Starting - Dodge - Intrepid :: Engine Sludge / Car Wouldn't Start Without Being Jumped Off
Jan 29, 2011
We have a poorly maintained 2001 Dodge Intrepid 2.7L with 155,000 miles on it. Over the Christmas break, we left it untouched in the driveway for a month. After that it wouldn't start without being jumped off, and the oil light flickered when the car idled. We had the battery, alternator, and starter checked at a local shop; all of them checked out fine. Nevertheless, the car wouldn't start without being jumped off. It would click once, and then nothing. We also noticed it was overdue by 2,000 miles for an oil change, and thought this may be causing the oil light issue. Since the 2.7L Intrepids are notorious for engine sludge, we added a couple of ounces of Seafoam, drove about 15 miles, and then took it in for an oil change. Now it starts without a jump. So my question is Is there any way that oil sludge (and perhaps a weak starter?) is the issue?
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My 2004 Intrepid with 100,100 miles runs and starts fine until a temperature change occurs. When that happens, and first starting, the engine will rev up and the check engine light will come. I don't drive it for awhile and then it starts and runs fine, but the check engine light is still on. I've changed various sensors, and the throttle body assembly. Still not fixed. What could be causing this? It has a 2.7 engine.
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Here is the history of the car. 1997 Dodge Intrepid, 3.3L V6, close to 200k miles. Bought used 8 years ago.
Engine was replaced by previous owner due to front end accident at 90k (about, memory is fuzz on the full miles). Previous owner was a sales lady and had a repair log. Kept car running like a coo-coo clock since work paid for the maintenance. Her insurance paid for the repair then her work would not continue to pay for upkeep, due to accident. Since I bought the car, I kept in the same frame of mind of maintenance and upkeep.
- Oil is changed regularly and on time (no burning or loss, still filled to levels with synthetic high mileage oil) (Color - maple syrup amber, due to be changed in 500 or so miles)
- Water pump changed 3 months ago (no oil in the res. tank)
- Alt. changed in 2006 (30 - 35k miles ago)
- Ignition Coil and spark plug wires in 2006 (30 - 35k miles ago)
- Battery replaced in 2007 with a new one)
- Spark plugs last Feb. (about 10k miles ago - Look semi clean and are all gaped still to the manual specs) as well as the 2 belts on the engine.
(Timing chain same age as the replaced engine at 90k)
- All the instrument panel lights work, as well as head, turn signals, interior and tail.
Has for a long time (4 years or so), has an engine light on for an O2 sensor (Code 0134 and the meter I have).
The exhaust system had disconnected from the Catalytic Converter (engine side) last winter (9 months or so ago) due to weathering (clamps rusted off and pipes separated). Recently I repaired this 2 weeks ago (noting heavy black soot in the pipes and around the area on the underside). Once replaced had a cloud of soot when I floor the gas hard while driving.
Yesterday while driving after 10 mins from home while accelerating I noticed a loss of power (slowing down) instinct was to press the gas, did so, and slowed down even more. Car drifted to a stop, engine power was also gone (power steering was gone also). When this happened, there was No banging, or clunks, or loud sounds, or overtly ominous clouds of smoke. Engine turned off (while costing to a stop the engine acted as if out of gas - hence no power steering). Got a tow home.
The starter turns the engine over with no clatter, banging, or clunks. No backfires or "Coughing". Same sound as of before, but won't catch and run under own power. (Still acts like no gas, but has half a tank) (battery still has a full charge - spark plugs still spark - took one out of engine while still connected to spark plug cable grounded to engine for testing. No overtly heavy gas smell or residue on plug or during test).
My friend who assisted in the exhaust repair says that it is not the Catalytic Converter being clogged (I believe it is). His suggestion is a faulty sensor somewhere else, maybe cam/crank sensor, maybe MAP sensor, maybe ignition switch, bad EGR or even a bad ASD relay. Don't want to be buying parts to no end on this, need other input to narrow down a direction.
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96 intrepid, 3.5 motor. Runs fine, no loss of power or odd behavior but will just die. Like flipping a switch. Refuses to start. I checked fuel pressure and it's good. No codes. Does this motor have a MAF? Sure can't find one. It has the odd split intake plenum. 1 air box but 2 separate inlet ducts to each side of motor. The motor is not transverse. It has 2 throttle bodies on the firewall side of motor with a shaft that runs between them. So eventually it starts. Idles fine. I watch it idle. And click, it shuts off.
