97 Intrepid wont start

I have a problem, after driving into my driveway and shutting off the car, the next morning it just cranked and wouldn't start. I can hear the fuel pump running when I turn on the key but the engine just wont fire. Any Help would be Great.
Thanks: Roger

does your check engine light come on? If there are any codes stored, try this, turn you ignition key on/off 3xs ending in the "on" position. Count the number of times the check engine light flashes. For example, if it flashes twice then pauses and flashes another 4xs that's a code 24.

The Only Code that comes up is 55, End of codes, I have looked a little further into it and It seems I have no spark, Any Idea what could just instantly fail like that? I have checked every wiring connection and fuse that could be Related to Ignition or fuel. but by pulling a spark plug and cranking the engine I forund no spark.


Still Looking:Roger

I'm surprised you have no codes. It sounds like your crankshaft position sensor has pooped out. It's mounted on the passenger side bellhousing w/ a 3-wire connector. If that's ok, you could have a bad coil pack, driver or a bad connection at your ignition coil pack.

is there any chance that the crank sensor can be tested, or do I just Replace it and try that ?

Well, After a new Crank Position sensor and a coil pack It still does not start :mad: I'm begining to wonder what else could possibly be going on. Any more help would be great

After a new coil pack and Crank sensor also a Cam sensor I still have not been able to get htis thing to start, I replaced the timing belt and water pump while I was in there. I wish I knew what was going on.

have you confirmed that you have no spark?

Did you replace the wiring harnesses on the cam and crank sensors? That tends to be where the problem originates in the first place.

Yes I have confirmed that I have mo spark, and I havr run out of Ideas on this car.

I have the same problem with my 2002 Intrepid. But after a few attempts it starts fine and then the whole day it starts OK until the next day or so when I try to start it wont start. I am interested in the code and what it does to the starting? I did not count the number of times I turned the key to on/off before it finally starts but will keep a count the next time to see if it follows a pattern. Is there any way to null this code if it turns out to be the problem here? Thanks! Cash R.

Yes I have confirmed that I have mo spark, and I havr run out of Ideas on this car.
Check your wires going to your coil pack, make sure you don't have any spread terminals or corrosion or any other crap that causing it to not make contact. Also, if you can find a wiring diagram for your car, see if you can find any wires that may be shorting itself out along the body. Lastly, have your cam sensor checked. Which motor do you have, the 3.3 or 3.5?

I have wiggled and jiggled all the harnesses and checked for Loose connections till I'm blue in the face, The engine is a 3.5 and it is still not showing any codes at all even with an OBDII reader hooked up. This thing is driving me crazy.

I've got the same problem, been eating at me for 6 months. Previous owner said it wouldn't start one day. Gave it to me. I've changed cam and crank sensor, coil packs and computers,all to no avail. I'm wondering if there is a possibility that the ignition switch could be the culprit. Haven't located a full wiring diagram to check if it's possible for the switch to operate the starter and not the coil packs. Both my sensors give the correct readings as the engine is rotating and the coil has power to it momentarily when the key is turned on, but the pulse to fire it never comes. One time it sparked, and I let it sit overnight to dry out the cylinders and the next morning it was gone again.

have you all tried to check your ASD relay? Check under the underhood fuse box and locate that. Swap it out with the A/C clutch relay and see what goes; possibly you could have a bad ASD relay.

I think I switched those before, but I'll check it again. I thought that ASD would cut the fuel supply too and not just the spark. Anything new on your end duelly_95?

Flipped the relays, no dice. The relay clicks, it's got power to it and it's triggered. I've scoured the engine bay and under the dash searching for bad wires or grounds but have come up with nothing. I'm going to the Yard tomorrow to get a new ignition switch to rule that out. After that, I'm stumped.

I'm also wondering if any one knows how I can get my hands on a wiring diagram for the starting system withough unloading my checkbook.

visit your local auto part store, they have Haynes manuals and in the back, they have wiring diagrams for the starting, charging, ignition, etc. systems.

I have a Haynes, they don't say what fires the coil pack drivers. I've got power from the ASD, but no pulses to each driver. My crank and cam sensor send the correct voltage/dropoff as they're supposed to to the computer and I can't figure out what else could be missing to make the computer think the engine's not rotating. I do have fuel pressure/injecting and there are no shorts from the computer to the coil packs.

The PCM has the coil driver that fires the plugs. If you've check for voltage (12V) coming from the PCM to the coil pack, the PCM is OK. If not, you have a bad PCM.

