2000 - Chrysler 300m starting problems -40k miles.

Cranks ok. No start. Tach sort of floats up to 1k then back down to stall.
Has happened 5 times in the last 2 weeks. Run into a store for a few
minutes, hop back in, crank, no start. Every time the outside temp was
pretty hot 90+. Let the car sit for an hour or so, then it starts up & runs
fine (usually by the time AAA shows up). First I thought maybe vapor lock.
Let the gas cap vent for a bit. No luck. Happened 3 times last weekend,
then I had it towed into the dealer. No Trouble Found. Drove the car
(mostly highway) all week. Ran a can of gas treatment/cleaner through + 2
tanks of high test. Car ran fine. No hesitation. Mostly highway, 2 hr+
duration. Got to this past Sunday, ran to the store for ten minutes. Same
thing. Had it towed back into the dealer.

Dealer seems clueless. No computer codes showing any faults. They've just
had it sitting there, running it, trying to get it to not start. They had
the thing for 2 days last week. This week it's been there since Monday.
Can't duplicate it. Car starts fine. Dealership has put me in a loaner for
now, but I have a feeling I'm going to get the old "NTF" tomorrow.

First trouble since it rolled off the lot 3 years ago.

SC.

 

Doesn't the anti-theft sentry-key thing work like that?

I mean, if the car is started without the computer being able to sense
the key then doesn't the engine run for a few seconds then shut down?

 

Appreciate the advice. Dealer called me today and said they'd like to keep
it one more day. They did offer to hook up the "black box co-pilot" last
week. Then when I went to pick it up they completely started back pedaling.
Service dweeb said that he didn't think it would help in this case. If I do
leave there with my car, I'll insist on having one hooked up before I leave.

I'll try a couple of the simpler things like looking for loose connections
this weekend.

Stay tuned...
Thanks again.

 

Maybe but I had a similar refusal to start problem and did not
replace the fuel pump and the problem has not recurred either. Dealer
was clueless.

 

place your foot on the gas pedal and push it down a little while cranking
if it starts this indicates a tps/iac issue

 

No argument here.

I was simply stating the resolution to similar problem.

The standard disclaimers applied. Always check out and verify
any advice off of usenet before applying it. I didn't figure
I needed to say it.

 

Cam sensor most likely, then maybe fuel pump, or fuel pump relay.
Also liked the suggestion of checking the sentry system, very possible

 

No fuel? No spark? Neither of either? That info would help narrow it down.
Buy a small can of starting fluid and keep it in the car. The next time it
doesn't start, remove the air filter and spray a short blast into the intake
and try to start it. If it tries to start then you can suspect the fuel
system. If it cranks but won't start then the ignition system is suspect.
This is a very basic test but it helps narrow down the system that's giving
you fits.

 

This could be an ignition problem. Put some ice in a plactic bag and
hold it against the ignition module. After it cools off, crank the
engine and see if it starts. You may want to pull a spart plug wire
and attach it to one of those spart testing devices that look sort of
like a spark plug. Do not hold the wire while someone cranks because
the currents produced are enough to stop the heart. Same thing goes
for an old magneto. My father had a friend that died from a magneto
shock.

 

There are no plug wires on the 300m. A separate coil is on top of each plug.

 

Check the notorious crank and cam sensors also