Hey all! I am having some issues with my 97 avenger 4cyc automatic, just rolled 100k. My shedevil has been touchy.

<last december> the car didn't start. Couldnt figure out what was wrong with it. Kept playing around got it to start then I get code 24 doing key dance. Thats TPS volage too high/too low. So I changed the TPS. And the car ran fine from now till then.

<few days ago> car wouldn't start easy, finally got it going it ping'd ding'd. Smoothed itself out but tossed code 24. I restarted/drove her and code was gone.

<today> Been having issues with lack of power while driving. Sometimes it drives perfect and 3-4g will get me up to speed on the highway and I can maintain 60 at 2g. Its been intermittant doesnt matter if I am doing 60 or 30, feels like suddenly OD is off or worse not shifting to 3rd. 4-5g is only getting me up to 40 or 50mph. The exhaust sounds waaay off key. I finally tossed a cel code when it was having its issue. Number 24 again!!

I haven't had a chance when its doing this to put it in park and rev's high.

anybody got any suggestions??

I hope its not the torque converter. I've heard of Map sensors doing this. And whats up with that TPS Code? Keydance gives me 1-2-2-4-5-5. 24 right!

All the maint is cought up in the car, except for the fuel filter.

I really don't want to go to dodge and have them do a diagnostic test my system but I guess thats an option.

and THANKS!

 

Have you had the throttle body area cleaned Cass? Maybe use some Seafoam or MCCC to clean out the injectors, intake tract, chambers, etc. Change out the relays on the firewall also, because if they are going bad, they can cause your intermitten symptoms too...then again, there's just too many sensors IMO, lol.

 

Yep I cleaned taht out and sprayed a bunch of the electrial stuff with cleaner too.

I am going to add the other half of my lucas fuel injector stuff. I keep hearing about seafoam is it better than lucas??

i think of of the relays are for the trasmission, maybe? I replaced 2 of 3 not too long ago.


Tomorrow or saturday I am putting in a new fuel filter since thats old. I'll drive it not to far and see if it still does that. I think im going to pull a spark plug out too just to see what they look like.

 

The ASD and/or Fuel relays may be going bad on you and if the relay arms bounce around, on and off the contact, it can cause issues. They're a cheap fix if they are the culprit(s). Maybe check to make sure that they have a solid connection.

Seafoam/MCCC is stronger and more effective than Lucas fuel injector cleaner. A good way to do it is have the cleaner sucked in through the intake and that will clean out the intake tract, add some in the fuel tank for the filter, fuel tract, and injectors. You do have to change the oil soon after though because of all the junk that it will have removed. It's that much stronger than Lucas.

 

Still having issues... blah. I hate not knowing whats going on with my car.

I replaced all the relays over again and it still does it. It seems the car has to "warm up" before it starts loosing power. (i think all but one time was after about a 10 mile drive).

I was able to pull over to the side of the road when it was having its fit, put it into park and it seemed hollow and unresponsive ... rpms were high. Then it got out of the funk.

as you said silver with the seafoam and having to do an oil change after it cos its so good but I just put in mobile one, and really dont want to pay all that money to do it again

I changed tranny fluid already with royal purple and lucas tranny stuff. Some one told me its going to blow up if I don't dump it all, but I thought the only time you had to use mopar fluid was if you had the manual?? Mine's auto?

any ideas? no more CEL code and still no noises!

 

For automatic trannys, I would recommend Mopar ATF+3. For manuals that are driven hard, I would use something comparable..I use Redline 75W90 + Redline Shockproof heavy duty.
Though Royal Purple is some good stuff, I would still use the Mopar fluid over any other name brand or high quality transmission oil...only because you won't have issues with the stock stuff. So, IMO, have the tranny completely flushed and refilled with the Mopar stuff. I know...you just put Royal Purple in , but I haven't seen statements or facts that the fluid is within tolerance to Mopar ATF+3. That doesn't mean that it isn't, just that there's nothing out there about any other tranny fluid (for the A604) that doesn't cause issues for our trannys.

