QuestionHello, and thank you for this site and your time! I bought a 97 Sebring LXi recently and what a money pit! Anyway, the Check Engine Light was coming on, so I had it checked and they scanned it and replaced the EGR Valve, MAP Sensor, and the 1-2 O2 Sensors (twice)! and a week later it came on again. We have also replaced the IAC Handler. The car has 95,000K.
I did the sequence you recommend and got a code of 1-2 (Battery disconnect?), 4-3 (Unknown), and 55 (End of Red Out?). What is the 4-3 please, and do you have any other suggestions? THANK YOU!
AnswerP.S. The other possibility, in the same system, is that your spark plugs are due for a change. The original plugs are supposed to last for 100,000 miles and they may still be in the engine as it came from the factory. So you might want to pull one of the plugs on the front bank of cylinders and see if there is much metal left on the electrodes or not, or whether there is any record that the plugs were ever changed.
Hi Mark,
The 43 code means that the sensor on the crankshaft detects that engine is not idling at an even rate of rotation, e.g. there is misfiring occuring on one or more cylinders. If it were only one specific cylinder, a readout with a diagnostic readout box will tell you which one it is. But generally the chances are it may be a breakdown in the insulating capability of the ignition wires with age, or it could be a defective distributor cap (I assmue you have the V-6) or rotor. I would begin by idling the car at night in a dark location and then spraying the ignition wires and distributor cap with a light fine spray of water from a spray bottle and watch for any arcing between the high tension spark cables and the distributor and the engine metal surfaces nearby to them. If you get a light show, those would be the items to consider replacing. That is how to begin. Here is a response I wrote earlier to another fellow with the same code:
"The codes are based upon the detection of minor missing which causes subtle differences in the rpm as each cylinder fires to produce its rotational input (crankshaft speed sensor is the detector involved). The Chrysler troubleshooting manual lists the possible causes as:
secondary ignition wires, puel pump or fuel filter, injector harness connectors, ignition coil circuit, spark plugs, mechanical engine problem, contaminated fuel, water in fuel, PCM grounds, Injectors, Restricted exhaust, intake restriction, PCM, evap system, EGR system, Air gap at high rpm's, damaged sensor trigger wheel. That is quite a list!
The approach suggested is to check all electrical connectors and wiring, then do the tests in the following order:
secondary ignition
fuel delivery
engine vacuum
PCM power and ground connections
engine mechanical
The first one uses an engine analyzer scope to look at the high voltage pattern, then spray water on the cables to see if it changes. The possible repairs: individual spark plugs, coil or cable replacement
The second one involves pressure measurement and from there a variety of possible solutions
The third involves reading the intake manifold vacuum to see if it is steady at between 13 and 22 inches of HG. and if not the suspects depend upon the pattern shown by the gauge.
The PCM involves checking various wires at the PCM plugs
The last involves engine compression testing and a variety of other mechanical checks.
So I guess that beginning with the ignition wires makes sense unless you have a scope and the experience/knowledge at interpreting the patterns. You might try looking at the wires in the dark with the engine idling, then also spray some water mist on them to see in either case if you see arcing which would be a sign that the wires' insulation is breaking down. Then measure the coil resistances. If it passes that, then focus on the fuel filter and pump.
I can't give you any personal experience with this situation, unfortunately.
I'd be interested in learning what you find to have been the solution."
So give the spray bottle a try. If you have to replace the spark wires the rear bank of plugs is a little bit of a task to get to from what I read. But I have the steps for getting to them that is given in the 2.5L shop manual if you want to do it yourself.
Good luck and let me know what you find of interest. Also if the other tests are of interest let me know and I'll describe how to do them.
Roland