It's been awhile since I was testing those wires, but I'm pretty sure I had twelve volts at the coil pack from the orange wire, and the other three (red, black, white, I think) had nothing. The one time I got temporary spark I was getting flashes from the other three wires, since then nothing. I did switch the coil onto another car and it ran and I did buy another pcm from a guy who claimed the car it came out of ran, but I had the same problem with that unit. I'll check again soon though. thanks for all your input, it helps to have someone else's input.

test the resistance of the spark plug wire, make sure it's no more than 1 kilo ohm of resistance for every foot of wire. Check resistance as well to the primary side of the ignition coil, make sure it's within specs, if it's more than 100 ohms, it's bad. Also, I don't remember if you said it or not, but have you checked the condition of your spark plugs?

Faulty MOSFET transistors in PCM

Does that mean the pcm is junk or can it be repaired by dodge? I've got another computer that gives me the same problems. Supposedly out of a running car, but it didn't fix my issues.

Does that mean the pcm is junk or can it be repaired by dodge? I've got another computer that gives me the same problems. Supposedly out of a running car, but it didn't fix my issues.
If you tried another one than it probably is OK.
The ASD circuit also plays a major role with spark & fuel.
Do you have another coil pack to try?
It would only take me a few minutes to isolate the issue of the car was in front of me as I have done many of these tests before & have some parts on hand.
I have all of the factory manuals for the first gen LH , minivans, Sebrings, etc. I do not know how good you are at troubleshooting electrical but I can advise you on what tests you can do to isolate the issue. I am not sure if this year has a cam sensor in addition to the crank sensor as I don't have the book in front of me.

If either sensor is gone you will not get injector pulse or spark.
Test one injector with a test light to see if it is pulsing.
If not then it is a cam or crank sensor issue.
The cam sensor tells the PCM to fire the injector on intake stroke & fire spark at end of compression stroke. If it never gets the signal to fire the injector it will not spark as it is waiting for the "OK" Older 4.0 Jeep Cherokees will lose spark if either the HEP in the distributor or crank sensor is not working.

I have switched coil packs, and mine functions on another car. I have also switched with another car and later replaced both cam and crank sensors. I can't find any problems in the wiring from either sensor to the pcm. I haven't checked the injectors to see if they're pulsing, but I do have fuel in the cylinders. I will check one tonight. I've pretty much pulled all the hair out of my head at this point.

lol have you just tried putting your foot on the gas when you try to start it? it could be flooded for the the testing you been doing

I tested the injectors and they're pulsing. Plugs and wires are new and the coil energizes when the key is first turned on and the green and orange wire has power when the key is on, there is just no pulsing in the other 3 wires to the coil pack. Sorry it took so long to reply.

Hello everyone, I new to the Discussion board.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this thread! I'm having the exact same problem with a 97 Intrepid.
Makes me feel a little better though, I like to think that I'm a halfway decent mechanic, and this thing is driving me CRAZY!!

I'm working on mine right now, so I'll let you know if I get mine figured out.
I hope who ever figures this out first posts right away!

Thanks!!

Smitty

have you all tried to check your ASD relay? Check under the underhood fuse box and locate that. Swap it out with the A/C clutch relay and see what goes; possibly you could have a bad ASD relay.

I was away for a while and when I got back the battery on my Dodge Intrepid was dead. I ended up replacing it since my car has about 60K and I thought that this would be a good time. At the same time I opened the underhood fuse box and pulled out the ASD relay fuse and put it back on. After this when I tried to start the car it started at the very first attempt and since then I have no problems starting the car. It has been almost 3 weeks now without any problems. Looks like the ASD relay suggestion may have done the trick. Thank you. Cash R.

have you all tried to check your ASD relay? Check under the underhood fuse box and locate that. Swap it out with the A/C clutch relay and see what goes; possibly you could have a bad ASD relay.

May be I spoke too soon when I said that the battery was replaced and the ASD relay was pulled out and put back in. For the first time after nearly a month I had the same starting problem yesterday. I could hear the cranking but the engine would not start. Not sure where to go from here. Any advise. Thanks! Cash R.

I'm still stuck with my '97, but I haven't had time to work on it lately either. Are your problems intermitten or hasn't it started since the problem reoccurred? If your car starts sometimes and not others I'd head for the wiring between the cam and crank sensor and the pcm. If it just won't start, you're in the same boat as me. I'm going to check the timing belt next and then go back to checking wires and sensors, at the pcm.

Figured out my problem, it appears that the timing belt wore itself out. I'm guessing the tensioner loosened up. I was getting a voltage change at the cam sensor, but the belt was skipping all over, hence my no spark situation. If I can get a 3-jaw puller that's not a piece of sh*t, it'll hopefully be running tomorrow. That is if it's not an interference motor, then it's going to the junkyard. Thanks for everyone's input.