Engine wont run?

Most batteries have a reserve in minutes. If the reserve is 60 minutes, the vehicle should start and run for about an hour even with faulty charging system. How long it will run depends on the discharge rate. Sounds to me like a faulty battery. Some of the national brand autostores will check the battery for you. I've driven vehicles where I knew the charging system wasn't working, after I got it started, I drove it for several minutes on the battery reserve power.

Yes, driver side wheel-well, black, maybe 1&1/4 x 1inch. Wiring color at the connector, red with white stripe--dark blue--dark green with black stripe--dark blue with yellow stripe.

If the battery checks out and the vehicle cranks good, but won't start, I suspect the hall switch in the distributor.

After removing the wiring connector what should I read on each terminal?

You know its funny, it was the first thing I thought it could be but didn't try to fix...it was frozen. It started this morning and the fuel pump works. THanks for all your help.

With the relay unplugged, only the dark blue and red wire would have voltage, check with the key in the crank position.

Take voltage reading across the battery post, engine cranking. You should get close to the same reading at the two wires already mentioned.

Glad you got it going your way.

Thanks !!!! The readings I get are:
with the ignition off I get 12.5v across battery and at the red and blue on the asd. with ignition on I get 0v at red and blue 12v across battery. with ignition off I get
0v between green term and black term. with ignition on I get 12.5v across the green and black. Does this help?

When you say key on are saying on or cranking? These are two different key positions. The red wire with white tracer should be hot all the time, key on--off--engine cranking, whatever. The solid dark blue wire may go hot with the engine cranking, you can test key on and cranking on that wire.

On the red I get 0v with ignition on or when cranking. Thanks

You need to be sure the battery has a full charge, the cables/wires are all clean and tight on both ends.

Backtrack the red wire, my info shows a fusible link. Check for voltage on both sides of the fusible link. If you have voltage on one side and not the other, the link is faulty. You could use a jumper just for testing, by pass the link.

The car was working and then we stopped at a store and when we returned into the car I noticed I had left the lights on while I was in the store. when I tried to start the car it wouldn't turn over. I tried replacing the battery but that didn't solve the problem. It still didn't start. We tried hitting the starter but that didn't do anything either. Do you know of any other part of the engine that would be the cause?

If you think the problem might be the starter circuits, you could do some testing at the relay. Looking under the hood, driver side strut tower, second relay from left. The wiring colors on the connector should be black--brown--red--yellow. The black wire is hot all the time, the yellow wire goes hot with the key in the crank position. Did you try cranking in neutral? Battery has full charge? Battery cables/wires all clean and tight on both ends?

Well, my car has had several problems as of late. Bad fuel pump, replaced, bad air charge temp sensor (code 23) replaced. I thought after replacing those parts my car would be better, but it is not. At least it starts now after the fuel pump change - but it won't stay started. Now it starts for a couple of seconds, and shuts down - getting code 11 from the check engine blink readout. At this point, I'm not sure what's going on - I'm getting a good spark, fuel's getting to the engine - do you think it is perhaps the Hall Effect sensor at this point? I tested the ASD relay - seems ok.

Just for everybody who looks for this problem - Yes, Code 11 for the 1990 Plymouth Acclaim was indeed the Distributor pickup-assembly (Hall Effect Sensor) - no problems after changing this part.

Thanks!

Have this problem - driving down the road, my car will sputter out and stall - happens mostly at stop lights, but sometimes while driving as well. I thought I had determined it was not a fuel problem by spraying some fuel into the EFI by the air filter.

I changed plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor - still same problem. Testing for spark by removing cable from distributor cap and grounding it against chassis - testing spark directly from the coil, I get a spark, but it doesn't seem like the typical vibrant blue that i've seen, more orange.

I'm pretty poor, so I don't have the means to take it to a shop - I have no problem changing parts myself, I just wonder what exactly it could be without replacing my whole electrical system. If it's even the electrical system.

Spark must be blue/white coil is most likely weak

Replaced the coil - still an orange spark ... very weird. What else was weird - first attempt to start off of a "jump start" worked - but charge does not make sense to me as with a meter, the battery reads 13v turned off, and almost 14v running.

Alternator output should be 14.5 to 15.1 but if batt with 13V static output seem good. Can't figure orange spark. Check battery ground and check voltage to I think Red or orange wire on coli.

coil voltage seems to fluctuate between 1.5 and 1.7v, not sure what nominal should be though

Hi, I was driving up a slight incline accelarating to make a light when my engine shut down, I pushed into a parking lot. The car will crank but will not start.
Any suggestions?

Do below to determine if its a fuel or spark issue

Get a starting fluid/ether/better off gas in a spray bottle and spray into the carb or the throttle body on an EFI. Did it start and die? If not disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine -have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel related problem, check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs,distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, ECM,Ignitor cam and crank sensors- Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it

If both fuel and spark is present-check the valve and ignition timing, this will lead you to problems with compression and valves opening and closing at the wrong time/broken or jumped timing belt/chain

Need system voltage to coil something wrong with that circuit. Try running a jumper wire to coil see if it lights.

