car wont start...freaking cold
Thread Starter
|
Rookie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
car wont start...freaking cold
Its about 0 out today and the wifes car wont start. She said it fired right up yesterday. It cranks but wont start, i took out the spark pkugs and they had gas on them. I tried cleaning the plugs off with contact cleaner that didnt help. I also tried taking the fuel pump relay out and running it also didnt work. No codes. Any ideas.
Amateur
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
How did the spark seem? Was it strong or weak, was the spark timing predictable or was it erratic and/or skipping?
A bad crank position sensor will display symptoms of crank but no start condition, no ignition spark on any sparkplugs or erratic and random sparking.
It's a $20-30 part, but don't replace it if you getting an ordered spark that is predictable (a timing gun is very useful in determining that.) The firing order is 1-3-4-2, cylinders are ordered in number from passenger to driver as 1-2-3-4, the plug wire should be wired in the same order and not to the firing order.
You can replace the crank position sensor which is located:
If you have a 2000-2002 it will be located (passenger side) under the car directly above the oil filter housing by the alternator.
If you have a 2003-2005, Dodge relocated it for easier access to the rear of the engine just under the starter.
Also low fuel pressure will cause a crank but no start as well, you can disconnect the fuel line to the fuel injector rail and get an empty gas can or large bucket. Have someone turn the key to the run position and try to put your finger or thumb over the endlet of the fuel line and see if you can restrict or fully block the line, if you can, then your fuel pump is weak or bad or the fuel regulator is bad, if no fuel comes out then you have a bad fuel-pump-relay, blown fuse, or bad fuel pump, bad fuel regulator. Also replace fuel filter before doing any major replacement.
EDIT:
Also check airfilter, make sure it didn't get wet or dirty, a plugged air filter can cause poor air mixture resulting in crank/no start.
A bad crank position sensor will display symptoms of crank but no start condition, no ignition spark on any sparkplugs or erratic and random sparking.
It's a $20-30 part, but don't replace it if you getting an ordered spark that is predictable (a timing gun is very useful in determining that.) The firing order is 1-3-4-2, cylinders are ordered in number from passenger to driver as 1-2-3-4, the plug wire should be wired in the same order and not to the firing order.
You can replace the crank position sensor which is located:
If you have a 2000-2002 it will be located (passenger side) under the car directly above the oil filter housing by the alternator.
If you have a 2003-2005, Dodge relocated it for easier access to the rear of the engine just under the starter.
Also low fuel pressure will cause a crank but no start as well, you can disconnect the fuel line to the fuel injector rail and get an empty gas can or large bucket. Have someone turn the key to the run position and try to put your finger or thumb over the endlet of the fuel line and see if you can restrict or fully block the line, if you can, then your fuel pump is weak or bad or the fuel regulator is bad, if no fuel comes out then you have a bad fuel-pump-relay, blown fuse, or bad fuel pump, bad fuel regulator. Also replace fuel filter before doing any major replacement.
EDIT:
Also check airfilter, make sure it didn't get wet or dirty, a plugged air filter can cause poor air mixture resulting in crank/no start.
Last edited by Mad Professor; Jan 11, 2014 at 02:03 PM.