Dodge Repair: Diagnosis Connector, Crank Pulley Off: 92 Stealth


Question
QUESTION: Hello Mr. Finston: My 1992 Dodge Stealth R/T Non-Turbo A/T: Tranny in Limp Mode, was going 2 use voltmeter 2 ck 4 codes, seen conflicting info of Self-Diagnosis Connector Pin Positions. (Top-Down, Left-Right Column) Either: 5-1,12-6 OR 1-5,6-12. #12 = Ground. Don't want 2 fry anything by grounding wrong. Currently no power detected at connector using test light. 1) Will power be present ONLY when PINS 'Jumped' to begin test? & is PIN #12 in Top-Right OR Lower-Right?

Had a shop do work including new Timing Belt & Crank Pulley. Pulley installed 8 Degrees off! Confirmed by a diffetent shop. MAJOR LOSS OF PERFORMANCE & FUEL ECONOMY, & EXTREME NOISE which, I believe, MUST BE from PISTON-VALVE contact! 2) PLEASE give me ur thoughts, opinions on consequences of the Pulley being installed 8 Degrees off? I'm having to take legal actions. I am seeking motor be replaced with a remanufactured motor on grounds that CATASTROPHIC damage was caused by Pulley Incorrectly Installed. AND, from experience, rebuilding the 'UPPER-HALF' of a motor can make it MUCH stronger than 'LOWER-HALF', causing pre-mature failure. Installing an already Remanufactured motor will cost MUCH LESS than Dismantling & Rebuilding current motor. Originally took car to shop SOULY to address oil leaks, other routine maintenance & replace engine mounts, which was by choice not necessity. NO MECHANICAL probs beforehand. Thank you very much for time...

ANSWER: Hi Rod,
I don't have a manual for the '92 Stealth so I am not clear about what the transmission diagnostic connector socket looks like. I thought that the obd-I connector in Chrysler products that accessed the auto trans TCM was blue, had 6 pins arranged in a 3 x 2 rectangle and was located under the dash at the left hand end. As this is primarily a Mitsubishi vehicle it may be different.
My '95 Avenger manual which is Mitsubishi shows the data link connector for the 4 speed automatic readout to have 16 pins, of which 4 and 5 are grounded, 16 is shown to have 12v on it and appears to be coming from the battery so should be there all the time, Pin 7 goes to pin 65 of the PCM and pin 14 goes to both pin 66 of the PCM and pin 18 of the TCM. I would believe you will need a code reader to get the transmission fault codes from the 16 pin data link connector. But if you have 12 pins, then the above assignments are not applicable to the '92.
On the issue of the crank pulley installation, I wonder about whether there was actual damage because as best I can tell the 3.0L Mitsubishi engine was of Non-interference design. Let me know if there is a reference to that not being the case.
Roland

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Dodge Repair: Diagnosis Connector, Crank Pulley Off: 92 Stealth
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QUESTION: Hi Roland. Thank u so much for ur reply. I have a 1992 Stealth manual on CD & a copy of it on my fone, not sure how 2 attach an Adobe Reader page here, so took pic of printout  & will attach. Also, below is 1 link I've found showing diff pin set up. Ad far ad being "Non-interference" type, not sure of difference, but have recently read something about it & will try to locate. Earlier today I discovered a wire which prob responsible for causing a short to put car in Limp Mode? Wire is 1 of 2 which conn to the PWR/ECON seitch, mounted in shifter garnish. Switch broke apart few yrs back & i capped wires w/ wire nuts, & earlier saw i missing.

2 days ago, already in Limp Mode, was checking fuses & fuse in back of radio, which had repaired while back & installing for 1st time since, but not working. All fuses good. Reconnected battery & started car. While warming up, put radio back in dash, while putting 1 of 4 screws in, the screw started SPARKING! So took out again. Then saw exposed wire today. Recapped & electrical taped it. Disconn battety to see if will reset Limp Mode. Will reconn in morning & start. Not confident all will be fine, short prob damaged something, hopefully NOT TCM?

http://www.stealth316.com/2-diagcodes91-93.htm

Answer
Hi Rod,
It is good you have a manual for the car, which puts you is a much better place than I to diagnose the situation. As to interference/non-interference the engines began in the latter 90's to be designed for greater power that required that the crankshaft and the cam shafts to be in time with one another because if not then the pistons and the valves would find themselves in the same location momentarily. But prior to that this was not the case so having the crank pulley 8 degrees off would not have resulted in any damage of that type because it was non/interference design. Good luck on your limp mode situation.
Roland