No Spark

Tiny
RUDYSALAZAR
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 180,000 MILES
Changed the ignition coil, camshaft sensor and crank shaft sensor and still no spark? A year ago same thing, but when we put in a new ignition coil there was still no spark and we installed back the old coil and it started?--We scrached our heads and let it go--now its no spark again after over a year.
Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 12:44 AM

57 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
At coil is there 12v+ on Dark green/orange at the coil, I would check the ASD relay which are common to go out. Here is a guide and the relay location below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 10:46 AM
Tiny
RUDYSALAZAR
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Dark green/orange wire has power momentarily when key is turned on. I put my meter on max read and I got voltages from 8.5 to 11.4 volts. Again--only when key is on at first--no voltage just sitting there.
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 3:30 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Hi guys. Excuse me for jumping in here. The voltage is supposed to come back during engine rotation, cranking or running. That one second you saw the 12 volts is to run the fuel pump to be sure pressure is up for starting. When the voltage doesn't reappear during cranking, suspect the crankshaft position sensor or camshaft position sensor.

I'll go back to the sidelines now and wait to find out what the fix is. Carry on.

Caradiodoc
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 9:33 PM
Tiny
RUDYSALAZAR
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
While cranking it seems no voltage--just the key on voltage.

Can I test the sensors? To make sure they are good? I put new ones in from autozone and still no spark.
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 10:00 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,912 POSTS
I never replaced a cam sensor but the crankshaft position sensor's air gap is critical. New Chrysler sensors used to come with a paper spacer stuck to the end. It set the gap and just slid off the first time the engine was cranked. Some aftermarket sensors have a plastic rib molded onto the end that wears off very quickly. That rib sets the gap initially. If that type of sensor is removed and reinstalled, the remaining part of the rib is supposed to be cut off and the paper spacer is used. I used to cut those paper spacers in half and just used one part so I could save the other part to use on another engine. You can get the spacers at the dealer's parts department. I don't know if they're available at other auto parts stores.

I did read where one fellow found that his new sensor was broken because he didn't use a spacer and it hit the outer ring on the flexplate.

I have a '95 Grand Caravan, and until a few months ago, I didn't even know it had a cam sensor. If you want to try to test it and the crank sensor, the feed wire to both will have either 8.0 or 10.0 volts with the ingition switch on. If it is missing, unplug the two sensors and remeasure to see if the voltage comes back. The Engine Computer will shut the power supply down to protect it. You'll have to cycle the ignition switch off and back on to reset it. If the voltage disappears again when one of the sensors is plugged back in, it is shorted.

If the supply voltage is there, measure the ground wires. Expect to find 0.2 volts. If it is a lot higher, look for a break in the wire or a corroded splice. The signal wires are harder to measure with a digital voltmeter because the display will bounce around a lot. If the voltage stays solidly at 0 or 5.0 volts, that sensor is likely not working. A better way to tell if the sensors are working is if you have access to one of the Chrysler scanners, they will display "yes" or "no" for each sensor to indicate if the signals are being received during cranking. I use both the DRB2 and DRB3 scanners. You can find the DRB2 at car show swap meets or on eBay for not too much money. The DRB3 is overkill for most people's needs but they are available over the internet or from the dealer's parts department. The newer models will only work on vehicles back to 1998. To go back further, there is a plug-in card that lets it work on cars back to 1994 and all brands of cars 1996 and newer with the OBD2 emissions system. A different card lets it work on just Chrysler products back to 1983 models. The DRB2 uses plug-in cartridges which are different for most years. The last "Supercartridge" covered all years of all domestic cars and trucks up to 1994 models, but that '94 cartridge works fine on my '95 Caravan.

I'll hand you back to Docfixit. I didn't mean to butt into your conversation. Just wanted to add a little info so you had something to check while waiting for his reply.

Caradiodoc
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 10:47 PM
Tiny
RUDYSALAZAR
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
I will be back at it in a few 3-days days and will post the results. Note--the new crank sensor I put in didn't seem to tear the paper off--I think I didn't get it down far enough. And the old sensor looked like it had been too close to the ring gear(or what ever it is in there). Thank You.
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010 AT 10:58 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
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In engine compartment box find ASD relay also fuel pump relay. Swap relays if you get spark then replace ASD relay.
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Friday, June 11th, 2010 AT 8:37 AM
Tiny
RUDYSALAZAR
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
I put in a new crank sensor again--and this time I pushed way down to make sure the paper spacer would rip off and then have proper clearance--BUT there was still no spark.

I then traced the wires from the crank sensor to check for the obvious. Found engine harness oil soaked and tie-wraped with a plastic tie by oil pan and started had wires tied tight--so I removed tie wrap and exposed harness and cleaned oil--and while cleaning I had my brother in law try to start and it fired up.

