Real Fix Real Fast So what do you

Real Fix Real Fast

So, what do you do when the scanner isn’t any help ? ?

98 Dodge Stratus 2. 5 Complaint: started loosing power, stalled, sputtered, now cranks but won’t start Scanner: no codes, no pendings, all PID looks normal I thought the scanners were supposed to tell us what was wrong with the car.

Here’s what we did Listened & heard fuel pump run Grounded a screw driver in the plug boot & saw spark Added spray fuel. . still no start Confirmed injector pulse ased on complaint, did not suspect timing or compressio (It was running & developed a problem)

So, what’s the deal we have fuel, spark & compression yes, but only basic checks It’s time to get more accurate If fuel pressure was bad the spray should have caught that, so I’m going to skip the injectors for now

Used an actual spark tester to see how much spark we actually had Had spark at 10 KV but nothing above that

A good coil should develop at least 40 KV so the coils bad. Evidence

A good coil should develop at least 40 KV so the coils bad. Time to dig it out

Replaced the distributor, that’ the only way to get a coil It starts and runs great

So, when that expensive scanner gives you no help it means it’s not a problem that the computer will identify So, it’s back to using your head and some basic (cheap) tools $3 $40 $8

So, what do you do when the scanner isn’t any help ? ?

You use your head and your training Your think it thru. . . gather evidence And let the evidence lead you to the problem