97 sebring stalling and misfiring

[97jxi]

I have a 97 chrysler sebring jxi convertible. It's stalling and backfires. I put a bottle of heat in thinking I got bad gas it worked for about a week fine then it started all over agian. But now also the oil light comes on when ever I stop. I checked the oil and it's to the max. Every time it stalles it starts right back up agian and runnes fine after that. But when I go to start it agian I go through the same thing all over agian. I took it in for a diagnostic check and they said it was the map sensor they changed it and it still does the same thing. Now they say its the Engine Control Module. But it only has 90,000 miles on it so I don't think this is the problem. Need help bad.

[SebringYves]

I don't think that the ECM is faulty. A faulty ECM is very very uncommon. Backfiring problem is normally a timing problem. Did you make something on your distribution cap?-> The rotary finger inside the distribution cap can be armed in a wron position. The pin has a triangle form an can be set in 3 diffrent positions. But just one position is the correct one. If the finger is in the wrong position it will backfire). Does the engine startup without problems after stalling? First of all check your spark plug cables!!! then the sparks. Are they clean? I had once a problem with stalling. First the engine stalled just for a second (you feel like a hick when driving) but after some weeks it was more difficult to start up the engine after stalling. I checked the spark - take of a spark plug, put a metal screw driver in it and hold it near to the engine. then try to start - do you have a spark flash jumping from the cable to the engine? Mine did not have it and I had to change the whole distributer for aprox. 500$
But first check or better change the cables.
Is the timing belt properly installed?

[97jxi]

After it stalles it starts right back up agian and runs fine like theres nothing wrong with it but when it does start to stall I pump the gas because its usually at a intersection and I'm just trying to get across traffic thats when it starts to backfire because I'm forcing it to go. If it was the timing and distributer cap why would the map sensor come up on a diagnostic check. Last night we put in a new UCM and even the crank sensor. But still nothing and the best part is now the car won't even start. We checked the spark plugs before any thing else and they appeared to be fine. So because the diagontic check said Map Sensor we just assume that was the problem. But I guess its not could it be a wiring issue. Its been running like this for about 3 weeks.

[SebringYves]

Is your Check engine light coming up? Please have the codes read (Autozone for free). Pleas post the trouble codes and I can hepl maybe a little bit more.

[97jxi]

The service engine soon light was on. I actually first took it to AutoZone first they said the O2 sensor was out. Then I took it in for a diagnostic check in a shop they said the map sensor was reading 30.5 inches of mercury. When it should read 27-28. Then when you drove it the reading would jump up and down even more.

[SebringYves]

Please, I need the exactly code. Do you remember it? Was it P0108 - MAP sensor voltage to high?
Here the theory of the MAP sensor:
This sensor measures manifold absolute pressure and ambient barometic pressure within the manifold. It provides a 0 to 5-volt signal to PCM. The MAP sensor puts out a low voltage signal (0.5 to 1.8 volts) at idle when the manifold vacuum is high, and a higher voltage signal (3.9 to 4.8 volts) at deep throttle when the manifold vacuum is low. The MAP receives a 5-volt supply from PCM. Voltage may vary from 4.8 to 5.1 volts.
The sensor ground is provided by PCM.

Conditions for set P0108: The Map sensor signal voltage is greater than 4.88 volts at start or with engine running for 2.2 seconds.

The possible cause for P0108:
> Signal circuit open
> Sensor open internally
> sensor ground circuit
> Sensor signal cicuit shortet to voltage
> Failed PCM

Using a voltmeter measur the voltage of the MAP sensor signal circuit at the MAP harness cicuit connector. The voltage should be above 5.5 Volts. If tis is like this repai MAP sensor signal for a short to voltage. Im sure there is a short somewhere.

If you look thrue the sensor connector you will see 3 pins.°o° something like this: °o° The upper right pin is A, the upper left pin is B and the lower middle pin is pin C.
A: Ground / color BK/LB
B: 5 Volt supply / color VT/WT
C. MAP sensor signal / color DG/RD

But I don't even know if the trouble code P0108 is present on your car or not?????

Please check this out.

[97jxi]

The code that came up was PO171 Rear Bank Fuel System Lean. The O2 sensors is good both infront and inback of the catalylic converter theres no leak in the Manifold either. Also when the new ECM was put in the car ran even worse so we put the old one back and it now its back to normal (just stalling and misfiring/backfiring).

[SebringYves]

I can send you the procedure in .pdf for any trouble code. Its a 8MB file. P0171 can be caused by:
Ignition coil,
PCM.
Engine Parts Tolerance,
Exhaust Pipe Manifold,
Fuel pump,
Fuel pump inlet filter,
Ignition secondary wires,
Low fuel level,
Injector stuck closed,
MAP sensor,
O2 sensor upstream,
Fuel pressure regulator,
Fuel pump relay,
spark plugs,
wiring/harness connectors

U can use the diagnostic manual to determine the reason of your problem. Do u have an email adress where I can send u the 4MB (with winzip) file???

[nbr1nthuzyst]

My dad owns a 97' sebring jxi *convertable* and the other day we had the first major problem

[kmorse]

Hey 97jxi I have 98 convertible doing same puffs black smoke and misfires. Did you ever resolve your problem

[97jxi]

Yes it ended up being the fuel pump. But it never was puffing black smoke just stalling and misfiring.