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Older Plymouth Acclaim with a 2.5 motor....runs tops when first started. Starts to sputter, shake, smoke and die when it warms up. Won't restart until it cools off again. Does not seem to be a coolant related problem. Vehicle has 75k on it but replacement motor mileage unknown. Dealer has no history on why the motor was replaced but may have been due to the same problem. Maybe not an actual engine issue?
Not mine, dealer has it and I could get it for peanuts as a winter driver. So, where would you start?
What year Acclaim? Offhand it might be as simple as a failed coolant temperature sensor (the one that goes to the ECU, not the one that goes to the dash gauge/light. Or the wire may be open/shorted.
If my guess is correct, the ECU is seeing the engine as cold all the time and supplying an over-rich mixture. Another way this can happen is if it has a start-up injector that's leaking. A confirmation of this would be if the smoke is black, and the sparkplugs will be dark fouled too.
If this is a car old enough to have a carburator, could be a choke stuck on.
If you have a check engine light, you have codes you can read.
Last edited by M3 Mitch; 09-23-2010 at 01:50 PM..
Reason: carb
Year is a '92, actual motor year unknown. On site helper/mechanic thinks it's something related to a sensor that's failed or incorrectly hooked up. Does not seem to be a head gasket issue. I can understand the dealer won't waste time on the expense of repair since he'll get peanuts one way or the other.
I smack myself for not pulling codes yet...and I'm a Chrysler man.
In that case definitely look at the temperature sending unit for the ECU. A 92 is OBD-I, most OBD-I cars you can get the codes without a reader, you do some "secret handshake" with the car (for E30 BMW cars, you turn the key on, don't start the engine, and pat the gas pedal all the way down, all the way up, 5 times) and the CEL will blink out the code.
You need a manual of course to figure the codes out.
Could be as simple as a bad connection between the ECU and the sending unit.
Since you are considering buying the car, ideally you pull the codes, but don't do anything to fix the car till you buy it.
By all means pull the codes as your next step, don't go on my guess.
Also identify the year of the new engine - a junkyard engine I guess? Could be some incompatibility between the way the car is wired and what's on the engine, or maybe it needs a different sensor. Would be helpful to know if it always did this from the time of the engine swap, but you probably won't find that out. Dealer parts people should be able to ID the engine, then check if the coolant temp sensors are the same for both years.
A simple compression test, even done cold, might be enough to convince you the engine is good and the problem is fix-able. If it had good compression and was cheap enough, I would probably buy it. In the unlikely case you can't fix it, you could probably part it out and get most of your money back.
OK, please tell about the known weak points. I have never been much of a Chrysler guy anyway, but most cars I can work the bugs out over time.
Maybe this thing is not worth having for free?
I'm looking it one of two ways....either get it to the point where it can be driven as a winter sacrifice car or strip it for parts for a couple of Lebarons I already have. Yes, they are daily drivers that have basically been trouble free since I've owned them. But then again I actually maintain my vehicles and have yet to find major fault with them. Remember, the youngest of these are 15 years old now and can't honestly be judged by normal standards of what's reliable and what isn't. They're old. Anyone owning any model that vintage either needs to have some mechanic skills or keep the cell phone handy to call a friend to bring you home.
Weak points though....I'm not trying to brush off any notion that the AA body Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge series were bulletproof but I haven't really found anything that proper upkeep won't take care of. The 3.0 engines like to develop leaks as they age, what engine doesn't? Gaskets and an afternoon in the garage handles that. The trannys like to develop leaks too, another afternoon's work. ATF4 is a must, anything else will set you on the side of the road.
The rear suspension can develop troubles, mostly in salt states. The bottom of the spring can come away from the axle bracket and leave the rear drooping. An afternoon in the pick 'n pull will usually find you what you need. But again, we're talking fifteen+ year old cars with 150K+ miles.
Thanks for the replies, basically my knowledge is limited to the 3.0 engines, guess it's time to read the service manual chapters on the 2.5.
My theory that it's running way rich could be tested by just creating a small vacuum leak, maybe just taking the oil dipstick out would be enough - if it runs better with the dipstick pulled you know it's running rich. If no change make sure the PCV is not plugged.
I finally remembered a friend of mine had one of these, it was a crummy car but it still ran and had cold A/C when he sold it for $500.
I am so glad to be away from the Rust Belt, I don't have to have a "winter beater" as such, a car with a limited lifespan to sacrifice to the Salt Gods. Couple years in Iowa was enough for me, thanks.
OK, please tell about the known weak points. I have never been much of a Chrysler guy anyway, but most cars I can work the bugs out over time.
Maybe this thing is not worth having for free?
Googtle up 1992 plymouth acclaim owner complaints and you will see why this car was a dudd.
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