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Followup To
Question -
I have a 96 Sebring LXI 2.5 The engine cuts off at highway speed and sitting at a light. Like the ign was just turned off. After a few mins you can turn the key and get it started again. Today I stepped on gas to hit passing gear and it quit, I looked down to see tach at 0, then the next thing I know its running again. This is an automatic. I have the OBDII scantool, but it is not throwing any codes. I was leaning toward distributor or ECM, but those are too expensive to be wrong. Thanks for the help
Answer -
Hi Scott,
I wonder if there might not be a loose electrical connection related to the ignition switch or one of the contacts in the ignition switch itself might be flakey, because as you said "like the ign was just turned off". Does it ever die and refuse to start? That would be the time to access what parts of the powertrain control system are working and what parts on, from the point of view of the power supply to that system. If it starts right up again on it own (while moving) or while at rest (with the ignition key) then you may have to wait until it refuses to restart to figure this out. In the meantime, I would suggest that you check the battery cable clamps and the various negative cable wires (following each to where they attach to the engine of chassis and verify that they are firmly clamped and that there contact surfaces are clean). Once you have a "no start" I would begin by checking for sparking and listen to see if the fuel pump runs for a second or so when you turn the ignition switch on. It might be a flakey autoshutdown relay which would have the same effect as what you are experiencing.
Roland
Roland
It hasnt given me the opportunity to check for spark or fuel, it starts right back up, I was doing 65mph and put it neutral, and turn the key and started it right back up. My wife had said the rpm's were fluctuating when she drove it. I have checked cables, battery conn, tugged and checked all connections, I did get a change in engine when I messed with the wire on the TPS. That is only thing that has thrown a flag.
AnswerHi Scott,
To set the TPS code, the electrical glitch at the TPS has to last for at least 3/4 second. So it is possible to have a brief failure and not get a code. You might want to verify the connections: Pin 3 goes to pin 43 of pcm black/light blue, pin 2 to pin 35 orange/dark blue, pin 1 goes to pin 61 violet/white.
You might look at the other ideas I mentioned in my first response, too.
Roland
