Question-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
I have a 1993 Chrysler Concorde that will not start now. What it would do sometimes is it would cut off while driving and sometimes when you turned the ignition switch on the instrument display lights wouldn't come on. When it cut off while driving you could sit there for a while and then it would crank , but now it won't crank at all. What can my problem be? I don't think the engine is getting any spark.
Answer -
Hi Hosie,
If the battery is not discharged so far as to not be able to crank the engine, then I suspect the ignition switch may be bad because of the history of the display lights also not coming on when you were stalled out. But first check to see if the starter motor relay, located in the rectangular box under the hood near the battery, clicks softly when you try the starter. You will need a helper to turn the key while you listen from under the hood. If it clicks and the starter motor solenoid then clicks simultaneously (and louder) but the motor still doesn't turn over, then the battery needs to be recharged. If the relay doesn't click then the ignition switch may well be bad. Let me know and we can talk about changing that out, and also maybe verify with a neon glow light or voltmeter that the switch is truly bad before going down that road.
In the meantime, if you hadn't checked for spark in the classic way then you may not actually have a spark issue, but it very well could be that. Better would be to see if the engine controller has logged any fault codes in its memory that would tell us why the car died on you. You can do that now even with a low battery, if the ignition switch will cause the check engine light to illuminate when you turn the key to the "on" (run) position.
This is how to ask the engine controller whether it has observed any failures in the control systems that are stored as codes in its memory. Try using the ignition key: turn it "on-off-on-off-on" and leave it "on" (doing this quickly, no longer than 5 seconds). By "on" I mean just the normal position when the engine is running, not the cranking position. The 'check engine' light will remain on when you leave the key in the "on" position with the engine still not running. But 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 engines and we can look up the possibilities of what is wrong based upon what fault codes you show. When you write back tell me what size engine is in the Chrysler you are driving.
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.
So give those a try and get back to me.
Roland
I did the diagnostic test and got an error code 32.
What do I need to do to solve this problem? Will this error code stop the car from starting? Thank you!
AnswerHi Hosie,
Yes the 32 code could keep the car from starting. It is the code that says the egr (exhaust gas recirculation) valve is not working properly (probably it is stuck open or ajar) which will dilute the mixture at idle so as to prevent the engine from starting and idling. This valve is located to the immediate front side of the throttle valve (where the gas pedal operates the air intaken) and where by 'front' I mean toward the front of the engine. The valve has a pipe coming into it that comes from the exhaust manifold, and the valve feeds some exhuast gas into the intake manifold when the valve is open, but it needs to be closed when you want to start and idle the engine. There is a vacuum hose operated round fitting on its top, and also a vacuum line going to an electrically operated valve closer to the engine, nearer the throttle body. Look under the round fitting (which is mounted on a saddle with openings for access to view) on the top of the valve where you will see a vertical rod with a slot in it which is the valve stem. Take a straight blade screwdriver and use the slot to lever the valve up against spring pressure and see if it is dropping back down due to spring's action and closing positively. Put WD-40 from a spray can on the stem to loosen it up in that motion if necessary. Keep moving the stem up and down until it moves freely. Check to make sure the vacuum lines are all attached and not cracked. Then try and start it; if it starts, warm up the engine and observe the slot to see if it goes up when you rev the engine to 2500 rpm and then drops back down fully, closing the valve, when you let the engine go back to idle rpm. Make sure that the fully down position is really down because if it is not fully closing when you let go of the accelerator and coast that will cause the engine to stall. It may be so cruddy inside that to get it to close you'll have to unbolt it and clean out the gas flow passage past the valve due to buildup of exhaust fumes in the valve as sticky crud deposit around the internal valve. But that is probably why you can't get it to start and why is dies unexpectedly.
Of course that battery may need charging to get the starter motor to work again. Write back and let me know if thiat worked for you
Roland
