Chrysler Repair: Van wont start, engine cranks, plymouth voyager

Question
I have a 94 Plymouth Voyager with 119,000 miles.  The van started with no problem this morning, but when I went to move it later in the afternoon, it would n't start.  The engine cranks, but it wont turn over.  It has spark, the computer code is 12.  I pulled 2 over the spark plugs, and they were both dry.  Could it be the fuel filter or do you think its the fuel pump.
           Thanks,
              Joe

Answer
Hi Joe,
Because you have spark it means that the engine cam and crank sensors are o.k. and also the 12 code is unremarkable because it means that sometime in the past 50-100 crankings the battery supply to the powertrain controller was disconnected. The battery/battery cables are obviously not a problem now either since it will crank.
You should be able to hear the fuel pump run for about 1-2 seconds if it is working when you turn the ignition key from off to run. (The safety features will cut off the pump after 2 seconds unless you try the starter in which case it will run during cranking but it is harder to hear it. But the fuel pump will not run unless you either have the engine running or are cranking it, except for the 1-2 seconds that I described). So listen in the area under the van that is just in front of the fuel tank because the pump is mounted in the tank on the front edge. If necessary get someone to turn the key to the run position while you crouch down low near the rear wheel on either side of the van to see if you hear it momentarily. If you do, then it is presumably pumping normally. To check you could open the valve on the fuel rail in the engine compartment that is located between the two sides of the rail that serve the separate banks of cylinders and attach a pressure gauge to see what it reads, or even just see if you get any fuel to squirt out of the valve (the system should maintain pressure for quite a few minutes after you have run the fuel pump for 1-2 seconds). If you hear it but you don't get pressure then the filter is probably clogged shut. If you don't hear it then the pump is probably stopped working, but just in case you might want to verify that the problem is not the fuel pump relay by probing the dark green/black wire of the relay when a helper turns the key to run. It should show 12V compared to the -post of the battery (ground) for 1-2 seconds and if it did that would prove that although the pump was not heard to run it was getting the voltage needed to run it. That relay is next to the frontmost relay on the left (driver side) inner fender (unless you have ABS in which case there are two more relays added so it would be the 4th relay in the row). So find that dark green/black wire and probe it with a straight pin while you still have the relay plugged in and then attach the voltmeter to the pin and verify whether you see 12v for 1-2 seconds. If you don't then either the relay is bad or something is wrong in the wiring because the same ASD relay provides power to the fuel pump relay and the spark coil (which is getting power).
Roland
P.S. Please let me know what you find out. Good luck!