On Thu, 21 Jul 2005, backally wrote:

> Duster won't start. Tracing fuel pressure, and no fuel runs out at the
> fuel filter when I unhook it and turn the engine over. Does not seem to
> be any electric power to the pump...I get 12 volts there for the blink
> of an eye when voltage checking it, then nothing. From there my
> Chiltons help is zilch.

Factory Service Manual, the one printed by Chrysler. Only way to go.

Your "12v for the blink of an eye" suggests the fuel pump control circuit
(SMEC, AIS relay, fuel pump relay and associated fusible links) is working
correctly, but the SMEC is for some reason disabling the fuel pump. The
most common reason for this is that it's not seeing a signal pulse from
the distributor pickup. To check, disconnect the battery for two minutes,
reconnect, crank the engine for 5 seconds, turn the key "off", then pull
the flash codes.

To check the computer codes:

With the engine off, switch the ignition key on-off-on-off-on, leaving it
"ON". Do not go to "start", just "on" during this procedure.

Watch the "Check Engine" light. It will turn on, then go off, then will
begin to flash-out any trouble codes that have been stored. For instance,
if it flashes:

flash <pause> flash flash
<long pause>
flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash
<long pause>
flash flash flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash

Then you have a 12 (one flash followed by two) a 35 (three and five) and a
55 (five and five). 12 means "start of codes", 55 means "end of codes"
or, if by itself, "No codes stored". Check the codes and report what you
find. If you get a code 11, the SMEC isn't seeing the distributor.

The most common reasons why the SMEC wouldn't see the distributor are, in
order from most to least likely:

-Dead hall effect pickup in the distributor
-Broken timing belt (distributor not turning)
-Broken intermediate shaft (distributor and oil pump not turning)

To eliminate the 2nd and 3rd on this list, remove the distributor cap and
observe the rotor while cranking the engine. If it turns, the timing belt
and intermediate shaft are intact. This doesn't necessarily mean the
timing belt is in acceptable condition; it could be loose and tattered and
maybe even jumped time, but it's present and turning the intermediate
shaft which is turning the distributor.

DS