QuestionI read the question dated 1/26/05 about an '89 Lebaron stalling. It sounds just like my situation. Do you know how this one ended up? When I checked for spark off the coil, I was not getting anything. Could this be the Hall effect pickup you spoke about? When I did the code check (by turning on/off several times) I had a 12, 54, and 55 code pop up - my Haynes manual didn't tell me much on these codes. The car just dies, like someone flipped a switch. It might happen while going 20/30 mph down the road or sitting at a stop. All other electrical items seem o.k. (gages, headlights,etc.) After the car dies it will not start for awhile. After it sits a few minutes (3 to 10) it will re-start and may be good for a tenth of a mile or 5 miles - you never know. When it is running, it runs very well - smooth idle, good acceleration, etc. Any clues?
AnswerHi Mike,
Your symptoms exactly match the code.
Yes,the 54 code is telling us that one of the two hall effect sensors in the distributor has failed, then recovers, and fails again due to heat up. I believe the units are sold in pairs so you don't need to identify which one is going bad. There are two plugs to disconnect. Just remove the distributor cap, rotor, the splash shield, disconnect the plugs, remove the old unit, put in the new unit, etc. There is no need to remove the distributor or to recheck the timing, it should not change. I believe this is all that is needed for your problem.
Roland
P.s. Make sure you buy the unit for the turbo engine, and just for good measure tell them it is a 2.5L
