas station. I did not replace the relay. However, after getting gas at the service station, the car would
not crank and I had to tow it home. Lights and other electicals run. Neither the fuel pump nor the AST relay click when keyed to run or start.
I checked voltage at both relay plugs, and results are:
FUEL PUMP RELAY-
Battery: 12V;
Ignition Switch- 12V;
Fuel Pump (dark green)- 0V;
Blue/yellow- 12V with volt tester, low light on test light probe. Also, when test light probe is used on blue/yellow wire, another relay clicks; it is the front most of all relays.
Also, I can jump a wire to make fuel pump run.
AST RELAY-
Battery: 12V;
Ignition switch- 12V when keyed to start;
Starter- 0V;
Coil (dark green/orange)- 12V at run or start.
Also, I can jump a wire to make engine crank.
One other thing. The shifter wants to go hard to the left, beyond park, and doesn't want to release position easily. The shifter will eventually move to all positions, drive,
park, neutral, etc. This happened at the gas station yesterday.
ANSWER: Hi John,
When you say "WOULD NOT CRANK" do you mean that the starter motor won't activate or that it will activate (crank) but the engine won't catch and run on it own? If you mean the starter motor won't activate then I suspect the safety interlock on the transmission is preventing the starter relay from activating and sending voltage to the starter solenoid.
If you mean the starter will crank the engine but the engine won't catch and run, then the issue is why the fuel pump doesn't run for a second or does it? And, when you said another relay clicks, the front most one, that is the ASD relay?? So do you have the relays identified? The relays are from front to back and around the corner: ASD, AC, Fan; ABS (if equipped),Starter, and finally Fuel pump.
I would suggest only using the voltmeter, not the test light, as it has a low impedence and will confuse things.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,
The starter motor won't activate with the relay. Regarding the ASD relay, I guess I'm off the mark. The second relay plug that I've tested, and which is next to the fuel pump relay plug, is the starter plug.
Is there something I can do regarding the safety interlock problem on the transmission?
ANSWER: I would suspect that the gear shift cable from the shifter to the transmission is out of adjustment. Put the gear shift lever in park.
Go to the trans and loosen the clamp on the gear shift cable bracket. Insure that the preload adjustment spring engages fork on transaxle bracket. Pull the shift lever on the tran to the frontmost position (park) and tighten the lock. Tighten the screw on clamp. Now see if the starter motor will work in Park and in Neutral
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,
The gear shift cable will not adjust any more forward, as it appears to be fully adjusted. I tested the neutral safety switch, and it shows no continuity, either from the center pole to the case, nor the two outside poles to each other nor to the case. Also, when the shifter is put in reverse, the back up lights do not come on. Should I replace this switch?
AnswerIf you have tried to test for continuity while having a helper move the gear shifter slightly off-ceneter from both the P and the N positions, and you still don't get continuity between the center pole and the transmission case, then it appears that the switch is no longer working. The back up lights similarly requires continuity between the two outside poles when the shifter is in R. You have verified that moving the gear shift lever in the cabin is indeed moving the lever on the transmission? If so, then it appears there is no other explanation other than a faulty safety/backup switch, and so yes I would replace it.
Roland