Let me ponder on the power loss a bit more. Your issue does make me think that the throttle pulley is getting stuck, the loss of power and high idle...but goes away...sounds like a electrical to me and nothing mechanical.
What type of intake do you have? Short RAM air, CAI, or stock?

List, one more time, the things that you have replaced/fixed if you would Cass and I'll dig around some to see what else it may be. Just keep in mind that some issues aren't always caused by one thing, some, if not most, are caused by two or more things in combination, kind of a domino effect.

 

thanks for all your help!!

Wish I would have known that before I spent all that money on RP!!

97 dodge avenger, 2.0 automatic base

So here's the list. I did everything on this list just about by myself....
~ Intake is just the stock pipe with an pep boys air cone air filter on the end of it. "custom"
~ New Pcv valve, plugs, wires, ignition coil
~ Got a new exhaust from the downpipe back, lots of air comes out of the muffler. Smoke is clear or a little white, but not for long. (welded on)
~ TPS replaced in december, was getting CEL code for it back then, car wouldn't start with old one?
~ did timing belts/water pump already. (mechanics did that)
~ new wheel bearing, calipers brakes ect (GSX upgrade) it was making noises!
~ changed tranny fluid hydroic flush 35k ago @ a shop, this time I took the pan out and put in a new gasket and added RP/lucas new filter.
~ always on top of oil changes, use mobil one synthetic.
~ new battery, new terminals. I had some junky ones.
~ changed all 3 of 3 relays out on the fire wall.
~ new fuel filter.
~ redid valve cover gasket.
~ cleaned TB, sprayed my TPS with some electrial cleaner. added more dielectric grease. Also got a new gasket for the TB last year.

thats about all I can think of!!

Signs/symptoms of the car now
~ under load car revv's high, sounds less powerful than normal. almost hollow.. Struggles to keep up speed. Does this in Park. 5 grand might help me maintain 40mph.
~ has a fit after 10 miles of driving or so
~ no noises. doesn't die.
~ doesnt seem to hesitate from stop/start
~ acts up anywhere from 35-65mph (i may already be up to speed)
~ If it acts up durning that trip to wherever, when I go to shut it off the engine stays running a few seconds longer and sounds a little off. little sputtery?? LOL love explaing this!
~ haven't fully filled my gas tank, use regular from different stations.

hope thats good!!

Sucks not getting any CEL codes. Dodge dealership guys rubbed me the wrong way totally. Local shop wants me to get a new tranny of course! Maybe 4 times a year I beat on it from a dead stop, never do stupid stuff on a cold engine. Always stop the car compeletly before changing from Park to Drive or Reverse.

oh well thanks again, I miss my girl so much. there is a NOPI here in ohio I don't know if I can drive her too. []

 

I am sorta leaning towards map sensor... maybe its acting up and tossing the tps off??

 

OK so went to a junk yard and got a MAP sensor, since they rarely go out. Running out of money on this one... put it in and went for a drive. Still not fixed.

http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...t=MOV01517.flv
thats "before" all the problems. Its been 2 months since i've driven my car, I think thats normal but I don't know anymore.

http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...t=MOV01520.flv junky video.. but best I could do .. it started acting up and I turned down a residental street not knowing there was a ton of kids and bends.. sucks! but you can see I am gasing it and its not going above 20.

I think I am going to get a new tps from the yard. Mine came from autozone, maybe cos its not mopar it didnt make it more than 6 months. Going to pull all the plugs and see whats up. Coil pack looks good and so did one spark plug.

Hope I don't have to but dang, is it the tranny?? if so I'm doing the swap to a manual.

 

Give the tech editor from Mopar Action magazine an email. He nailed my problem on my Venger right away. He told me TPS. So instead of changing the sensor I changed the entire thottle body. It was easier than changing the sensor.