[lharilall]

Hey Guys! I just removed and replaced my steering rack and the only harness I unplugged and plugged back in was the SW on the master cylinder and the one on the passenger side near the rack mount.
I drove the car into the back yard for the job, turned the ignition off and disconnected the neg terminal. Thats it for involvement in wiring everything else was strictly mechanical.
Why the hell then won't this car not restart????? The only DTC using the ignition key is P1684 for disconnected battery. I heard the pump prime after the car sat for a day. Switched ASD relay. Everything I read in the repair manual said that the PCM will set a DTC if either the CMP/ CKP sensor is bad or if there was no reference voltage from the ASD relay to the ignition coils etc. or to the PCM. Any ideas?? Engine cranks but will not start. Thanks guys.

[peva]

Any pinched wires? Blown fuses? Codes are not always set with bad engine sensors, especially if it hasn't had a chance to run since a problem started.

You might try resetting everything - I know you already did that, but sometimes things come up wrong, and resetting again will work (probably wishful thinking, but it's free, and it has been known to fix strange electrical problems).

You have a multimeter and an FSM (schematics)?

[Ronbo]

Check your fuses.


And then check them again. Preferably with a DVM multimeter!

[Adpros]

The trans harness runs right past the master cylinder and has a connector there too. any chance you pulled any of the wires out by accident?

Neutral safety would prevent cranking if not making the connection. Does it crank over?

[lharilall]

Thanks guys! I will try your suggestions. Been in bed with the flu bug the last few days. Did nothing since I posted last.

[lharilall]

Yesterday I was able to try a couple of things. Fuel pump primes for sure. Sprayed quick start then cranked- no difference. Tested a couple of the coil packs at their terminals for voltage- none.
I understand fromwhat I have read so far that their is a 5V control circuit to coils, injectors, cam/crank sensors and heated oxygen sensors. What conditions can prevent these fromgetting the5V? Does anyone have a wiring diagram I can use to follow this circuit/components and check for the problem?
Thanks again.

[peva]

The ign. coils and injectors do not have 5V supply. They all have +12V power full time when the key is on and the ASD relay is energized, and their other wire gets grounded by the PCM to energize them.

You need to download an FSM - they have the schematics.

Suspect a blown fuse or problems with the ASD relay if no injector or ignition action.

[lharilall]

Hi!
The car started on its own and ran for 2 days. The first day on my way too work the engine stalled on the hwy and I coasted downhill until I was able to turn into a small plaza. As soon asI stopped it started right up and I was on my way again. Yesterday, on my way to work it died just before I entered the Hwy about 2 miles from home. Had it towed home as it would not start again. Keeps loosing power to the coils etc. Switched ASD relays and it did not make a difference. No trouble codes stored in PCM. Any ideas?

[Adpros]

Are you sure it's losing power or just acting that way. If the PCM doesn't see engine rpm it shuts off the ASD, = Fuel + Coils. Sounds like a bad crank sensor connection or sensor.

The Rack sits more or less above the crank sensor on the right side of the bell housing. Did you jerk a wire loose or damage the harness there?

[lharilall]

Well,guess what? Today I armed myself with wiring diagrams and a digital voltmeter to do some testing and as soon as I got outside and turned the key the car started right up. As long as it is running I cannot find the fault for the loss of voltage to the plugs etc. I had previously checked all fuses etc with voltmeter. I even connected a friend's OBD II diagnostic tool and there were no trouble codes. I will double check the harness to the crank sensor. The problem is I do not know when it will shut down again if I take it out on the road. Any other ideas besides checking the crank sensor?

[lharilall]

Well, for the last few days I have been searching all the harnesses in question at the rear of the engine-- I found nothing suspicious. The car starts and runs as if nothing is wrong. Turned it of and on about a dozen times without failure. Last time I went out on the road I had to tow it back home. Now I am scared to go back on the road with it. According to the FSM if it were one of the cam/crank sensors the PCM should set a DTC code. There are no codes other than the P1684 battery disconnect code. Anyone ever experienced such a problem?

[peva]

I haven't, but there have been many, many posts of the cam and crank sensors going bad without setting codes. Apparently the PCM has to count so many misses or whatever before it decides to set the code, and often, it's not uncommon for it to quit running before that threshold is reached. Then when/if it starts up again, it starts the counting all over again - so it may *never* set a code.

[lharilall]

Thanks PEVA. What you say makes a lot of sense and would explain why no DTC code is set. What should I do? Should I replace the Crank or the Cam sensor first or just go ahead and do both. This way I will not know which sensor was the cause of the problem.
Is it more likely the Crank sensor since it shuts the power to the coils, injectors etc? Let me know what you think. Thanks again for your very informative advice.

[peva]

No start is more indicative of the cank sensor - it runs the engine at lower speed, and I believe the cam sensor takes over at something like 2000 or 2500 rpm. Looking back in this thread, I see that Dave also thinks it sounds like crank sensor. USE ONLY OEM ENGINE SENSORS - a lot of problems reported with aftermarket sensors on these cars..

[leeangelo]

Hey lharilall I'm curious if you are still having issues? Your issue sounded kinda similar to the issue I had with my last intrepid. The problem with my car though it it would start fine but after it started heating up my EGR Valve would get stuck open and would stall my car out. I would have to literally keep the car reving to keep it from dieing out on me. I'd say for the first 10 minutes everything would be fine but after that it would die out on me when I would just coast and not accelerate. Funny thing it the parts weren't available from Chrysler for months. I just had my mechanic unplug the power to the EGR Valve so it remained closed and no more issues after that.