So before I go buying a new PCM or used..whatever......I was wondering if any of you guys might know of a reason other then the PCM which regulates the cars voltage---that may be causing the alternator to not charge the battery? I suppose I could bypass the thing, but thats not really too wise. The alternator is brand new and bench tested...it charges at 15.1 volts at 6K even!!!

Can anyone help me with this, Im new to this car and honestly the Haynes manual is NO help what so ever with its not so descriptive wiring diagrams..........ANYONE?!??!?!![sm=headbang.gif]

 

Let me do some research for you bro.

Hey Todd, have you checked the junk yards for possible TCMs? You can get them fairly priced if they are any around you.

 

Check your battery post connections, take them off and brush the terminals and posts. Check all you motor grounds. Another good thing to do is upgrade your grounds with aftermarket wiring like Stinger 4ga wires or even the some from WalMart. They are made by the same big companies, just sold and branded to smaller ones.
I've never had this issue with my 2.5 but I have seen it somewhere before, so I've just have to find it.

 

Cool, thanks John.....I searched and searched and searched and....LOL

Ive done just about all of that...heres the problem.....THIS PCM IS FROM THE JUNKYARD...The one that came with this car has bent pins---I got this car from my self appointed "CAR GUY" brother so Im trying to fix his mistakes
Im sure it may be the problem b/c it does regulate the voltage..I will call some junkyards...worse comes to worse I will order one on ebay...I will go back over the grounds, but the engine is pretty clean-- I just got done with the timing belt,tensioner, w/pump thermostat blah blah blah and while I had the whole motor apart entirely I cleaned every ground that I can find....I know how important they are (can make and break hp figures even)

I have to find a pinout for the ecu and a number sheet for the inside fuses....does this one look correct to you? http://www.stealth316.com/2-fuses.htm
I read somewhere that IF THE REVERSE LIGHT FUSE BLOWS THEN THE SRS LIGHT WILL GO ON IN THIS CAR....I guess Mitsubishi and Dodge kinda know there stuff..b/c that makes perfect sense to me.....not HAHAHA

Let me know if you come up with anything, Im going to go back out an mess with it for awhile..I have to align it and readjust the brake switch.

 

Dude, I pulled the pcm and THIS ONE HAS BENT POSTS TOO!!!! What kinda luck is that?!??! I pulled the one apart to get to the posts to see if I could solder it and its sealed inside like a jet ski ecu.......Im going to cut the plastic casing a little to see if I can cold weld it back into place--Its worth giving it a shot y'know?

The other ecu had pins touching each other so that one is probably shot......I checked the voltage from the alternator at idle and it was @ 10.47 volts..I tried to trace the ground for it but couldnt without removing the plenum a 20th time this week....not in the mood for it tonight so Im going to wait till the morning......... oh what fun LOL

 

I haven't seen the pins, but can you straighten them right where they are? I'm sure you thought and tried it but, just to make sure
Could it be the way the plug goes in? Maybe a bad plug causing the pins to bend?

 

Yeah, tried it to no avail.............they just snap...I straightened the one and will solder it in the morning. What luck is that huh? It looks like a case of someone not being patient when putting things back together...........so irritating!!! If that doesnt work then I will just get a replacement ecu. Im sure that is the problem now...I mean...if your ecu didnt have connections wouldnt stuff not be working right LOL. Does the alternator charge run straight into this cars pcm?!?!?!?! Thats the way it looks..I wish I could find a pin out for the ecu-- is there an online car fiche that you know of--I wonder if Im missing something with GOOGLE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

I can't find a pinout either. I've looked through my normal links and couldn't dig one up. If I can find my shop manual I'll look through that but that may take awhile to find, lol.
I don't think it to be too wise to try and bypass the PCM though since it regulates the alternator output.
That does suck that you have two PCMs with bent pins! Sorry bro, but at least you know what the problem is now

 

I wouldnt do that....bypassing it was just one of those shot in the dark deals that went through my head and I typed it up. What a pain in the butt HAHAHAHA. I get the timing belt and everything done and then I find why everything is haywire. I will call around to some salvage yards today and see what I can find...maybe a local one has a pcm that will work for me-- if not there is a place on ebay in ILL that has 4 so I will grab one of theres. I tried to call Exile yesterday to see if they had one laying around but they were already gone for the day. Im wondering if while Im at it I may be smart to preemptive strike replacing the crank angle sensor...through my travels on the net to find answers for this thing I have learned about many peoples plites with their avengers LOL

If I gives me problems then I will throw a chevy 350 in it and make it a driftmobile from hell LOL Ill have to post some pictures of its current state so you can see what kind of mess I have Talk to you later man...Thank You Very Much for the help!!!!!!

 

So here is a good one...I have two pcms.....both with broken pins...I took the original that only had 1 pin broken (original from the car) and cut the casing, melted some plastic around the pin to get to it better and soldered a new pin back on..........NO MORE CHARGING PROBLEM!!!!!!!

Now just the SRS light is on, Ill have to figure that one out tomorrow night...but for the time being its driving and I have a 97 avenger es that works so Im extremely happy!!! Now for the "little" stuff haha.....and paint next weekend hopefully and itll be good