QuestionChristmas day, my wife drives around the block, pulls back in and the car (2001 Chrysler Concorde 2.7L V-6 is sounding a little rough. We shut her down check the fluids, oil is low. I top up everything and we go back in for dinner. Later when I tried to put the car in the garage it would not start, It whirs, the tachometer needle moves a little but there is no ignition. I tried both code tricks but all I got was a row of 8's.
AnswerHi Lee,
I don't know if you noticed in my expertise statement I explained that my limits run out at '99 models but let me make a couple of suggestions based on general principles.
By 'whirs' I assume that the engine is being cranked over by the starter motor. Otherwise let me know.
We need spark, mixture of fuel/air, and compression for ignition. I will assume that the timing belt is ok so there shouldn't be a problem with compression.
On the issue of mixture, one of the more common no idle causes is that the exhaust gas recirculation valve is hung up ajar and that dilutes the mixture to such a degree that it won't start or idle. It also has the symptom of rough running above idle speeds. I am not sure how to describe the location of the egr valve on the 2.7 but on one or the other exhaust manifold there should be a small steel pipe that runs from the manifold to the vicinity of the intake throttle body (where the incoming air is fed into the engine). Usually it is the right side manifold (passenger side) and the throttle body is a the rear of the engine, but not guaranteed. Along that pipe, near the throttle body there is a round valve bolted into it which has a flange and a separate round top. In the flange are you will see a rod with a circumferential slot in it and that is the stem of the valve. You can move the valve stem back and forth with the tip of a screw driver, against spring tension when you are opening the valve while the spring will close it. Check to see if the spring is effective at moving the stem into the fully closed position so that the stem seems to come to a "stop" position. If not, then spray some WD-40 or other penetrant on the stem where is enters the valve body so as to free up the motion and get the valve to close positively. Then try and start it again. You can observe the motion of the valve stem when you rev the engine and then let it drop back to idle.
The other fuel issue could be fuel pump. When you first turn the ignition switch to the run position listen for a hum coming from the vicinity of the fuel tank that lasts about 1 second. If not, then we have to check out why that is the case.
If that doesn't correct things, then I would verify that you are getting spark. If you have a spare spark plug you can remove the cap from one of the plugs in the engine, insert the plug, and then using the insulated surface of the plug cap to guard against shock hold the threads of the spare plug against the cylinder head and observe as to whether or not you get a spark jumps the gap for 5 seconds of a 5 second crank performed by helper at the driver's seat. If you don't let me know and we can try some tests to determine why that is.
Roland
PS I just bid on and one a '98 shop manual for the Concorde
which includes the 2.7L engine so I will be better equipped to answer questions in a few days when it arrives.
