i am baffled and need help

[foss246]

i purchased a 85 chrysler lebaron convertible in great shape. Drove it home and been working on it ever since. I was working on it and found i had pooor to no gas flow. Replaced the pump and then she ran good. A couple days later and after doing brakes, etc. i had no spark. I checked it out and then replaced the distributor and then i havent been able to get the power loss light to go out. While trouble shooting i have replaced the coolant sensor, and the engine temp sensor. Come to find out it was actually the engine harness plugs that were shot to the distributor. I went to the junk yard to get replacements. When i went to kook it all back up i still had no spark. i went ahead and hooked up the distributor i got from the junk yard to find out it had spark. So i figured the new distributor got burned out. I ordered a second new distributor and installed the other day. I went ahead and set the timing and she was running good. I did notice the fan was running all the time the engine was on, which i thought was different. I found the power loss light was still on but she was running pretty descent. Today i went out to take for a ride and i have no spark again. I tried to unplug the coolant sensor wire thinking that might be the problem from other posts on here. Still no spark! i am baffled and frustrated. Does anyone know what the problem is and did i fry the second new distrributor again? PLEASE HELP!!!!

[88 aries]

Possibly the ECU I think, the computers are known to go bad on Turbo engines

[Jacks1986Lebaron]

Hey 88 do the 85 K-cars have the pick-up coil/hall effect sensor right under the rotor???

My 86 has the distr. cap, then the rotor, then right under it there is a piece of almost flat plastic which is the hall effect sensor, it has a plug coming out of it, and plugs into "something" right there almost in front of the distributor.

If his has this on his 85, possibly that has a bad connection and needs to be cleaned or needs to be replaced?? he did say he replacd the distributor......"just wondering"!!!

[88 aries]

hmm not really sure about that one, Im still a newbie to carbed K-cars

[Jacks1986Lebaron]

Check your igntion coil, mine is on the passenger side under hood in my 1986.

Well I found this.......warning...I am not a mechanic!!

Found this for you to read:

•The Hall Effect sensor - this can fail and not set an error code. However, if the computer gets no data from the Hall Effect sensor, it will assume that the engine is not turning, and will not provide any fuel. This is an inexpensive gadget that sits underneath the rotor, in the distributor cap, on cars without distributorless ignition (so this doesn't apply to cars made after about 1996). A good first step and not hard to replace, even for beginners.
*◦The Auto Shutdown Relay (ASD) - actually, this rarely breaks, but when it does, the engine stays off. One purpose of the auto shutdown relay is to avoid "dieselling." It kills all fuel delivery and spark. The ASD can be triggered by a broken wire or short in another place -e.g. the fuel pump.
◦The MAP sensor - another frequent cause of stalling or non-starting. This measures the air pressure in the manifold. It is usually mounted on a fender, costs around $25, and is easy to replace. You can test it - if your car won't start, just unplug the electrical connection from the MAP sensor. If it starts, replace the sensor. MAP sensor details. (It may act as though the fuel pump is not working properly - starting, then quickly dying).
◦There is a relay between the computer (PCM) and coil, at least on the 2.2/2.5 TBI, that costs about $12. If it fails, mechanics may try replacing the computer
◦...and, of course, the starter relay - often this goes and it is misdiagnosed as the starter itself, the computer, etc.
◦Fusible links: John Auto Tech wrote, "try checking the fuseable links located by the drivers side strut tower. Give each one a [gentle] tug to see if one stretches like a rubber band."
◦Loose or dirty computer or battery connections - surprisingly common! Or (on vintage cars) check the hot wire going into the firewall plug... on the other side the wire goes to the fuse box then to the dash- when it goes to the dash it goes to the alt meter... it is a simple fix and one that should be checked. (It is also a good place for a fire - you've got loose hot wires and lots of loose insulation)
◦The idle speed motor - this can, for example, cause stalling when the engine is cold, but not when hot. If you replace the idle air control motor (IAC), also clean the throttle body and reset the computer (you can just disconnect the battery for a few minutes). This problem can also affect newer cars such as the Neon which have no distributor.
◦Plugged exhaust (e.g. catalytic converter). F.J. MacFarlane wrote about this, noting that most or all US 2.2 carburted engines had two converters in series.
◦Clogged fuel filter or fuel line - this can be under the hood or in the tank. Similar symptoms can be caused by a weak fuel pump. There are, incidentally, two types of fuel pressure test: one which tests an instant of pressure, and a more sustained test. The latter can often solve stumble and stall problems that occur at highway speeds or under acceleration.

◦Spark plug wires - Rosegate noted that a problem with missing cylinders was resolved by changing the wires. A dealer failed to solve the problem, charging $130 apparently to change a single wire. You can do this yourself in ten minutes; you can get very high quality wires for $40 (four cylinders).

