QuestionI have a '96 Chrysler Sebring (piece of junk) that won't start. The engine turns over but won't start. It acts like it's out of gas even though it's half full. I haven't had any problems getting it started until today. I assume that the fuel filter is in the tank, so I can't fix that. Could it be a sensor in the tank that is reading empty? Thanks.
AnswerHi Roger,
These cars have sensitive feelings when called 'p's of j' so try to be positive...
While it could be a fuel problem, the typical approach to a 'no start' is to determine if you have a spark. Because I don't know which engine you have let me give you one approach that works for all: take a phillips head screwdriver with a plastic handle and insert the metal tip of it into one of the rubber caps that you can remove from a spark plug (don't pull on the wire, just grasp the cap itself, rotate it back and forth while pulling to free it from the spark plug). Once the tip of the screw driver is put in the cap so as to touch the wire clip at the bottom of the cap which normally touches the tip of the spark plug, hold the 'assembly' via the plastic handle and position the shaft of the screw driver about 1/4" from the cylinder head of other metal part of the engine which is incontact with the head or block of the engine which serves as a ground. Then have a helper crank the engine while you observe whether a spart jumps across the gap from the screwdriver shaft to the metal ground point during a 5 second cranking period. See if you get spark for 5 seconds, 1-2 seconds or not at all. Then we can take the next step in diagnosing the no start.
You might also want to check the engine controller for any faults it may have observed and stored as two digit code numbers. Try using the ignition key: turn it "on-off-on-off-on" and leave it "on" (doing this quickly, no longer than 5 seconds). Then watch the 'check engine' light to begin flashing, then pause, flashing, pause, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause and keep track of the numbers. Repeat the readout and verify the counts are correct. Then group them in pairs in the order that they came out, thus forming two digit numbers. You may notice that the pause is shorter between the digits of a given number, and longer between the numbers themselves. Then send me a 'follow-up' question telling me the results of your readout. By the way, 55 will be the last number (two groups of 5 flashes each) and that is the code for "end of readout".
I have the troubleshooting manual for several of the engines and we can look up the possibilities of what is wrong based upon what fault codes you show.
There is also an essay on fault codes at the site:
http://www.allpar.com/fix/codes.html
which gives the meaning of the code numbers. But then you need to get specific info for what exactly might be the diagnostic tests or parts to replace to complete the repair. When writing back tell me the engine and displacement if you happen to know it.
Roland
