Chrysler Repair: Starter clicks, but no action from the starter motor, chrysler tc, inner fender

Question
Dear Roland,

Thank you for your help.

I wanted to run the van but now it seems that onother problem has come.  The van won't start.  All it does is just two clicks.  I thought it was a bad started so I replaced, but nothing still doing the same two clicks.  

What should I do?

Thanks very much
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Followup To

Question -
Hello Roland,

I have a Chrysler TC 98 3.8L LXi.  I just recently rebuilt the transmission, which was working fine until recently drove it and noticed that the speedometer stop working and transmission does not switch gears.   I think it only runs in 2nd gear. The transmission has new sensors. Any suggestions?   

Thank in advance.

Jesse Velazquez


Answer -
Hi Jesse,
The output speed sensor on the trans is needed for both the speedometer and the gear shifting function to work properly. So I would begin there. Its two wires go to pins 13 (dark blue/black) and 14 (light green/white) of the 60 way plug at the transmission controller on the right side inner fender of the engine compartment (according to my '93 van manual and several others from different years and cars). So pull that plug and test the wires that plug into the sensor for continuity between one and the other of those two pins of the plug. (To tell which is 13 and 14 hold the plug horizontally with the short tab up and count from left to right on the top row). The sensor is the one on the very far end of the trans' side that faces the front of the van. If the wires prove to go thru, then I would check the sensor itself by running the van with the wheels elevated and turning to see if you get a pulsating ohm reading out of the sensor pins or not.
If you get pulsing and the wires to the trans plug are good, then I would wonder if the transcontroller is bad, but that is an expensive part to replace. The controller is supposed to use the signal to know when to change the gears and also to put the signal out on the data bus as a digital data item that then is picked up by the speedo. The lockup in 2nd gear is called limp in-mode and it will occur for a number of reasons including loss of the output speed sensor signal.
Please let me know what you learn.
Roland


Answer
Hi Jesse,
I assume that the clicks are loud (coming from the solenoid on the starter motor). That means that the circuit from the key switch to the starter motor is good. The reasons the motor doesn't actual crank could be:
1.The battery is discharged and needs to be charged, or the battery is old and not putting out sufficient voltage/current (recharge it or measure the gravity of the electrolyte using an hygrometer in each of the 6 cells).
2.The electrical connections of the battery posts to the battery cable clamps are loose or not making good electrical contact due to corrosion (remove clamps, - post first, clean and replace clamps, - post last).
3.The ground wires on the - post clamps are not well grounded at their far ends (the body attachment point near the battery for one of those wires, the engine block for another one of those wires; so remove thae attachment bolt and make sure the connections are clean and then reattach and tighten them).
With a new starter motor, and hearing a loud click it has to be related to the battery supply lines to the motor and back to the battery or the battery itself is weak.
Roland
P.S. If the click is not loud (i.e. it is soft and coming from the relay in the power distribution center box) then the tan wire from that relay to the starter motor is loose or detached, or the starter relay is bad.