We have a 1999 Dodge durango in our shop and have been trying to get it it stay running or start at all for a few weeks now. We have tried nearly eerything there is to try.Vehicle came in and would not start and the customer said it had been sitting a long time so he we diagnosied it and it ad insufficent fuel pressure so we replaced the fuel pump and vehcile still won't start but has great fuel pressure(manufactuers specs) and has fuel to the rails. It has good spark as well. We tried many times over and over. Even spraying carb cleaner into the intake will not get it to start or pop at all. No codes in te computer(least thats what i was told). Tried Holding WOT to start it. Unplugging sensors to start it(MAP, Coolant temp, IAC ect.) After trying it enough we got it to do alittle something. It would sputter and "cough" alittle and it was trying to start but was just bearly on the brink. Check all fuses all good. A few days into it we decided to check compression. Had a guy get in a turn it over while i had the gauge in the cyl. I at first told him ya know what see if it starts with that plug out. It CRANKED UP AND RAN with that plug out. So i told him "shut it off shut it off." I put the plug back in and it started and gave it a few good rev's. Black/gray/white smoke pouring all out the exhaust it had been sitting a while. Reved it a bunch and WOT it a few times. and then it idled. Just like a kitty. Turned it off to check a few more things and it would not start again. !!!!!! We tried some more trouble shooting and no good. So Just yesterday we started thinking and it really almost acted like it had "jump timing." Jumping teeth on the timing chain. Jumping in and outta time. Seemed very likely seeing as how all else failed. So i proceded to change the timing chain. Got it changed today and still won't run. Its got spark coming from the coil good. Distibutor cap and button good. Plugs ok. Tried taking the plug out and starting it and no good. Tried 2 plugs and no good. We are at a huge stand still and have started looking toward the sercurity system, computer. This truck does not have a crank positon sensor that i could see does anyone know it its on the block or elsewhere. Any help would be great thanks. (Sorry for text wall)

 

Before you mess something up taking everything apart searching in vain for an answer, it is actually very simple. You have a dead battery. Believe it or not.
Swap with a VERY KNOWN AND STRONG one and try again.

Long story as to WHY that is the answer.

Your welcome.

And yes it has a CPS. Don't you have a Haynes or other manual?

IndyD
p.s. use SPACES on forum posts. It is VERY difficult to read as written. You write in a forum just like you do on paper, paragraphs and all. That eliminates the sorries and the "text wall."

 

Uh the vehicle will crank over with a battery charger cranked on some pretty high amps on the battery and still won't run. Thats unlikely its the battery. No i don't have a haynes manual for it. Although i'll fine out tommarrow in the shop where it is cause we have "all-data." Personally i believe the prob might lie in the Crankshaft Postion sensor. I've seen quite a few neons have probs with there crank position sensors....

 

Okay then. If you have the answer you don't need us. Good luck with the nonexistent, oh wait there it is, CPS.

FWIW, very few CPS failures on a 1999. The 98/99s have their own set of idiosyncrasies and a failing CPS isn't typically one of them. But hey, everything breaks every once in a while. As is evident by the post above where you tested one thing after another. Was there a kitchen sink in the rear seats?

IndyD

 

First replace the battery!Try dropping the exhaust. a plugged exhaust will give you a no start problem as well as a CPS. What does the temp read on the scanner?

 

Thanks Master Tech. I tried to tell him that. A fresh bat isn't like an old bat still attached to a charger.

IndyD

 

+1 this is the best place to start,

 

first I can't believe you did a timing chain just on a maybe, it's not even difficult to verify chain slop prior to disassembly, hope your shop is eating that f-up & not passing the cost of poor diagnostics on to your customer.

despite what you think yes a bad battery will cause such issues as all the amps are being used by the starter leaving not enough to drive the other systems. battery charger is not going to be able to overcome a bad battery in this system. so check it.

The sensor you asked about is inside the dist, something neons don't have so that is apples to oranges.

Have you scanned it for codes, have you checked the data stream key on engine off?

I'm still going along with battery till it's properly eliminated. pulling a plug will reduce the cranking amps needed & getting past initial cold start likely let it start the second time but after a bit of a sit went back to fubar for round three.

other than that your post is light on specifics, how was the compression test, when you tore it down what was the condition of the timing chain? after the chain did you verify you didn't end up with the dist 180 out?

some little things like engine size might help as well.

anyway it sounds like you guys are playing at being pro's & all I can say is I hope your learning curve is not being paid for by a customer & if you are just throwing parts at it in some vain hope the next one will do it, you need to be honest & let the customer know it's beyond your skill level.

BTW all-data has a component locator chart, give that a whirl since you have it rather than ask owners.

If this post seems harsh it's due to me being sick of dealing with people after they've experienced situations like this at another shop. your a pro right? do your leg work verify your theory's & test components you think are bad before replacing them. you do have a scope right? you do know how to use it right? so test the crank sensor & see if it's bad before you look to replace it.

 

Excellent post Dislander.

 

very well said dislander +1