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random shut down


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blooper
Novice

Apr 7, 2010, 9:20 AM

Post #1 of 10 (2556 views)
random shut down Sign In

93 plymoth minivan 3.0 liter v6 randomly quits cold wait an hour or two or day starts fine again .then it may run for amonth or 5miles before complete shut down again.I'm thinkin maybe ground or ign module. so ???


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Apr 7, 2010, 10:53 AM

Post #2 of 10 (2551 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

Make sure battery and connection are real good. The Mopars are sensitive to weak batteries or connections more than others,

T



blooper
Novice

Apr 7, 2010, 2:37 PM

Post #3 of 10 (2543 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

All connections good. Wireing good. When it shuts down everything quits. No lights on dash reads zero codes. When restarts reads zero codes. Complete electrical shutoff. In an hour or a day restarts.

Thanks for replying! any other ideas?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Apr 7, 2010, 2:59 PM

Post #4 of 10 (2540 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

>>Everything quits<<"

Then I guess connections aren't so good are they? Begin with cleaning battery cables (neg off first on last) - you decide if that alone is enough or go on and follow those to their ends at starter (pos) and engine block (neg) -- use a memory saver if you have a lot of stuff stored in alarms or anything and know how to use those.

This is typical for bad connections. They can be tight, look good and all that fun stuff and not make the proper connection and later just humidity, heat they work by surprise.

Use dielectic grease to slow this problem down from happening again soon. Use extra care with nut on starter solenoid and bolt or nut at engine not to break them. Sandpaper or wire brush them clean or replace the cables if not good,

T



blooper
Novice

Apr 14, 2010, 8:42 AM

Post #5 of 10 (2504 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

i guess i should have been more desriptive of problems and attempted cures. this shut down occurred before and after the f ollowing fixes and, or repairs . replace battery[twice]. replace starter motor. replace IAM.replace distributer. pull and clean allrelay connections.remove main brain center [alongside battery inside air intake] clean all pins andholes [twice] . at this point I m thinking afuel pump relay or ignition relay that gets hot and causes a shorting out. it has not often perhaps never in 40 =years of playing shade tree mechanic have i found a loose corruded [sp] or burnt out wire or connection to heal it's self like this one does. thanks for the help. maybe a bad fuel pump ?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Apr 14, 2010, 9:59 AM

Post #6 of 10 (2502 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

You still said this was a "complete electrical shutdown" when this happens. That is near always a main connection and is only as good as the weakest link. Again, Battery - cleaned and brushed, cable ends and terminals. also, at solenoid and at end of ground wire to block. I've found those bad on brand new cars that do that and then snap to for a few days but was a complete "like no battery" situation.

Radio presets forget, clock forgets and computer loses info stored. Tight doesn't mean it's getting thru. Sand or wire brush up the main connections. There's another hidden from block to body which could also disable many or all functions and others throughout vehicle but you wouldn't lose everything for the ones in back for lighting etc.

There may be a fusible link involved that isn't quite done yet. That would show wrinkled wire - burnt.

When (if you can catch it) it's completely down you could chase it with a test light and see where power and or ground cease.

More: Battery cables may be junk inside of nice looking insulation. Test light tests would show when totally down.

Everything electrical starts and ends back at the battery so I was concentrating on it and connections,

T



blooper
Novice

Apr 19, 2010, 5:05 AM

Post #7 of 10 (2491 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

Maybe iam not being clear enuff. when in the "i ain't goin run mode " it will still turn over but won't fire .After awhile it will startand then run a little,maybe alot, then at some random time it will do it again . It never has happenedlike yesterday I started the thing and let it idle for 10-15 minutes , ran just fine. Drive it somewhere, I don't think so. Iwas never driving this at nite so I don'tknow if the lites go out 'but by the time you roll to a stop it will turn over,not start.Thank you for your reply.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Apr 19, 2010, 5:59 AM

Post #8 of 10 (2490 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

On 4-7-2010 you said and quote ">>Complete electrical shutoff.<<"

That and codes not found would suggest battery was in essence disconnected from the whole rest of the vehicle. Several items would work without even the keys if battery and its connections were any good.

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

Now (please don't use the term "turn over" as that suggests different things to different folks) it appears that when it won't run it is cranking but not starting up - right?

Back to basics. If that is so then you check for what's missing, fuel, spark or both and can deal with an approach for that,

T



blooper
Novice

Apr 21, 2010, 12:42 PM

Post #9 of 10 (2481 views)
Re: random shut down Sign In

yes i know about the turnover confusion the old lady has done it to me for years.The problem finding the fuel or spark issue is ,by the time you get this buggy where you can begin to check which it is,the odds are better than even it will start anyway.,and all systems function at this point. It has never shut down while idling and just sitting there. Has only occured while in gear and moving. Now even in as little as 10 -15 minutes it will startjust fine. Don't drive it any further than some where you can park it and really i don,t know at this point.It,ll go further tommorrow.You might even make it home this time withou the tow bar.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Apr 21, 2010, 12:54 PM

Post #10 of 10 (2479 views)
Re: 93 Plymouth Van 3.0, Random shut down Sign In

OK: That makes it a real pill as if it's going to plain behave, everything you check will check fineCrazy

If you trust you have at least several minutes of highly suspected down time, try starting fluid in throttle body. If only a fuel issue it should start and quit again.

The spark is a pill because as you know you could be alone and if there's nobody to crank engine you would have to be fast to hook up a temporary jump to starter solenoid's trigger wire to watch for spark by yourself. Get a spark tester anyway - good to have on hand for future for assorted things if like me - too damn many yard sh*t items that are fussy and seasonal.

Guessing at which area to investigate is a waste of $$. If not tried lately get whatever codes you can from a 1993 vehicle. It might help pin this down,

T







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