I don't have spark to any plugs

Tiny
MIAHWICKER
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  • 2001 CHRYSLER 300
Hi there, I found your email online as I was reading your Chrysler comments. I'm currently working on a 2001 Chrysler 300m and I don't have spark at any of the plugs. I did the light test (take a test light, one end on the negative lead on battery, and probe the green wire going up to the ignition coil) and it lights up the split second the key is switched to the on position, but turns off right after that. What could be causing this? All fuses/relays have been checked. New crankshaft sensor is in. Could it be the camshaft sensor or throttle position sensor? Thanks for any help you can give.
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Thursday, December 1st, 2011 AT 12:46 AM

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Tiny
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The ASD relay is working properly by turning off after one second. That's to prevent a fire hazard in the event of a crash that ruptures a fuel line. Try grounding terminal "C" of the relay, or jump 12 volts right to the ignition coil, dark green / light green wire. If the engine starts and runs, suspect the camshaft position sensor.
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Thursday, December 1st, 2011 AT 12:57 AM
Tiny
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Is the asd relay found in the fuse panel under the hood? And do you think that it could still be a faulty crankshaft position sensor? Thanks for your help! Very much appreciated!
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 12:36 AM
Tiny
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Yup, ASD relay is in the "Power Distribution Box", (fuse box), under the hood. I was not aware what I told you to try would work until just last week. Someone else was working on a '01 Intrepid and figured out that engine would run on just one sensor if he bypassed the ASD relay, but the Engine Computer wouldn't turn that relay on itself unless it received signals from both sensors.

I DO know that on older cars, both signals were needed for the ASD relay to be turned on and on newer models the engine will still start and run on just one good sensor, but I don't which year that switch occurred or if it pertained to every model in the same year. I was quite impressed with that persons diagnostic skills and wrote myself some notes so I can remember what he found. I'm including a drawing I made of his fuse box. It's actually taken from an '02 service manual but both the Intrepid and your 300M are in the same book so I think it should be the same as on your car.

You can use a piece of wire to jump 12 volts from the battery positive terminal to the dark green / light green wire at any ignition coil or injector, or you can use that wire to ground terminal "C" of the ASD relay, (with the relay still installed). That will make it click on. As a third alternative you can use a stretched out paper clip or wire to jump terminals "B" and "D" in the relay socket with the relay removed. After doing any of those, see if the engine will start and run. If it does, the last person found the new camshaft position sensor solved the problem.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 2:21 AM
Tiny
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So if we jump 12 volts straight to the green wire on 1 coil pack, how is the engine suppose to run on that 1 cylinder? Or should we run wires to all cylinders?
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 4:09 PM
Tiny
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All of the coils, all of the injectors, the alternator field, and all of the oxygen sensor heaters are tied together. You put voltage to one; you're putting voltage to all of them. That's what the ASD relay normally does when it turns on.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 6:22 PM
Tiny
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We grounded the asd like you said and still no spark. We ended up installing a new crankshaft and camshaft sensor. Still no spark. I'm stumped.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 6:53 PM
Tiny
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Ground terminal "C" again, then measure the voltage on the dark green / light green wire at any coil or injector. Let me know what you find.

Measure the voltages on the wires going to the camshaft position sensor. You should find 5.0 volts on the violet / white wire and about 0.2 volts on the black / light blue wire.
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Friday, December 2nd, 2011 AT 9:09 PM
Tiny
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I want to thank you so much for your help. What we found out to be the problem was a faulty in line connector in the wire to the crankshaft sensor. The wire was previously cut and someone put a crimp connector in place and was no longer attached, thus the pcm wasn't getting a reading from the sensor! If I click the "donate" button, will the money go straight to you? It's nearly impossible to find good help these days, and you have answered my questions very quickly and you obviously have a great deal of knowledge on chryslers!
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 4:24 AM
Tiny
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So you think I'm a genius, huh? Well you just go right ahead. I have lots of people fooled.

In reality, I left the dealership in '99 where I was their suspension and alignment specialist. I taught later and electrical, alignment, engine repair, and brakes were my areas of expertise. I covered all of the sensors in my Electrical class, and we had a lot of Chrysler products donated by Chrysler when their corporate instructors were done with them. It was just luck that your problem fell in line with what I know. I might have to make something up for your next problem.

Being currently unemployed, donations are always appreciated but that's not why we sit on the 'puter all day and answer questions. I like it that the site owners set it up so donations are not required. As I understand it, donations go to the person who answered the question and other income is derived from visiting advertisers on the site. It's not easy for us to figure out who donated and who didn't, so there's no favoritism when it comes to providing answers. Your "thank you" is plenty to keep me going another day. The only downside to not knowing is the courteous thing would be to say "thank you" for your donation, but we don't know who donated or how much. So while donations are appreciated, don't get carried away. Just keep us in mind when you need another question answered. I'll keep my dart board-o-answers warmed up.
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 7:35 AM
Tiny
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Forgot to add, ... The best fix in wet areas is to splice and solder the broken wires after cutting them back far enough to get to shiny copper, then seal the joint with a piece of heat-shrink tubing. You don't have to buy a whole kit or big roll of the stuff. Talk with any mechanic at the dealership and they'll likely have extra pieces in their tool box that they can give you. There is some stuff out there that has hot-melt glue inside to seal the connection from moisture. You can buy that by the single piece at the dealer's parts department but it's expensive that way, about a buck for two inches, as I recall. All mechanics have extra chunks stashed away for when they need a piece quickly.

Electrical tape is not a good idea. It will unravel into a gooey mess on a hot day, and it will not seal out moisture. The connection will corrode and break again, and it will always happen far from home on a dark rainy night, or it will happen to the next owner who will be left scratching his head.

Heat-shrink tubing is slid over the bare wires and some of the insulation, then it is warmed with a match, lighter, or hot air gun. Heat it just enough until it shrinks tightly around the wire. Too much heat will cause it to split and fall off. If you have the kind with glue inside, it has shrunk enough when the glue oozes out each end.

Happy to hear you found the problem and can go buzzing off into the sunset!
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 7:47 AM

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