TECH TIP FOR MAY, 1993

SOME CHRYSLERS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.3/3.8L ENGINE, MAY EXHIBIT A STARTING PROBLEM IN COOL TO COLD CONDITIONS. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THIS CAN BE CAUSED BY THE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR (ECT) AND THE WIRING CONNECTOR HAVING INGESTED WATER AND BECOMING CORRODED. THIS WILL CAUSE AN ABNORMALLY HIGH TEMPERATURE READING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE VEHICLE TO SET UP FOR A COLD START.

THE EFFECTED VEHICLES ARE: 1992(AC) DYNASTY & NEW YORKER SALON,1992(AY) CARAVAN, GRAND CARAVAN, CARAVAN C/V, VOYAGER, & GRAND VOYAGER, AND 1992(AY) IMPERIAL & NEW YORKER FIFTH AVENUE.

TO DIAGNOSE, CHECK FOR A FAULT # 22, OR AN ABNORMALLY HIGH TEMPERATURE READING. IF EITHER IS FOUND, INSPECT THE ECT SENSORWIRING CONNECTOR CAVITY (THE SENSOR IS BELOW THE IGNITION COIL),FOR SIGNS OF CORROSION.

IF CORROSION IS PRESENT, THE SENSOR MUST BE REPLACED USING P/N33004281, FOLLOWING THE APPROVED PROCEDURE.

IF A CUSTOMER COMPLAINS THAT THE "ABS" LIGHT ON HIS/HER CORVETTE SOMETIMES FLASHES WHEN DRIVING, AND IF ALL TESTS INDICATE NO FAULTS, HERE'S THE PROBLEM. DURING A NORMAL VEHICLE START, THE "ABS" GOES THROUGH A SELF©DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH INCLUDES RUNNING THE "ABS" PUMP AND FLASHING THE 'ABS ACTIVE' LIGHT FOR 1 SECOND. THIS NORMALLY OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES 7KM/H.

IF, HOWEVER, THE VOLTAGE IN THE BATTERY HAS DROPPED BELOW 9.4 VT DURING CRANKING, THE SYSTEM WILL RESET ITSELF TO PREFORM THE TEST 5 MINUTES AFTER THE BATTERY VOLTAGE HAS RISEN ABOVE 10 VOLTS.

TO ADDRESS CUSTOMER CONCERN AT THIS INTERMITTENT "PROBLEM", AREVISED, ABS ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (EBCM), P/N 1023326HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE. IT CHANGES THE RESET TIME FROM 5 MIN. TO 5 SECONDS.

FORD HAS COME OUT WITH A " CONTACT GEL " FOR USE WHEN SERVICING OR REPLACING THEIR IAR (INTERNALLY REGULATED) ALTERNATORS. THIS COMPOUND IS SUPPOSED TO HELP AVOID THE BURN©UP PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMON WITH THESE UNITS. THIS IS A SPECIFIC COMPOUND AND NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH HEAT©TRANSFER OR DIELECTRIC GELS.

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU USE THIS COMPOUND EVERY TIME YOUREMOVE THE PLUG FROM ONE OF THESE ALTERNATORS, AND THAT YOU DO NOT WIGGLE THE CONNECTOR TO GET IT OUT OF THE ALTERNATOR. THIS ONLY SPREADS THE CONTACTS IN THE PLUG AND MAKES ARCING ALL THE MORE LIKELY.

MY RECOMMENDATION IS, SINCE YOU WILL HAVE THIS CONTACT GEL INSTOCK FOR SERVICING FORDS, THEN USE IT IN EVERY PLUG©IN ON EVERYALTERNATOR YOU SERVICE.

ON COMPUTER CONTROLLED CHRYSLER VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINT IS, INTERMITTENT ROUGH RUNNING, AND NOTHING APPEARS TO BE WRONG. HAVE THE ALTERNATOR CHECKED FOR SLIP RINGS THAT ARE OUT OF ROUND, ALLOWING THE BRUSHES TO BOUNCE. APPARENTLY THIS ARCING, WHICH GENERATES A VOLTAGE SPIKE, CAN CAUSE THE COMPUTER TO ACT ERRATICALLY.  

THIS IS NOT ELECTRICAL, BUT IS DEFINITELY INTERESTING  ON GM2.8L ENGINES HAVING ALUMINUM HEADS (USUALLY FWD APPLICATIONS),THE PUSH RODS ARE A DIFFERENT LENGTH FOR THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES. THE DIFFERENCE IS .031" AND IF THE PUSH RODS AREINTERCHANGED THE RESULTS CAN BE DEFINITELY INTERESTING.    

 ON 1990-91 GEO STORMS WHERE THE BATTERY GOES FLAT OVER NIGHT BY ITSELF, IF THIS HAPPENS IN COLD WEATHER THE PROBLEM IS POSSIBLY,  !! THE HEADLIGHTS TURNING THEMSELVES ON !!.  TO CORRECT THE SITUATION YOU MUST REPLACE BOTH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH (P/N 94360447) AND THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH (P/N 97024526)