I think the "gray/Purple" wire from the crank sensor was shorting in metal by oil pan from being tied to tight. The wire looks and feels smashed--but I dicided not to splice and repair because didnt know if it would take a splice ok due to it being low voltage--so I left it alone since it was now working.

I loosely secured wires and harness. All ok.

Note: I originally Donated $15.00 for a fast response, but I got better response and help from the free side of this site. Don't mind supporting this site, but its a shame that when you donate you don't get prioity and better help--got send a JPG pic of a wire diagram that was a joke--could read it, even after emailed to me.

Thanks all.
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Friday, June 18th, 2010 AT 2:08 PM
Tiny
REZMECH
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 200,000 MILES
The last time the van started it was very hard to start and ran very ruff and bacfired, now it does not startat all. The fuel pump was changed as well as fuel filter.
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,874 POSTS
A broken chain would cause loss of spark. However, you would know if it broke when cranking. It would turn faster than normal and sound odd. Check for power to the coil and check crank sensor. If you already have, let me know what size engine it is.
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PAUL CLIFFORD
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1992 DODGE CARAVAN
1992 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive 112565 miles

I just replaced my fuel pump and then crank sensor and cam sensor and now I have no spark also there was a problem with a short my friend spliced the wires from the cam sensor so now there there is no connector so now it wont get any spark and possibly no fuel delivery can u please please please help thanks
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
What do you have for engine size?
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
1997DODGECARAVAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
B4 the problem started my vehicle overheated, but not to the point of it boiling over, just were the light came on as it got to the hot symbol, I got it to a friends house close by. A mechanic went to it told it might be the fuel pump, so I replaced the fuel pump & the filter & the relay. Still doesn't want to crank over. The spark plugs and wires are good, but can't tell if it's the sending unit or the distributor tht is giving me the problem. Please Help Me!
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PLOSSER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 165,000 MILES
97 Caravan 3.0 V6 3spd - I have no spark and apparently no power to coil. Here is the full story. I got this van with a blown timing belt. Replaced belt and water pump and test started and it worked. Pulled engine and trans out to repair some other damage. Put it all back in and now no spark. Replaced distributor cap and rotor, all plug wires and spark plugs (and have triple checked for correct connections). HELP, PLEASE!
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,912 POSTS
Measure the voltage on the dark green / orange wire at the ignition coil, any injector, or either small wire on the back of the alternator. You should see battery voltage there for one second after turning on the ignition switch. What you need to see is if that voltage comes back during engine rotation, (cranking or running).
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PLOSSER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I saw that you had replied to another post with a similar issue. I will try this tomorrow. Once I run the voltage check, what would be the next step, assuming I still have no spark? If possible give me a few other specifics to look for so I can do it all at once and in order.
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,912 POSTS
That voltage comes from the automatic shutdown (ASD) relay which is turned on by the Engine Computer. The computer also turns on the fuel pump relay at the same times. That initial one second is to insure fuel pressure is up and ready for starting in case it bled down over a few days or weeks.

After that first one second, the computer turns the ASD relay on again when it gets pulses from the camshaft position sensor and crankshaft position sensor. The purpose of the system is to turn off the fuel pump in the event of a crash that ruptures a fuel line. The engine will stall with no fuel pressure so there won't be any pulses from the cam and crank sensors. With no pulses, the fuel pump is turned off to prevent dumping raw fuel on the ground. This system is WAY more reliable and effective than Ford's inertia switch. The alternator field, injectors, ignition coil(s), and oxygen sensor heaters all get their current from the same source so all of those systems go dead when the ASD relay doesn't turn on.

Since you had stuff apart, be sure both sensors are plugged in. Also, a thick paper spacer must be used to set the air gap of the crank sensor. Without it, the sensor can be pushed in too far where it will hit the flex plate and break. If it's spaced out too far, the pulses will be weak and can cause intermittent stalling. If you reinstall an aftermarket sensor that had a thin plastic rib molded to the end to set the gap, you are to cut the remaining part of that rib off and use a paper spacer.
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GENE1988
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
  • 1992 DODGE CARAVAN
Electrical problem
1992 Dodge Caravan Engine Size unknown 140000 miles

no spark replaced module beside battery, still no spark, gets fuel
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Engine size?
Did you check/replace the crankshaft sensor
Crankshaft sensor is mounted on tranny bell housing
computer use it signal for ignition signal and spark timing
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GENE1988
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
3.3 v-6.I checked to see if current was coming to coil, it isnt ill check crank shaft sensor thnaks
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Monday, October 22nd, 2018 AT 6:08 PM (Merged)

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