My 99 cirrus v6 engine periodicly dies or will not start. Going up hills, down hills, flat surfaces doing 60, and oncestartng up cold. When it dies, it can take 1 to about 10 cranks to restart. Sometimes on a flat surface doing 60 it would die and restart itselfin a split second. It would usually die about once every three weeks. Once it died three times it about 15 minutes. The amount of fuel in the tank varies. I had the injectors cleaned (dealer recommened). The dealer said it showed no codesbut they have had problems with distributors at $ 1,000.oo oem partsreplacement(not including labor). They said they have many problems with cheaper after market distributors. Another dealer said it may be the fuel pump and to hit the gas tank to restart the pump but this appeared to fail. Approximately $ 600.oo replacement. Its hard to diagnose something that does not stay down orby myself and in bad areas (like on a bridge). I also ask every cirrus owner I see if they had the same problem, one said he did and it was the plugs but that made no sense, the car should still run but badly. I hope someone can help. Thank you for any replies that come.

 

ASH, my 97 V6 was doing the same thing. (stalling for a split second), no codes etc. Now it has finally died on me while driving. I am thinking that it is the cam shaft position sensor, which is in the distributor. I will be testing the sensor and coil in the distributor to verify. Aftermarket distributors are $350 here in canada. No wreckers have any, they sell everyone that they get for about $200. I also heard that the crank shaft position sensors go too. Its a sensor by itself on the tranny bell housing. If the ECU doesnt see a signal from those sensors, it shuts down the ASD relay. I think that the sensor was thermally failing, when it reached a certain temp, it would fail for a short time.

 

UPDATE:
Did some testing/troubleshooting this weekend on the Cirrus. According to the Hanes manual, you are to test for voltage at the sensor leads at the camshaft position sensor. Its supposed to be 8volts on the org/whi wire, there is 0.12v there, back probe it to the computer and there is0.12volts there too. Just for kicks, checked the voltage at the TPS, should be 5 volts, there is only 0.12volts there too. These sensors are both monitored by the same computer. This module is located beside the fuse panel under the hood (where you can connect the + terminal for a boost) Found the 12 volt wire going to the computer, and it is OK. I'm thinking that the PCM might be toast. Going to try one from the wreckers to see if that makes a difference. Will let you know how that turns out before I get a distributor.

STEAK

 

unplug each sensor on that 8volt supply wire if u still hvae only .12v then unplug the PCM and check for a short to ground on that circuit if no short to ground u need a PCM then.

 

I will try to unplug all sensors and see what happens. Its funny though, every scrap yard that I call and ask for a PCM, they all say that its the distributor. They say PCM's never go and say to try changing the dist. "99% of the time its the distributor".
Hey Chry Tech, since you work with these cars all the time, do you see PCM failures a lot? What is the ratio of PCM's to distributors (cam sensors) and/or crank sensor failures? Hopefully can get this thing running over the holidays, my 07 ram is killing me on gas consumption.
Thanks
HAPPY CHRISTMAS from THE BIG STEAK!!!

 

i cant possibly make some sorta ratio like that sensors and pcms are replaced for different issues not just a no start.
PCM is usualy the last thing u want to replace and only after wire issue has been ruled out.

 

Thanks for the info. Tried unplugging all sensors, no short to ground found. Also cut the wire from the ECU and with noload on the ECU still only get less then 1 volt. I will be trying another CPU from the wreckers. I have been told that the ECU for that car is year specific (no other year but '97 ecu will work on a '97 car) Is this true? I've also seen 'firm and standard' suspension as well. Does that make a difference???

THANKS
STEAK

 

Engine ECU was NFG. Changed it, did some voltage checks on the 8 volt line and 5 volt line and they were good. Tried turning it over and it fired right up. I'm glad that I didnt change the distributor first. Hopefully good for the rest of the winter now!!! (knocking on wood)

 

i hear you knocking steak!! you lucked out.moe