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Last weekend, the car wouldn't start after sitting for a few hours. After about 20 minutes it finally started. It has started and ran fine up until today. Same thing, it was parked for a while and wouldn't start. Then it did start, ran horribly, then died when it was put into gear. Then it started and ran just fine, my friend moved the car, parked it and turned it off and of course it wouldn't start after that.
I've done a lot of work to this car myself, including entire tune up, fuel filter, cam AND crank sensors (notorious problems on these cars), ignition switch, oxygen sensors, several other things in the past year or so. My only hunch is that it might be the auto shut down relay, but I'm not with the car so I can't test that. We had fuel pressure at the test port the first time this happened, so I wasn't really thinking it could be a fuel pump issue, but with over 210,000 miles anything is possible. Also, it sometimes dies when the car comes to a stop with the A/C on...but this doesn't happen very often.
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The two Radiator fans are always running even at start up on a cold day. I have not had time to investigate as yet but I am assuming it is the temperature sensor located near the thermostat or a relay. No CEL on. What it likely is and how to approach the trouble shooting?
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I have been to several mechanics, no one can find anything wrong with it. This 1999 dodge intrepid only has 75,000 miles on it. While driving the engine turns off and will not turn back on for 30 minutes to hours. it does not happen all the time. The mechanic said there is nothing wrong with the car, and as soon as i went to pick it up driving it back home it turned off again?
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I have a 2003 Dodge Intrepid SE 2.7L with 170,xxx miles.... My check engine light came on and is showing the codes P0562, P1776, P0871, P0441, P0700, and P0440. While driving, the car jerks and then i only have 2nd gear. If i shut the car off and turn it back on everything runs normal again for a little while. i had my battery and alternator checked and both tested good. What could be causing these codes and why only 2nd gear (Limp Mode)?
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2003 1.8t gti ... Today when I got in my car...it fired up perfectly normal but when I got in it from leaving school it took 5min to fire up. The engine turned over but wouldn't fire all the time as if the spark plugs were bad. So I bought new NGK spark plugs and had the same issue just a little bit ago.
I know the obvious thing would be to change the ignition coils but they're out of stock everywhere so I have to have them shipped. My question is is the ignition coils the problem? They looked a bit worn but nothing serious.
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Sometimes, when the engine is at normal operating temperature, it won't start up when I turn it off. For example, let's say on my way home I stop off in a supermarket to pick up some stuff. I'll come back out 20 minutes or so later, only to find out my car isn't starting. I'll turn the key and the engine will crank, shake and then immediately die on me [I'm under the impression the engine isn't even starting at this point because tapping the gas does nothing]. Again, this is a problem that is only happening sometimes. I can do the same routine tomorrow and it'll start up flawlessly.
1) This is only an intermittent problem. The problem doesn't seem to be occurring more frequently, but when it does happen, the engine is harder to start. For example, the first time this happened to me, I got it started after one or two tries. After my latest episode, it took me 11 tries to get it running!
2) After the engine does finally start, the engine will run really rough and shake a lot until I tap the gas a few times (which is leading me to believe this is some sort of fuel related problem [sometimes, the engine will start on one try, but will run rough until I tap the gas a few times]).
3) When the car is cold, it starts up flawlessly every time without fail.
4) The car runs mint! No hesitation or otherwise stalling, etc.
What I've done so far to try to remedy the problem:
1) Changed spark plugs
2) Fuel line cleaning/flush
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I have a 2002 dodge intrepid that wont crank over sometimes unless I take the key and keep moving from the start position to the off position ,then it finally engages. I have replaced the battery, but I thought if it was a starter issue, it would click more than once.
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I backed out of the drive way with My 96 Dodge Intrepid yesterday and when I put it in drive I noticed the CEL came was on. Seemed like it came on with in a few seconds of driving forward. I was driving slow as that is what is called for in my neighborhood and all seemed ok. About 2 minutes later when I was going about 40 I noticed the Tach was at about 3k. I seems it will not shift into 3rd. I moved the shift lever several times and it did not seem to impact anything. I immediately drove home and used my other car to go to my appointment. It did seem to shift fine other than that.It never got to warm so I did not check the fluid but I did check it a few days earlier and it was ok. We had snow the previous day and I would have noticed any leaks on the drive way, which I did look for, and did not find any.
