Chrysler Repair: 2.7L engine: wont run, cranks faster than expected, intake camshafts, cam shaft

Question
not sure what the problem is. im working on a 99 intrepid 2.7,as far i know it was running ok then it died. when i went to look at it, it would crank over fast like it had no compression. i pulled the oil cap and used a pencil to see if the rocker or cam assembly was moving when i cranked it and the pencil moved.  

Answer
Hi Ed,
That engine has three timing chains: a main chain that drives the two intake camshafts and the water pump, and then each bank of cylinders has a secondary chain from the intake camshaft to its own bank's exhaust camshaft. When you checked through the oil filler I suspect that you were checking the exhaust cam shaft on the left side, so that side's secondary chain appears to be ok. But that doesn't verify that the right bank's secondary chain hasn't failed which would of course put those cylinders out of function and thus the more rapid cranking. So why not remove the covers and verify that both the secondary chains are either good or that one is broken. A compression test would also tell you. It might be a shaft failure so look at that possibility.
I would be curious to know what you find.
Roland