Chrysler Dynasty AGAIN......Mr Stern, HELP!

This car has been a lemon since day one, I tell ya!
Problem (this time) just replaced water pump and a hose (not related), AND
muffler but ironically 2 days later on a drive (uphill) to work, I lost
power and suffered severe jerking. Pulled over, STALLED, started and
parked safely. Hubby picks up car later @ night and can't get the car to
make the same motions until it's fully warmed and ...again...going up
hill. Sitting in driveway since. Start up tonight, warmed up 15 min or
so....and there starts the backfireing type, putt putt gasp gasp...stall?
What's going on here? Not fuel filter...(neighbor putters with some sensor
and idle picks back up, plugs in...and again putt putt.. HEEEELLLLLP!!!

 

Sounds like a bad coil.

Ted

 

Start with having the fuel pressure checked, sounds as if there isn't enough
pressure and that's why it is backfiring thru the throttle body.
If the check engine lite is on when you drive it (which I doubt it) what is
the code.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

The check engine light DID come on when the neighbor pulled the oxygen
sensor ?? off.

Could it be this sensor or the relay that it is connected to?
PS..My hubby is a chef so make this as painless as possible.

 

Fuel pump is new maybe 2 yrs (max) ago. And neighbor says the car IS
getting fuel. We thought fuel filter but when this relay switch (to
oxygen sensor) was removed the check engine light came on the the idle rpm
went up. ??

 

One more thing...
Why does it run normally when it's cold, but after 10-15 min of driving,
that's when it starts to act up?

May I just say....this is a WONDERFUL resource, and I'm sure glad I came
upon this site.

 

Sounds like time for a new O2 sensor to me. When you unplug it the
computer goes into a default mode and it sounds like the computer is
getting wildly inaccurate readings from the O2 sensor (i.e. it sounds
like the sensor is reading way richer or leaner than the actual A/F
ratio)

it's easy enough to try, ASSuming that it isn't seized in place.

nate

 

What engine does this car have? It could be the 2.5 4 Cyl, or either
the 3.0 or 3.3 V6. Have you tried to dump out the codes using the key
off/on method?

If it is the 3.3, the crank and camshaft sensors should be checked
along with the other suggestions that have been made.

-Kirk Matheson

 

To check the computer codes:

With the engine off, switch the ignition key on-off-on-off-on,
leaving it "ON". Do not
go to "start", just "on" during this procedure.

Watch the "Check Engine" or "Power Loss" light. It will turn on, then go
off, then will begin to flash-out any trouble codes that have been stored.
For instance, if it flashes:

flash <pause> flash flash
<long pause>
flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash
<long pause>
flash flash flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash

Then you have a 12 (one flash followed by two) a 35 (three and five) and a
55 (five and five). 55 means "end of codes" or, if by itself, "No codes
stored. Check the codes and report what you find.

 

Sounds like an O2 sensor to me as well. O2 sensors do NOT affect the
fuel mix when the engine is cold. When the engine heats up, then it
provides a signal to the engine control module. If the signal the ECM
gets is not correct, then all kinds of crap can happen.

My mini-van used to cough and sputter going up hills. But when I
checked, no engine fault codes! But it did not do this all the time.


After a couple of months I took it to my usual shop. They diagnosed it
with a scope as the O2 sensor within 2 minutes. In & Out of the shop
in 30 minutes - including paying for the repair.

hth

 

An 02 sensor wont cause that problem, more then likely the map sensor or
coolant temp sensor is out of calibration. If those sensors are out of
calibration it may not set a fault code but will cause the engine to run
bad.
The coolant temp sensor acts like a choke when the engine is cold, it allows
the injectors to stay open longer to compensate for the cold temp. when the
engine warms up the coolant sensor is supposed to see this and reduce the
amount of time the injectors stay open thus causing a leaner mixture. If the
engine warms up and the coolant sensor doesn't see this it is going to cause
a really rich mixture .Do you see black smoke out the tail pipe when this
happens?

You will probably need to have a scan tool connected so that the sensor
values can be monitored when the problem is happening. And just because you
had the fuel pump replaced 2 years ago means nothing (especially if its an
aftermarket pump) Your neighbor says its getting fuel...we know that because
it runs a little bit.....if you don't have the proper fuel pressure it will
cause this to happen. Bottom line, perform fuel pressure test and if ok,
scan the system while the problem is occurring.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

turn the ing. key on and off three time, then count the ch. engine lite flashes
and repost with the results u will get a short flash for the first digit of the
code and a longer flash for the second digit of the code. 12 and 55 are normal
codes expect to see them

 

Thank You Kirk....yes, it is the 3.3.
Sensors huh? Will try the rest and get back.

 

OKAY SO I DID THE ON OFF THING AND I ENDED UP WITH 3,2,5,3 OR 32 AND 53 I
AM NOT SURE CAN SOME ONE HELP WITH THIS PLEASE,,,TY

 

32 is egr failure and 53 is pcm internal failure
replace the egr valve and transducer and then see how it runs the pcm failure
code is not a biggy right now since it runs
it could be a false code

 

Don't just replace parts because there is a fault code. Especially since you
said your neighbor had disconnected some sensors, because if he did that
with the key on....codes would have been set, especially the EGR Valve.
Since someone has already been disconnecting things the first this to do is
clear the codes and se if any pop back up
Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

OK, that's possible. 32 indicates an EGR system fault that could easily
and totally account for your car's poor running. Most likely a faulty EGR
valve, but could be another component in the system.

53 would indicate an internal fault in the engine control computer, which
is not very common but if it is real, it could also be causing or
contributing to your problem. Be sure to check the codes really carefully
and make certain you get the "grouping" right. You really have to watch
the length of the pauses between flashes, otherwise you can confuse a 24
for a 51 or a 33, etc.

What engine does this car have?

 

ok....so we replaced the O2 Sensor, and it seems to idle nicely (even
warmed) BUT...as soon as you depress gas pedal, once again, it starts to
putter and peter out. Did the on/off thing again, and THIS time we
got....12, 14, 55
Absolutely positively. SO???
Fuel Filter?
By the way...where will we find the EGR valve?
We are looking at a Chilton Caravan Town and Country book and according to
diagram...it's not there? Different car...different location?

Thank you sooooooo much, in case I haven't mentioned it before. (Too bad
fixin' cars was as easy as cookin')

 

funny you should mention SIEZING IN PLACE.
We went to a Pick n Pull wrecker to see if we could pull one off a recent
wreck. NOPE NOPE!
After an hour and many scratches and punctures, we gave up and bought a
new one.
Installed it no problem, and now it idles a bit better but only until you
depress gas pedal and then it sputters again! Oh well. Enough for
today....Tomorrow...New fuel filter. After that... CLIFF?

 

12 just means that the battery's been disconnected recently.

14 refers to the MAP sensor.

55 merely means the end of the stored codes.

Ken