I know I need to get the CEL read. I need to drive about 10 miles to get somewhere to do that. Is there anything else I can check or try before hand? My guess is it is an electrical issue as it happened fast with out any warning. I don't have a lot of experience with transmissions but my guess is it is a solenoid not working. It may be fried or it is not getting a signal. Possibly VSS or something in the powertrain module or what every they call it in Chrysler world?
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I have 2004 Dodge Intrepid 3.5L with 153K miles. For the past tow months I am getting oil in the radiator but NO antifreeze in the oil. Oil level gets low but the transmission fluid is fine. No coolant smoke, No Oil smoke, Have been draining coolant, Passed emission 3-months ago, Gas mileage is fine @ 23MPG. I have to add about quart a month (1000?-miles). I have been using Mobile-1 synthetic since bought the car at 108K. Currently 153K miles on the engine. Two years ago water pump and timing belt was replaced. If it is the head gasket then why oil is fine and no coolant in the oil. It is Not transmission Fluid either.
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See the log (with videos): [URL] .....
Every time the mechanic tried to start it worked just fine. It appeared to happen more under the following circumstances: drove day before, hot the day of, cooled down and then won't start. I just recently picked it back up and it's been starting fine...which leads to the theory that it's connected to hot weather...but I expect to have problems in the future and the fear of getting stranded is not nice.
PS. Car has 90K miles, regular oil changes but not sure what else (a "hand-me-down" that got lined up with the others in my parent's driveway to change the oil - I don't know if my sisters did any major work on it and we've all switched cars so much it's hard to remember what had what done.)
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I have a 1997 Dodge Intrepid automatic v6. My battery light is lightup on the dash board so I figured my battery was dying due to loss of power in the vehicle, or the alternator going out. I took off the negative wire to the battery and the car continued to run, as Ive been told that by doing this, if the car dies then the alternator is bad. I checked the battery and it reads 14 volts, so I believe the battery is good? I do have a sound system in the car and have a 1500 watt amp connected, the previous owners also had a stereo system and however they rigged there's was totally a mess as the wires were all, just a mess. As of today, the car has died, and when we jumped it it did start up, but was not able to keep power, the dash lights would not come on, basically anything that had to do with electric stuff was not working? I did just get a tune up and oil change, new spark plugs and wires, and also it has been over heating.....
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I have a 98 Dodge Intrepid and it smokes when I pull out. I was told it may be the valve seals. Is this true? Could it be the rings? It doesnt seem to smoke when I go up hills just when I pull out.. Is there an easy fix?
What are some problems I can expect with this car? I have 107,000 miles and am wondering when can I expect the timing belt to fail? What are some things I may have to fix?
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I have a 1999 Dodge Intrepid 2.7 L DOHC that continues to run hot. I have replaced the thermostat, fans, relief value and have done a radiator flush.
After I have had these things done the car does fine for about a week then back to the same old crap. I can drive about 40 miles in the morning time nothing happens. In the afternoon about 20 miles then the temp gauge starts rising so I turn on my heater for about 5 minutes till it goes down then turn the ac back on for the next 20 miles home and does fine.
If I turn the car off for about 10 minutes or less then crank it back up the temp gauge jumps way up there I sit and let it idle till it goes back down on its own without the heater.
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I recieved a smog check and I fail one small problem. but what do this code stands for PO441?
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My 01 Dodge Intrepid has a year old rebuilt engine and a yr. old master computer. Past two months, just dies while driving. Try to start and just turns over and over and over. Once it sits for two days, it will start right up first try. Twice it has died at the same spot on the highway entrance ramp! Seems like a clogged fuel filter but shop says there is plenty of fuel and good pressure. They think it is the computer and needs to be "flashed" at a dealer. I smell oil burning on the engine and the oil light keeps coming on but the oil was just changed and is still full and clean? (The first time it went in for this problem the guy just replaced a relay--doesn't show any codes).
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I have a 97 intrepid with3.5 replaced fuel injector ran worse replaced fuel pressure reg ran little better won't stay running replaced fuel pump sound a lot better runs longer but still dies to replace air control vial runs even better but RPMs stay at 3500 for a min then dies down to 500 rpm then just dies, whats wrong with this car ?
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I was trying to look up how to change the battery in a 1999 dodge intrepid. When I looked on line I got different ways to change it. One was removing the front tire and remove it from below. The other is to remove air cleaner and other items and remove from the top. Which way is it?
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