While driving my spirit the engine 2.5L loses power like the fuel is being restricted. I put a new fuel pump,filter,plugs,wires,cap,rotor and still no luck. But when it starts acting up when driving i leave it in drive turn the key off then right back on before the engine dies and its like nothings wrong until it does it again it might be 1-50 or more miles just whenever.I cleaned the gas tank out when i put the new pump in.Some 1 please help.This is my only car and the wife is preg we need this car…HELP…
Dodge Man, These Cars Can Store Fault Codes Without Setting A Check Engine Light.
But, is your engine light on?
Have you tried retrieving codes? Turn the ignition key to “on” (not to start, only instrument lights on), then “off”. Immediately turn to “on” again and then “off”. Now turn the key to “on” and leave it “on” (3rd “on” cycle).
Watch the check engine light. It should start flashing a code. Often it will start with code 12. That looks like 1 flash, pause, 2 flashes. Other codes like 25 would be 2 flashes, pause, 5 flashes, pause. It will end with code 55 and probably repaeat all codes. The 12 at the beginning and the 55 at the end won’t be a problem, it’s the other code(s) that might be. These 2-digit fault codes will tell you which system is failing.
Reading these codes takes a little practice. You can turn the key off for a bit and then run the whole thing again and again if you didn’t catch the codes.
Get any codes, write them down and post them here. Somebody will help you translate them and offer repair advice.
I ran a Dodge Spirit 2.5L for almost 17 years. It was a great car. The darn thing is still on the road every day under different ownership.
CSA
Thank you for your help… I went and retrieved the codes and as you said it gave me a code 12 and then a code 55… I looked in my book to see what they were 12 says…Problem with stand-by memory circuit. Direct battery input to controller disconnected within the last 50 ignition key-ons… code 55 says…Completion of fault code display on check engine lamp. This is an end of message code…The check engine light is Not on. I found and fixed 2 vacume lines that were broke went for a test drive to see if it fixed the problem and NO luck the engine still lost power after running it but i left it in drive turn the key off (coasting) then right back on it was ok for a few more miles the power came back like everything was ok then lost again so i did the key thing again… a few more miles it ran then lost power again… this has me stumped…
My first guess would be a plugged cat. I have seen more than one plugged cat on those cars. The best way to check that is drill a hole in the pipe in the front of the car and check for excessive pressure, but most people don’t have a gage to read low pressure, so if you can unbolt the cat in the front, support it by a sturdy wire, and take it for a drive. This will immediately rule out or prove a plugged cat./
Post your question at ALLPAR.com on the EEK forum. There are a lot of people there who know your car very well.
A common intermittent fault with that engine is the hall effect sensor in the distributor. However, the typical symptoms of a bad sensor don’t exactly match your description since the problem clears when you turn the key off and on. It may be worth replacing anyway.
the cats not plugged its all new from the motor back. I have sank a lot of $ into this car and it would be a waste to stop now i can only keep trying.
thanks for your help
haven’t changed it yet but i will now its worth a shot
Ok let’s keep trying until we get it right. With a preg wife, you need our help more than ever. The last thing you need to do is take it to a shop where they can throw parts at it until they get it right, and meanwhile soaking you with the bill. The key off and on thing making it work again should be a clue. If we only knew how or where that clue would take us. How about a bad/weak fuel pump relay. The relay gets hot after a while, opens and shuts off the fuel pump. WHen you cycle the key, you cut power to the relay, it resets and starts working again?
yes wife preg and its our 1st child My only 1.My only son.I cant wait… The fuel pump is new. I just dropped another 40. in it for the Hall sencer (pick up coil) and it didn’t fix it. I Can here the fuel pump running at all times it never stops when running even when this problem is happening you can still here the fuel pump. I have been having to pawn my things for money for parts.I need this car. The wife is a high risk preg after 8 miss carries and if i have to get up and go at spur of the moment i dont want this problem to be giving me any problems when i need it the most.
My guess is a bad ignition switch or engine computer. When it acts up again try just wiggling the key a little. Cycling power resets the computer.
I think that it is an electrical problem, not a sensor problem.
The ASD (Automatic Shut Down) relay controls power to a lot of the engine management components. It should be in the relay box under the hood. Swap the ASD relay with one of the other identical relays. Run that for a while and see what happens. If no change in the intermittent shut downs, swap the fuel pump relay with another. If no improvements in the intermittent shut downs, swap the ignition coil relay with another.
The ignition switch, itself, could be faulty. Check it out.
Here are the electrical relays. Scroll WAY down to Fig. 86 and Fig.88 for details on the engine control circuitry: http://www.autozone.com/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c15280251c88
You can go here, go down the menu, and get all the information over-load on the electric controls and sensors of the engine that you may desire: http://www.autozone.com/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c152802518d7
just took it for a ride wiggling it didnt work. i had to turn it off then on… The crasy part is if i put it to the floor it spits and sputters holding it to the floor turn the key off then back on hold on she takes off again for a few more mins
Dodge man,
If you haven’t yet, get on google and search for “1993 dodge spirit dies”, or “loses power” or something. I was looking around some and found a few ideas. One you’re not going to want to hear but I found is where one guy fixed is similar problem by replacing his computer. But you might find some cheaper ideas to at least try. Sorry I can’t help you more.
Shutting off and turning back on to cure the problem is a sign that the computer may be gone. If that reboots it, it makes me a believer.
Guess what you all she is alive and running again. I want to thank you all for your help and thoughts but we all were wrong. She was getting worse as the gas was getting lower so i drained the tank and droped it what do you know the fuel pump sock was off the pump was full of rust. I even took out another cup of rust out of the tank. So what have i learned from all this … Dont trust your friends when they say they done a job unless you were there to see it your self… Im glad that my fuel pump was still under warrenty cause i dont have 159.00 to cover it… So everyone thank you again…Dodge man…
You’re Welcome. Thanks For Getting Back To Us. Glad It Worked Out. Good Luck!