QuestionQUESTION: Hey Roland,
I don't know if your expertise extends to Plymouths but if it does I just bought a 1993 Sundance that is not getting power to the fuel pump. I bought a fuel pump relay but am not sure where it goes or if that is even the problem. Hope you can help since the Plymouth expert is on vacation till the end of the year.
Thanks,
Steve
ANSWER: Hi Steve,
I assume you have a no start situation, correct? The fuel pump may actually be working but the engine controller is preventing it from doing so. The pump and spark coil are powered by a single relay (I believe, but I can't be sure since I don't have the '93 wiring diagrams, and also you didn't say if you have a 4 or a 6 cyl engine), the automatic shutdown relay which is maybe what you bought. But if the distributor spark timing sensor is not working the engine controller will think you have had an accident and so has opened the relay so as to remove the power to the pump and the coil and prevent a fire.
You can tell by listening when you turn the ignition to the 'run' position, without trying the starter. You should hear the fuel pump in the tank run for about a second then get cut off by the asd. If you hear it, then the relay and the pump are working. If you don't, then write back and tell me more about which engine, etc.
I would then try to get the fault codes: 'on-off-on-off-on and leave on' using the ignition key and doing this in 5 seconds or less. Then watch the check engine light which stays on to begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause; then repeat to get an accurate set of counts. Group the counts in pairs in the order of appearance to form the two-digit fault codes. Then go to www.allpar.com/fix/code.html for a code translator. The code for a faulty sensor in the distributor is 11.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for getting back to me. The car is a 4 cyl 2.5L. I got the engine code but was unable to translate it on the link you sent me. It came up 24-23-57-42-55.
Thanks again,
Steve
AnswerHi Steve,
Sorry, the url is www.allpar.com/fix/codes.html
Better read the codes again becauce the 23 code is invalid, for example, as is the 57. The 24 code says there is something amiss with the throttle position sensor located in the throttle body, possibly the sensor or its wires may be melted through due to location near the exhaust manifold. So remove the air cleaner and take a look at them on the side of the throttle body:Three wire plug (black/light blue, violet/white,orange/dark blue. Test the sensor by measuring the resistance between the center and each of the end pins while you move the throttle to see if the resistance varies smoothly.
The 42 does say there is a problem with the ASD relay circuit (open or shorted). I can give you some trouble shooting tips tomorrow when I have more time, if you have a volt-ohmmeter. So write back about that.
The 55 means end of readout. So let me know if you redo the readout and get some different values for the fault codes.
Roland
