QuestionQUESTION: HISTORY: I provide you the following information, During a 3 week time frame; this car stalled out 7 or more times, but it started within 3 to 10 minutes and I was able to drive at least 20 miles each time. Then one day it would not start, the engine cranks but will not start.
SUBJECT:: My car will crank but will not start! My local repair shop has charged me over $1300.00 to relace the ECU, distributor and his labor time. ACTION: The repair person connected his computer to the code readout terminals (he got no signals) whereby he told me the ECU was defective. After replacing this ECU the car started for about 30 Seconds and then died with the same problem. (cranking but no fire). I was then told to replace the Distributor (the sensors might be bad), after replacement, the same problem still exist. Now, He has refused to finished the repair because it take away his time to service other vechicles. (He doesn't want to deal with this problem any further because this car has a Mitsubishi engine and he does not understand how all the sensors interface the ECU). He says this problem is like looking for a needle in a hay stack.... THE Car is still the same, NO START CONDITION.
I ASK YOU FOR suggestions and HELP to reslove this problem! Thanks! Don
ANSWER: Don: I got to say I get so tired of these people that start working on a car, charge a lot of money and then throw their hands up when they can not find the problem. Now look this guy coded your car and said the computer was bad. So you replaced the computer, has he then recode the car to see if there might be any other sensors out? I mean the man has a repair manual and he can read, right?! The Mitsubishi engine does not work any different then any other car with how the sensors send the computer their input and then the computer utilzed these signals to determine the correct injection duration. Two things well important things control that stark, the timing belt and the computer. Are you sure the timing belt is ok? Are you sure you have the right computer for your car's engine and was the computer put back in right? But then the car should be coded again to see if it can be coded. In that it was the computer as the problem in the first place. Ok, this is what my "repair manual" says for checking a problem with no stark... first is the distributor cap and rotor but you said you changed the distributor cap. So then check the wires connections at the distributor to make sure they are clean and tight. Check for voltage to the coil. Check the coil. Then useing a catlibrated tester attach it to the stark plug to see if you are getting stark. Are you checking all the stark plugs or just one, as you might be getting some stark just not on all the cylinders. But mean if not the coil-to-cap wire may be bad(check the resistance with an ohmmeter, need to have a repair manual for your car to know the right readings needed).. sometimes you can take the distributor loose and turn it one way or another; and the car will then start. You could try this. But I am thinking that either there is other sensors bad in your car, or else it is the coil, the wiring between the distribuor or the coil. I would be buying that repair manual and read up on your car. If this guy has washed his hands of the whole thing, which is excuse I feel is pretty dumb. As I work on both imports and american made cars. And the computer as well as the sensors are pretty much the same. You can buy a repair manual for your car at any parts store for around $20.00. If you are still having problems with this, let me know. I shall check around with my friends that work on cars and maybe we can find your problem. I shall send you my email address, if you would like to write me there. Let me know all that was done to your car for $1300.00. (oppedal50@yahoo.com) Hope this helps some and good luck! Linda
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QUESTION: I must tell you my repair shop said he checked for code problems with his computer and that he could not get any code or pulse readings. That was the reason to told me the ECU was defective. The same happened to the new ECU after the car started for 30 seconds and stopped. IT appears to me that there may be a short somewhere in the system. MY questions are: (1) What do think about a short is happening to the ECU? (2) Could a short or something else cause 2 different ECU's to go bad? (3) Do you have or can your recommend a troubleshooting chart for the ECU (my ECU # is MD302726) (4) Where would you start to troubleshoot this problem? I have a CHILTON 1990-1993 Colt/Visa repair manual, the same information 1.8LT engine is used in the eagle summit and the mirage (The manual is confusing because it covers so many engines and each year models.) I would appreciate a follow up for assistance and help to resolve this no start condition. Thank you! Don
AnswerDon: First off throw that Chilton out, well ok maybe not but go get yourself a Haynes. I know everyone thinks that Chilton is so great, but you are right they have to many different engines in their manual to it hard to understand what they are talking about. Haynes has pictures and all kinds of neat things. My next thought is are you sure what they are checking your car's computer right? Maybe the plug they are useing on your car's computer does not fit right or just does not work with your car. I have never heard of replacing the computer and having it go bad right off the bat. Is this a new computer? Or is this shop getting you rebuilts? Don't think there is a short but rather a relay that is kicking out because something is not right in the system and that is a way to save the computer.If you got that analog voltmeter to check that car yourself. But you need to get a Haynes repair manual to get the right reading. Something just does not add up with all this. Either that shop is not getting that right reading on your car's computer, the new one you got for your car is either not good or is a rebuilt so still not good. Or else it was never was your car's computer to begain with. Is this the right engine for your car, I mean have you ever replaced the engine? Because you have to match up the computer with the car, only the right computer with the right engine will work together. Could be your problem with your car is a vacuum leak or something on that order. Look Don would you please write to me at my email address, because I am going down to my brother's for a bit. He too works on car and I am going to run your problem by him to see what he thinks might be going on. But still you could try the email address. I am a 55 year old woman, worked on cars most of my life. I am married to an over the road trucking and I have 7 grown children. I am not looking anything else other an to help you get your car running. But I think I need to do some checking and see what I can find. It would easier for me to be able to just email you and not go through this site. Because we have wrote a book there already. But something does not add up, something what we are both missing and maybe with some help from others I can get to the bottom of this. I hope you will let me have your email address, I shall only write about the car and I hope we can get to bottom of all this. I have another manual to check on the computer but I got to find the manual. I just don't believe the new computer could be gone already. I still think a relay or something like that kicked out. Or else the computer they charged you for, was a rebuild and not rebuild very good. Or else well it just does not add up to me. I need to do some checking, so Don write my email address and send me your email address. So I can answer you there. When you write my email address, please put your car make, model, year, engine size and what happen to the car to make you put it into the shop in the first place. Beause I need to print all that off to take it down to my brother's and also to share with other people what I know. Look you can trust me, I am a Christian and I only want to help you get your car running. So I hope to hear from you and it will take me till Monday for some of this. And then going to my brother's next week. Hope this helps and good luck! (oppedal50@yahoo.com) Linda
