1994 Chrysler Acclaim Turning over but won't start

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by LadyAyukawa, Jan 3, 2004.

  1. LadyAyukawa

    LadyAyukawa Guest

    We have a 1994 Chrysler Acclaim that was inheritated from my deceased mother in law and we haven't had any problems with it since we got it in June except for minor things. Problem is, me and my husband have had older cars (1990 and older) and he always could fix our 72 Dodge Dart but we have no idea whats wrong with this one cause it's newer..

    I hope i describe this right!
    When you turn the key, it turns over and acts like it's going to crank but it just never makes it. He put tweezers to the spark plug wire and touched it to the engine wire (i think those are the names) and it sparked. He also tried pouring gas into ??? (whatever you can pour it into) In case it wasn't getting gas.. no luck. It's done this once before about a month ago, but after a minute or so it finally started. We've tried 5 times so far to get it started and it just does the same thing. I really could use some help here, this is bad timing worse than anything.

    My husbands been out of work for a year and barely been making ends meet thanks to my dad and he's run out of money to help us with and my husband finally got his first interview in over a year set up for monday. Now he has no way to get there.

    We have a 1972 Dodge Dart but the seatbelts don't work, it has no tag, and no battery so we can't use that. it's just been sitting in the driveway.

    Please! anyone know what this could be? I'm open to all suggestions thank you!!!

    Samantha
     
    LadyAyukawa, Jan 3, 2004
    #1
  2. I sort of doubt it. The Acclaim is a Plymouth model.
    You'll find that the Acclaim is in most cases just as easy to repair as
    the Dart, except that the procedures are different. This is especially
    true if your Acclaim has a 4-cylinder engine.
    "turn over" is the same as "crank". It sounds as though it's cranking but
    won't fire and run.
    The first thing your husband needs to do is stop pretending he's working
    on a 1972 Dart. Newer cars like your 1994 can be damaged by "olde tyme"
    diagnostic techniques like this.

    The Acclaim is equipped with self-diagnostics.

    To check the computer codes:

    With the engine off, switch the ignition key on-off-on-off-on,
    leaving it "ON". Do not
    go to "start", just "on" during this procedure.

    Watch the "Check Engine" or "Power Loss" light. It will turn on, then go
    off, then will begin to flash-out any trouble codes that have been stored.
    For instance, if it flashes:

    flash <pause> flash flash
    <long pause>
    flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash
    <long pause>
    flash flash flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash

    Then you have a 12 (one flash followed by two) a 35 (three and five) and a
    55 (five and five). 55 means "end of codes" or, if by itself, "No codes
    stored. Check the codes and report what you find.


    DS
     
    Daniel J. Stern, Jan 4, 2004
    #2
  3. I can't add anything else on a technical level than Daniel has, but a few
    suggestions in general

    (Without posting your exact address......) if you write approx where you
    are, then *maybe* some kind person in your area can help out

    EG if you are on Chicago's outer western edge suburbs, or in rural Idaho 30
    miles north of the Florida State line, then say so (OK my US geography
    knowledge isn't THAT bad, I KNOW that Florida and Idaho don't actually share
    a common border ! )

    If someone from this newsgroup lives or works nearby, they can strike up a
    rapport with you by email, then if they sound more like a home-mechanic than
    an axe-murderer, you can give them a phone number to contact you on to
    arrange a face-to-face meeting

    from......an old CB-er, who's tee-d up a few eye-balls in 'er day (ie
    meeting in a safe public place initially)

    cheers

    Catherine
    Outback Western Australia
     
    Catherine Jemma, Jan 4, 2004
    #3
  4. Well, you could pick up a used Haynes manual cheap such as the following:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3577760273&category=268

    which contains some rudimentary diagnostic procedures in it, and is
    certainly better than
    nothing. (which you obviously have right now - nothing, that is)

    But a better solution would be to go here:

    http://www.alldata.com/products/diy/index.html

    pay the $25 and get some real diagnostic procedures.

    Ted
     
    Ted Mittelstaedt, Jan 4, 2004
    #4
  5. LadyAyukawa

    Bill 2 Guest

    That has a high probability of making the problem worse. Buy a used factory
    service manual.
     
    Bill 2, Jan 5, 2004
    #5
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