Chrysler Repair: 98 Sebring starting issue., exhaust gas recirculation valve, vacuum hoses

Question
Roland, I bought my daughter a 98 Sebring it is her first car. It has 98000 miles. All of a sudden we have developed what appears to be a common problem.Erratic starting. It cranks and apperars to me to be starved for fuel. I found what I beleive to be a vaccum hose loose and so I placed a hose clamp on it thinking that I was my daughters hero. I then went taught her how to wax a car and how to change a tire if she needs to. Afterwords we went to move the car in the driveway and it would not start.This is all over the web and all kinds of therory's. Please advise me your best educated guess. Im thinking the fuel pump or fuel filter which is what everyone is thinking but no one has a answer. Please make the hero agian. She just got her license  today and was going to drive her new car to school now I am in the dog house with her and my wife. Please make me a hero agian. Thank You in advance:) Eric

Answer
Hi Eric,
My hero-resurrecting capabilities are limited but...
The first thing to do is to find out where the vacuum hose is supposed to be attached and reconnect it. On the underside of the hood is a line drawing that shows all the vacuum hoses and where they connect. So if you can locate where the other end of the free hose is connected to you can then find that part on the drawing, and see if you then can find a hose from that part that you can't find to be connected as it is supposed to be, and that is your answer.
Another thing to do is to check out the exhaust gas recirculation valve which might be stuck ajar and would cause a too lean mixture to sustain an idle were that the case ('starved for fuel'). I assume she has a 2.5L V-6 engine. 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, is the next step to getting the engine to start.
Finally, if the engine still isn't right but you can get it to an Autozone or parts store where they might readout the fault codes on the engine controller for free, I would try that. A shop will also do that for about $40. Get the code numbers, which are four-digit and have a "P" prefix. Then let me know what they are and we'll go from there.
Roland