Chrysler Repair: Lebaron GTS not starting, hall effect sensors, spark coil

Question
Ok so there is no voltage at all going to the coil so i take it that means the Autoshutdown relay is bad.  If this is correct then can you tell me where the sensor is located on the car, and where i will be able to find a new one?  It is a 1986 Gts premium with the 2.2 turbo fuel injected engine and a 5sp manual trans.
Thanks again,
Zach


Answer
Hi Zach,
It is not necessarily the case that the ASD relay is bad.
You will want to check the voltage carefully at the + pole of the spark coil. If you see no voltage at all when you begin to crank, then either the ASD relay in the engine controller is bad or the wiring from the power module to the coil is open. On the other hand:
If the voltage at the coil appears for the first second or so of cranking, then disappears, then one of the hall effect sensors in the distributor is bad and both should be replaced (they are sold as a unit, I believe, at most good parts counters).
You can verify these two possibilities by doing the self-diagnostic test on the memory of the logic module. Just turn the ignition key on-off-on-off-on and leave it on (do this quickly in 5 seconds or less). Then note that the check power loss light will be "on" but then begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes in each group of flases, pair them up as they are counted to form two-digit numbers. The last two sets of flashes will always be 5 in each, e.g. the number 55 which means end of readout.
If you get an 11 code that would mean that the signal from the hall sensor is either not being generated or the plug(s) is disconnected at the distributor.
So you need to differentiate between the sensor or the ASD as the reason for no start. The ASD is built into the power module and as far as I know can't be replaced separately from that unit.
I am a little less familiar with the FI systems pre-19871/2 but I believe you can still do the fault code readout with the ignition key. And although the 87 manual doesn't make the voltage 'never' vs 'for 1-2 seconds' (which applies to the latter time period, after 871/2) I believe that it would behave that way. (I don't have the '86 manual)
Let me know what you find out from the measurement and readout. Then I will learn something too!
Roland