1996 Plymouth Voyager Won't Start

Recent History: About 192K miles. Leaks oil. Battery fried less than a
week ago and was replaced.

Tonight on my way home from work, the check engine light came on,
flashed a few times, and then remained on steadily. I drove about
another half mile before stopping at a local store. I shut engine off,
shopped for about 5 minutes, and then tried to start it back up.

It sounds like the starter engages but only turns the motor a fraction
of a turn (or not at all). Checked the oil and it is in the middle of
the safe zone.

Fault codes are:
12 -- Battery was recently replaced, as noted.
13
14

Any thoughts?

-- Christian

 

<<<Christian M. Mericle
Jan 11, 7:24 pm
Recent History: About 192K miles. Leaks oil. Battery fried less than a
week ago and was replaced.


Tonight on my way home from work, the check engine light came on,
flashed a few times, and then remained on steadily. I drove about
another half mile before stopping at a local store. I shut engine off,
shopped for about 5 minutes, and then tried to start it back up.


It sounds like the starter engages but only turns the motor a fraction
of a turn (or not at all). Checked the oil and it is in the middle of
the safe zone.


Fault codes are:
12 -- Battery was recently replaced, as noted.
13
14


Any thoughts? <<<

Call a tow truck and have it taken to a reputable mechanic.

 

When the battery was fried a week ago and replaced, did the person
who replaced it also throughly check out the charging system to make
sure the battery was being charged?

Sounds to me like it isn't, and you simply were running the van off
the stored energy in the battery that was present when you bought it.
Now the battery is out of juice and of course the starter isn't going
to have enough power to turn the engine.

Ted

 

Thanks for the reply, Ted. Returned later yesterday evening and the
vehicle started without problem. However, it has symptoms of a blown
head gasket (steam in the exhaust and water in the oil).

Considering its age and high mileage, I don't feel it's advantageous
to have it repaired. I'm going to buy another used vehicle.

-- Christian

 

If that was the kind of answer I was looking for, do you think I would
have to post to a newsgroup to get it?

-- Christian

 

Depends on the engine. The 3.3 or 3.8 could be worth the fix. If it is
the 3.0 mitsubishi engine, then push it off the nearest cliff and
don't look back.

 

If the engine lite came on a few times and flashed as you were driving it.
That would be a cylinder misfiring. Nothing to do with thte starter.

These are map sensor fault codes which would cause a drivability problem and
may even cause a no start but also has nothing to do with the starter. I
would start by checking to make sure the map sensor is connected under the
hood. You dont say what engine you have therefore I cant tell you where the
sensor is located

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

2.4L, 4 cylinder

-- Christian

 

2.4L. Sorry I left that out.

I'm pretty sure now that it's a blown head gasket, though I'm not sure
why it temporarily wouldn't turn over.

-- Christian

 

<<<If that was the kind of answer I was looking for, do you think I
would
have to post to a newsgroup to get it?

-- Christian >>>>

If you expected more than that then you should have been more specific.
You asked for "thoughts," nothing more. You gave no indication that you
either did or were able to perform any troubleshooting. You gave no
indication if you wanted help with the no-start problem or the MIL
light/trouble codes, neither or both. Given the lack of detail in your
request, I gave you what you asked for....my thoughts.

 

I think it's the same engine where they revised the head gasket, read this:

http://www.allpar.com/fix/headgasket-2.html

Ted

 

Engine was probably hydrolocked due to having a cylinder full of coolant
that got forced into it past the blown gasket by the pressurized cooling
system. I would be willing to bet that the hydrolocking caused damage to
the rod, bearing, wrist pin, or piston that would evidence itself if you do
replace the gasket.

 

If it hydrolocked while the engine was running it would definitely do
damage. But, if it hydrolocked just sitting there, and he went to start it
and the engine wouldn't turn at all, the starter doesen't have enough power
to damage these parts. Perhaps if the starter got it 3/4 of a revolution
going then it hydrolocked that might be something but I doubt it.

Ted

 

If it hydrolocked, it was after I shut it off. The engine didn't stall.
It just wouldn't restart after I shut it down.

-- Christian