◦Fuel line cracks - it happens, and they can be hard to find. Turbo engines should be periodically and carefully inspected for leaking fuel lines, due to their higher fuel pressures. Small, hard to see fuel line cracks can cause stalling and non-starting. Check not just the main fuel line but also delivery lines that feed individual injectors (thanks, R. Jake Carr).

http://www.allpar.com/fix/stall.html

[Jacks1986Lebaron]

Have you pulled codes?? There is one thing to consider when troubleshooting drivability issues. Even if the computer throws a fault code it doesn’t mean that the sensor is at fault. Could be just a dirty connection or not tightly seated.

The first step in troubleshooting drivability issues is to pull your fault codes.
Be sure the engine is not running. Then do the ‘Key Dance’. This means that within 5 seconds:
turn the key to ‘ON’ (not start) and then ‘OFF’ repeatedly, in this order: ON-OFF-ON-OFF-ON.
Be sure to leave the key in the ‘ON’ position and watch the red ‘Power Limited’, ‘Check Engine’ or ‘Limited’ light (we’ll refer to this as the ‘Power Limited’ light).
Looking at the Power Limited light, count the flashes. These will come in sets of two flashes. For example if you count one flash then after a pause two more that’s a code 12. This will be followed by five flashes and a pause then five more. This is a code 55 or ‘end of file’. Codes will always end in a code 55 and there will be no more flashes. This is the computer’s way of telling you that it’s all done. If the only code you receive is a 55 then you ‘have no fault codes’ and the computer has nothing to report.
Code 11 The engine has not cranked since the battery was disconnected.
Code 12 The battery has been disconnected and the computer (ECU) has been reset.
Code 13 MAP sensor signal to the computer (ECU) not changing
Code 14 MAP sensor signal out of range
Code 15 No signal received by the computer (ECU) from the speed sensor
Code 16 Battery voltage drop below ‘normal’ when engine running
Code 17 Coolant sensor not reporting more than 160° after 8 minutes of engine running

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Code 21 Oxygen sensor reporting too lean or too rich after 2 – 12 minutes with temp over 170° and RPM above 1500
Code 22 Coolant temperature sensor out of range
Code 23 Air charge temperature sensor out of range
Code 24 Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) signal out of range
Code 25 Air Idle Speed motor shorted or voltage out of range
Code 26 1985 + Turbo models: engine injector driver circuit one shorted or open
TBI models: injector peak current not achieved
Code 27 Turbo engine injector driver circuit two shorted or open

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Code 31 Purge Solenoid open or shorted
Code 32 Power Limited light lamp failure
Code 33 A/C relay open or shorted
Code 34 84 – 87 models with EGR, EGR solenoid open or shorted
1987 and later models: cruise control servo failure
Code 35 Radiator fan relay open or shorted
Code 36 Wastegate or other solenoid open or shorted
Code 37 Baro-read solenoid open or shorted

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Code 41 Alternator field control circuit open or shorted
Code 42 1984 model injector circuit 1 open or shorted
1986+ models: ASD relay open or shorted
Code 43 Ignition coil driver circuit open or shorted
Code 44 1984 logic module diagnostic failure
1985-86 battery temp out of range
1987+ Signal to J2 not present at SEMC
Code 45 Turbo engines boost above predefined range
Code 46 Battery charging voltage out of range
Code 47 Battery charging voltage out of range

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Code 51
Code 52 1984 engine running too rich or lean
1985+: code 51=running too lean, code 52=running too rich
Code 53 Logic module fault
Code 54 Signal loss from the fuel injector sync pickup during engine rotation. (HEP)
Code 55 End of fault code list

[Hemi-Dude]

Possibly the ECU I think, the computers are known to go bad on Turbo engines

You got to be kidding, having been a Chrysler Tech for over 50 years, I see no such problems with the computers on Turbo or TBI cars.

[88 aries]

im not saying that they are bad, but it is a possiblity

[foss246]

Possibly the ECU I think, the computers are known to go bad on Turbo engines

You got to be kidding, having been a Chrysler Tech for over 50 years, I see no such problems with the computers on Turbo or TBI cars.

after further review i have no power at the coil either. I ran a jumper to the coil and found that i can hear the fuel pump kick on sos i am not getting power there. I am going to continue to move back unless someone has any ideas.

[Jacks1986Lebaron]

Foss did ya try and pull any stored codes at all?? It might help you track down where your problem is.

Your car doesn't have to "start" in order to pull codes. It should have stored codes the last time you had it running.

Just a idea, since none of us is there looking under your hood with you!!!