1989 Plymouth Acclaim starting problem- It starts intermittently. Sometimes the fuel pump turns on for the 2 secs in ACC, sometimes not. When it does not, I put gas straight into engine/cab/fuel injector, or whatever you want to call it. It will then start and run fine. All ready replaced the 'Hall Sensor'/magnetic pickup, no change. What now? Also have already tried shaking the wires in the engine compartment as another said they did w/success. No change. Is it the ASD relay (if so, where is this) or is it this splice I have heard about, and if so, where is it?
Please help, I am afraid of shutting down on the highway.

The clue is it starts when you give it a priming squirt of gas. The Engine Computer is supposed to do that based on temperature. You might try a coolant temperature sensor. If you have access to a scanner that can display live sensor data it will show whether the sensor is reporting the correct temperature. Some cars also have an ambient air temperature sensor in the front left corner of the throttle body assembly.

It's probably more common to have fuel pressure bleeding down when the car sits overnight. There are two clues. First, it will start easily shortly after stopping the engine. More importantly, since you know about that short burst from the fuel pump when you turn on the ignition switch, that might not be enough time to get fuel pressure back up high enough for starting. Turn the ignition switch on to get the two-second burst, then turn the switch back off. Wait a few seconds then do that a second time and maybe even a third time, then crank the engine. If it always starts that way suspect a leaky injector but it could also be the check valve in the fuel pump or a leaking pressure regulator.

I don't have access to a scanner, I am new to all these electronics in cars. I own a '66 Corvair that does not have any of these problems, nice/simple mechanical fuel pump.
The Acclaim's fuel pump works sporadically when trying to start the car. No rhyme or reason. I don't understand why it could be an injector, when, from what I understand, the injector isn't getting the gas it needs to start the engine because the fuel pump didn't turn on and squirt gas into the injector. When I dump gas into the engine, it starts, sometimes it takes two or three of these "pouring gas in" procedures to get it to stay running. This is why I think the problem is an electrical or electronic one.
I am going to try removing the ASD relay and jumping the connections as is described in another post here to see if I can get the pump to run on the times when I try to start it and I don't hear that hum of the pump squirting gas for those 2 seconds.

Sorry, meant the post about the Fuel Pump Relay and checking the #30 post for voltage and then putting a jumper on it. I just was going to do this, except the fuel pump is turning on every time I try it today. I even tried it a bunch of times in a row, but it is working today! Damn Gremlins!

Unlike GM pumps that often fail while driving, Chrysler pumps almost always keep going once they've started up. When they fail they do not start up. If you hear it run for that first two seconds, the engine should start and run. I suspect when it isn't starting up on its own, it does start from the engine vibration when you squirt gas in. An intermittently non-starting pump would be much more common than a lack of a priming pulse from the injector due to a false reading from a temperature sensor.

When you do catch it not starting and you want to jump the fuel pump relay, use the diagram below and jump terminals 30 and 87. If you see a small spark when you make the connection you'll know the wiring is intact. If there is no spark, suspect worn brushes in the pump motor.

The injector problem I was referring to was not a defective injector. Here again, GM has a huge problem with their injectors. Chrysler hardly ever has a bad one. What can happen to them is the pintle valve leaks. That is not a problem while the engine is running, but when you stop the engine that fuel pressure in the supply line should stay there for weeks without bleeding down. A leaky injector will bleed the pressure down in a few minutes to a few hours. THAT's what can make it hard to start the engine. Since battery voltage is drawn down by the starter, the pump runs slower than normal during engine cranking. As fast as it builds up a little pressure the firing injector bleeds it off right away. Fuel is going into the engine but not enough for it to burn successfully so the engine doesn't start. That's where cycling the ignition switch two or three times before cranking the engine can help.

I couldn't agree more with you about all of the unnecessary, complicated, unreliable computers on newer cars. My daily driver is an old rusty trusty '88 Grand Caravan. You and I only have a very reliable Engine Computer. I've been complaining about the insane computers on newer cars for years.

caradiodoc

Thank you so much for your help. The Acclaim finally started acting up again and wouldn't start. I got out my trusty hammer and gave the gas tank a couple taps. Low and behold, it started, so I guess it was getting ready to fail. I just got it back from the shop, had a new fuel pump installed. So far so good. Thanks again!
Kurt

1989 plymouth accliam has new fuel pump and filter ran for 1 wk now it wont start but it cranks just never turns over

How long since a tune-up? Any applicable mil codes? You can check those yourself. Have a helper crank it, while you visually check for spark at the spark plugs. Let us know what you find.

I'll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed that the problem is solved. I'm overdue for some good news!

had spark plugs changed bout 2 mos ago but no wires were changed or no new cap was replaced

To check for spark, pull spark plug wire loose from plug, use known good spark plug or spark tester in the plug boot. Ground/touch metal part of plug to metal part of engine. Engine cranking, watch for spark, you can see it. Check more than one plug.

To check for mil codes, you cycle the key, on--off, on--off, on, then the mil lamp starts flashing, you count the flashes to get the codes. Your looking for two digit codes, When you cycle the key, you turn key till dash lites come on, no further, no crank.

my 89 Plymouth Acclaim will start but won't stay on why?

Stalling problems -Go to this walk thru link :https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-stalls

Please be more specific. Does it run okay but stalls at stop signs because the idle speed is too low? Does the engine quit running while you're driving? Was the battery recently disconnected or run dead? Do you get a nice "idle flare-up" to 1500 rpm when you start the engine? Will it stay running if you hold the gas pedal down 1/8"?