Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue


  Email This Post



stingray
User

Sep 20, 2011, 8:21 PM

Post #1 of 19 (7083 views)
  post locked   1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

I'm working on a friends 1998 Intrepid. Summer of 2010 it overheated due to a faulty thermostat that ruptured the cover of the water outlet housing. The short of it is I repaired the housing, replaced the t-stat & battery. We are in the "flush the cooling system" stage. However, engine won't start. The starter tries, the pulleys turn, but it doesn't seem like we have compression because you don't hear the "breathing" sound that an engine truly trying to turn over makes. I performed preliminary diagnostics with the ignition on trying to get 12v to the green wire of the #1 coil harness as the shop manual suggests to no avail. I've done a lot of searching on this & found that the ASD (why it's called this is strange when it is a relay. What's the "D" for? The book won't tell you. It only states Automatic Shutdown relay yet they assign a "d" to the goofy thing.) receives signal from the PCM to start if signaled to do so by the CAM & CRANK sensors. I want to check the grounds to these sensors & see how to properly test these sensors as it is foolish to just purchase components that are likely not faulty. No harnesses were disconnected during my previous work yet I checked for that anyway. All appears as it should. Nothing obvious. I am curious about the two related sensors & this auto shutdown relay. The front end is in the air with the wheels suspended. Any insight & to hear from those with a similar experience please share.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 21, 2011, 3:17 AM

Post #2 of 19 (7051 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Start out by checking all the fuses in the car with a test light.

Here is the procedure to isolate the source of your problem. If this engine overheated to the point of the engine stopping, then you may be looking for a new engine.

All "crank, no start" conditions are approached in the same way. Every engine requires certain functions to be able to run. Some of these functions rely on specific components to work and some components are part of more than one function so it is important to see the whole picture to be able to conclude anything about what may have failed. Also, these functions can ONLY be tested during the failure. Any other time and they will simply test good because the problem isn't present at the moment.
If you approach this in any other way, you are merely guessing and that only serves to replace unnecessary parts and wastes money.



Every engine requires spark, fuel and compression to run. That's what we have to look for.

These are the basics that need to be tested and will give us the info required to isolate a cause.

1) Test for spark at the plug end of the wire using a spark tester. If none found, check for power supply on the + terminal of the coil with the key on.


2) Test for injector pulse using a small bulb called a noid light. If none found, check for power supply at one side of the injector with the key on.


3) Use a fuel pressure gauge to test for correct fuel pressure, also noticing if the pressure holds when key is shut off.

4) If all of these things check good, then you would need to do a complete compression test.

Once you have determined which of these functions has dropped out,
you will know which system is having the problem.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



stingray
User

Sep 21, 2011, 7:07 PM

Post #3 of 19 (7025 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Thanks for the quick reply Hammer Time. Yes, that's why I'm here to get other ideas. While I'm a seasoned wrench it is possible for anyone to miss something simple & just spin their wheels in disgust. The car didn't die. In fact, I'm told it was limped home with several stops to allow it to cool & topped off with water. Furthermore, the car was driven around the block once each month last four months of the year to run things & keep the battery up. Not to worry, I explained to the owner that the intention was understood but not that beneficial. I did check the fuses visually. However, you're right we need to test each circuit to see where we're not getting power rather than just what may have blown. I'll proceed with the compression test as well. Any other ideas please advise. I'll keep you posted. I did try to use my spark tester. However, with the Coil On Plug setup the coils boot has a spring within it. The tester fit rather loosely & not snug to where it "pops" on like it would a plug wire on a plug. Is there a special spark tester for this type of DIS system?

(This post was edited by stingray on Sep 21, 2011, 7:11 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 21, 2011, 7:11 PM

Post #4 of 19 (7019 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

What I have given you is not ideas. It is a systematic procedure to isolate the reason that the car won't start. We use this technique every day and it gives us the info we need to find the problem area every time.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



stingray
User

Sep 21, 2011, 7:21 PM

Post #5 of 19 (7015 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Right. Cool. I wasn't degrading the method by any means and do understand that it is just that, a method or procedure. I meant to simply invite others with similar troubles on a similar car to share what was found as a problem & therefore remedy. I hope you weren't offended & if so I apologize.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 21, 2011, 7:30 PM

