Dodge Durango Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Can't retrieve trouble codes.

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
R

rbivins

· Registered
Joined
·
24 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
:(

Hey, I haven't posted for a LOOOONG time but today I've got a major issue and zero cash to deal with it. Yesterday the '01 D started loosing power considerably. In fact, when going up hill, the transaxel light would blink on the dash board. On level ground, it light shines steady. Very scary, I think she might die altogether.

She's got almost a quarter-million miles on her, so I'm a bit on the cautious side.

However, I'm unable to get the trouble-codes from the computer. The toggle the ignition switch trick no longer works. I'm thinking that maybe when I changed my ignition tumbler a while back maybe I didn't connect something properly (although the swap was very straightforward and I don't remember there being any connections to connect?) Is there an alternate way of getting the trouble-codes without a computer scanner? The local shops that used to do it for free are no longer doing so.

In the mean-time I'm going to try tuning her up as much as I can to see if maybe that doesn't do the trick (I still have unused tune-up stuff laying around the garage from when I was last working that I can put in -- crossing my fingers.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

--Robert
 
#2 ·
Connections in the ignition would have noting to do with it. Cycling of the power is what triggers the code display. You're doing off-on-off-on-off-on? The transaxle light and not the check engine light?? Off hand I'm not familiar with that light. I don't know if it'll be an OBDII code for a transaxle light. Only OBDII codes display in the odometer.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Neil said:
Connections in the ignition would have noting to do with it. Cycling of the power is what triggers the code display. You're doing off-on-off-on-off-on? The transaxle light and not the check engine light?? Off hand I'm not familiar with that light. I don't know if it'll be an OBDII code for a transaxle light. Only OBDII codes display in the odometer.
Click to expand...
Understood. The transaxel light is the check engine light I suppose. It's the light that looks like the engine and transmission altogether in one silhouette. I've done the off-on-off-on-off-on sequence in the past and it's always worked like a charm but that sequence doesn't work now. I have no idea what's changed in the interim.

I know that at least one diagnostic feature still works, the "chec" sequence of holding down the odometer reset button while turning the ignition "on" sets the entire dash into a little dancing light-show that's entertaining but entirely useless for my problem.

I just thought that maybe there was another trick to setting off the diagnostic code routine.

--Robert
 
#4 ·
IIRC, a flashing check-engine light means a misfire that can cause catalytic converter damage.

Which engine do you have? Have you done a tune-up in recent memory?

?tom
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
tomk said:
IIRC, a flashing check-engine light means a misfire that can cause catalytic converter damage.

Which engine do you have? Have you done a tune-up in recent memory?

?tom
Click to expand...
I have the 5.9. My last tune-up was a while ago. Having lost my job makes that a luxury all of a sudden. But, I do have plugs and wires that I've never put in (been hoping to make everything I have stretch until the next job comes along.) I'll do that and hopefully that'll be enough to do the trick.

Thanks a million,
--Robert
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
tomk said:
I'm betting that you need a cap and rotor.

pop for those, and put in the plugs and wires, and let's see what happens.

?tom
Click to expand...
Way ahead of you. I figured as much, I'm calling in a favor as we speak to score a cap and rotor. I'll let you know how it goes?

--Robert
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
IndyDurango said:
A good cap and rotor is less than $15.

Autolite plugs x 8 are another $15.

IndyD
Click to expand...
*sigh*

New plugs are in. New wires. New cap and rotor (thanks to my Pastor for chipping in.) Drives marginally better, but still misses on hill climbs (as referenced by the flashing check engine light.) Also, misses when above 3k RPM under heavy acceleration. In fact, it won't get to 3500 RPM under any circumstances. Way low on power.

That means something big, doesn't it?

It figures this would happen when I can least afford it.

Plus, still can't get the dumb computer to spit out the fraking codes?

Thanks guys for all you help.

--Fearless
 
#11 ·
what did the plugs look like when you pulled them? that could be an important clue.

any other history we need to know about? a clogged cat will keep the engine from revving. bad fuel pump can cause misfire under load.

If you can get an OBDII reader that'll do live data, and take it along while this is happening and check things like O2 voltages and short-term fuel trim it might give us an idea if you're going rich or lean. also, the OBDII will tell us if the PCM thinks there's one cylinder misfiring or many.

?tom
 
#12 ·
This could also be another incidence of a coil gone.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
Discussion starter · #13 ·
MWeed said:
This could also be another incidence of a coil gone.
Click to expand...
Well, I thought of the coil. I'll change it from a donor Durango when the engine cools. Since the wires and plugs are new, I doubt those are the issue now. The engine is using oil, but that hasn't manifest itself as lost power until now. All the current symptoms just started Thursday. I have to drive over the hill in question nearly every time I leave the house, so I know it wasn't happening on Wednesday. This is sudden and nearly catastrophic.

All plugs showed the same two characteristics when pulled: 1) powdery white residue (very little, a light coating), and 2) they were gaped 0.005 inches too wide. The hood says gap to 0.040, but they were all gaped to 0.045. Just to check, the hood under another Durango ('01 R/T) says to gap the plugs to 0.040, yet the plugs in it were also gapped to 0.045 inches.

I've included a pic of two of the plugs. Also, the rear two plugs on the passenger side had oil on the top portion of the threads, but no oil near the electrodes themselves. Those two also showed the same level of wear as the rest of the plugs.

As for missing all the time, my seat-of-the-pants test says probably not, or at least not as dramatically. When I back off the gas, the engine feels like its gaining power, it just won't rev higher than 3250 or so. But, it's progressive -- the harder I push, the less power I get until I reach the point of diminishing returns. That point is about 3250 RPM at about 80-ish mph on level ground. Much slower on an incline. Today, it slowed down to 57 mph going up hill coming home.

Trying to find someone who'll pull my codes for free. Coming up dry. Sucks!

My plugs: http://www.geocities.com/rdbivins3/plugs_close.jpg

--Robert
 
#16 ·
He's in CA and the state doesn't allow shops to pull codes for free. An inexpensive reader is below $100 and worth the cost as a shop is going to charge an hour of labor just to read it anyway.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#17 ·
Discussion starter · #18 ·
tomk said:
Ah, California. I forgot about that.

www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94169 should do the trick.

They probably have a store near you, they're all over California.

?tom
Click to expand...
Yup, California sucks. Harbor Freight has a new location near me (a little surprising in this economy.) Will that $40 scanner really do the trick for me? Do you happen to know if it'll do real-time readings? This is starting to sound too good to be true.

--Robert
 
#19 ·
Click on the green "Download Product Manual" block and you can read the entire user manual. It'll give you the codes and the readiness test status and will reset the MIL, but it won't give you sensor readings, real-time or stored.
 
#20 ·
usually need a much more expensive one to get realtime readings. I know my autoxray will do it. you could check the manual for the $140 one that HF has and see if it'll do it.

?tom
 
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
About this Discussion
23 Replies
6 Participants
Last post:
rbivins
Dodge Durango Forum
posts
509K
members
60K
Since
2004
Welcome to the best Dodge Durango Forum around, where you can find a great Dodge Durango Wiki and discuss the reliability of the different trim levels including the GT and SRT!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Durango Discussions 2014+ Durango Discussions 1998-03 Durango Discussions Dodge Durango 2018+ SRT and Hellcat Durango Purchasing