Post #6 of 19 (7010 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

I'm not offended but I get people trying to shortcut the leg work all the time and I recognize when someone is trying to do that. There is no magic answer for a "no start" and there can be dozens of different causes. This forum is staffed by a small group of highly skilled professionals that donate their time. We don't have a lot of car owners giving opinions. Guessing and throwing parts at a problem without confirming anything is not the way we work at all. We tell you how to check things but we don't have or offer instant cures.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



stingray
User

Sep 21, 2011, 7:35 PM

Post #7 of 19 (7006 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Very good. Thanks for your honesty. It seems rare at times in today's world. Keep up the outstanding work & volunteer efforts. They ARE appreci8d! Sly


re-tired
Veteran / Moderator
re-tired profile image

Sep 22, 2011, 6:10 AM

Post #8 of 19 (6994 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

JUST FOR THE RECORD .............(A)utomatic ........(S)hut.........(D)own relay. now you have the rest of the story


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


stingray
User

Sep 22, 2011, 3:44 PM

Post #9 of 19 (6988 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Thanks Re-Tired. That helps answer another one of my asked questions.


stingray
User

Oct 5, 2011, 3:44 PM

Post #10 of 19 (6947 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Performed the compression test which is very low.

Cylinder 1: 30 psi

2: 30 psi

3: 40 psi

4: 15 psi

5: 40 psi

6: 30 psi

Engine needs 100 psi and has much more than the allotted 25% variation between cylinders.
This is taking into consideration that the engine cannot be started to warm it to perform the test. Air temp is 75 F with new 5W20 oil.

Next I want to try is to lightly oil the cylinders & repeat the test.
Also the test really taxes the battery & it is new. I only had 4 seconds of crank for each cylinder.

This engine fired right up a year ago I'm told. It sat out in 4 seasons. Yet now with new components @ the coolant flush stage compression is way down. Amazing!


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 5, 2011, 3:53 PM

Post #11 of 19 (6944 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

There is something seriously flawed with what you are telling us. The engine cannot run with those readings. You also need to replace your battery before running any more tests. Nothing is going to be accurate this way.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



stingray
User

Oct 5, 2011, 4:28 PM

Post #12 of 19 (6939 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Understood. The battery is new. Meaning the date of it is 8/11. The store warrantied the other as it wasn't holding a full charge. Perhaps the starter & ignition system needs diagnosis as it certainly doesn't crank strong. This is reminding me of an issue I had with my '89 Formula with a hi-torque mini-starter. I would get a weak crank but a start. Two warrantied starters l8r my brother found a severed starter to chassis ground. Repaired it & have had a strong crank ever since.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 5, 2011, 4:46 PM

Post #13 of 19 (6936 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

This isn't rocket science. You simply have the battery tested for available reserve and if it tests good, you now test the starter draw. If your testing compression, you should have all the plugs removed anyway and it should spin easily then.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



stingray
User

Oct 5, 2011, 4:58 PM

Post #14 of 19 (6932 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

What's rocket science? Battery is good & at full song. Plugs are all out as that is the compression test process. Two of which are oil fouled to the tune of looking greasy rather than oil. Two others carbon fouled & the remaining two normal wear. Right, that's where to test next starter voltage & drop tests.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 5, 2011, 5:02 PM

Post #15 of 19 (6930 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Whatever..... You haven't even tested the battery and you're trying to make this a lot more complicated than it is.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



stingray
User

Oct 5, 2011, 5:52 PM

Post #16 of 19 (6927 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Be nice. I've heard whatever means F it. I detail the situation thoroughly in communication to get a better understanding of the situation. Again, battery is new. Even so, we'll test it & the related components. That's the advice needed earlier about the charging system though. Smile


Mr.scotty
Enthusiast
Mr.scotty profile image

Oct 6, 2011, 11:58 AM

Post #17 of 19 (6918 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  


In Reply To
Be nice. I've heard whatever means F it. I detail the situation thoroughly in communication to get a better understanding of the situation. Again, battery is new. Even so, we'll test it & the related components. That's the advice needed earlier about the charging system though. Smile



HT does this stuff everyday, do ALL the tests he gives you to help solve your problem.
If you don't want to listen to him your on your own buddy.
--------------------------------------------------------

Your only as good as your tools!


stingray
User

Mar 10, 2013, 2:35 PM

Post #18 of 19 (4942 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

Here's the upd8 on this crazy car. The altern8r pulley & cooling fans all seized. Replaced & it fired up first turn of the key after sitting two years! This returns to the original issue of overheating. The temp gauge reads shy of half yet it's steaming hot. The fuses & relays all test good. I recently learned of a fan control module & will look into that. The temp sensor was replaced & the same problem. The fans are not getting power. I've wired in thermostatically controlled fan switches before. I'd just like to know why the stock system quit.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 10, 2013, 3:36 PM

Post #19 of 19 (4931 views)
  post locked   Re: 1998 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 engine no crank/start issue  

This thread has been dead for a year and a half. Too late to revive it now.
Start a new question if you need help with something.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap