Mystery car problem, help!!!

[Nanook]

So, the code read "cam shaft sensor". I had it replaced. Then I found out about a recall on the same thing so had it replaced at the dealer yesterday.

It still turns over hard when the engine is warm, but not 100% of the time. I wondered about the gas cap being tight enough, it almost seemed like if I gave it a few spins when the engine is warm, that it doesn't turn over hard. Well, that went out the window, it doesn't always help. It is not the original gas cap, but is about 2 years old now as I had the original one replaced over the engine light constantly coming on. That fixed the problem until a few months ago.

Then I read about the vacuum leak detector Hereso . Does anyone know if this is something that would be noticeable when the engine is warm, and if it would cause the car to turn over hard when the engine is warm?

For awhile, it even seemed that the amount of gas in the tank was related to how often this hard starting occurred. If I had 1/4 of a tank, it seemed regular, but if I had 3/4 of a tank, it was fine. not anymore.

I am ready to take the thing out to the back 40 and use it for target practice.

[j-kid]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Sounds like you are suffering some mild symptoms of vapor lock, or a fuel pressure problem.

Do you have a temperature gage in the car?

How does it idle, or run during these times?

Also, you did not say how old the car was, or Make and model?

[Nanook]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Thanks J-Kid, I am about to tear my hair out. It is an 04 Dodge Intrepid 6 cyl, with 100,500 miles on it. It has been doing this for the last 5,000 or so miles. It has never left me stranded (yet), but the turning over on my starter cannot be good! it has only done it 3 times total, on a cold start. It is very common when the engine is warm, but not consistently 100% of the time. After a couple of hard starts the engine light will come on, but then it goes off after 3 cold starts where the engine doesn't turn over excessively.

It does almost seem like there is a gas amount and gas cap connection, almost...my 1st mechanic said this all sounded like cam sensor, but...it isn't that.

[Nanook]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

PS..it seems to idle and run fine, though I did loose 1mpg lately. temp gauge is always running in the same spot when the engine is warmed up. The only visible thing is the hard starting.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Look like You need to change your fuel filters. The filter is not allolwing the high flow rate after operating for a while

[j-kid]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Could be, but shi should be seeing other drivability problems (sluggishness) if the filter is the case, and not just wen di engine is warm. Cant hurt to change it, because it definately seems fuel related. LISTEN close if you hear your intank fuel pump running. If you can it could be going ,or the screen could bi clogging up.. By di way hav yuh changed gas stations lately?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J kid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Could be, but shi should be seeing other drivability problems (sluggishness) if the filter is the case, and not just wen di engine is warm. Cant hurt to change it, because it definately seems fuel related. LISTEN close if you hear your intank fuel pump running. If you can it could be going ,or the screen could bi clogging up.. By di way hav yuh changed gas stations lately? </div></div>As you suggested it could be leak that affect the vacuum advance system with these variable valve advance system which advance the camshaft timing after the engine is heated.
In that case the controls would also affect heat/airconditioning controls.

[Nanook]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Thanks JKid and Dr. Dudd. Yesterday, for the hell of it because it was the cheapest fix, I bought a new gas cap. It did not help.

The reason for my inquiry is I am hoping to avoid what I imagine will be a huge cost if I go the route of &quot;leave it with my mechanic for a day&quot; where he can spend some time with it and hopefully find the problem. To do that would involve renting a car and everything, and frankly, before I went through all of that I am considering just replacing the car with one that will start first time, every time. I had not planned on that though, I put 200,000 miles on my last Intrepid and was planning to do the same with this one.

On Friday I test drove a Focus, but I was afraid I was gonna dislocate something getting in and out of such a little thing. I actually physically need a bigger car after 2 hip replacements and the Intrepid is perfect and rides so nice. I also just spent a pile of money on new tires for it a couple of months ago! dammit...this is frustrating.

[Nanook]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

I found someone else with the same problem, it sounds exactly like mine...

You can see &amp; hear the car here

[j-kid]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Wouldn't repairing the car be far less costly that buying another one?

By the way, do you have a remote start unit installed on this vehicle?

Dis you have the engine fault codes pulled for FREE at AutoZone, or Pep Boys?

One other thing to try is the ignition coil (for the spark-plugs). If it is going bad, when the car is warms or the weather is humid, the impedance will be higher and reduce the energy going to the spark plugs to start. It takes more energy to do a cold start, than to keep the vehicle running.

Aren't cars great! They can be very useful when working right, but at the same time they can drive you up the wall when something goes wrong and you don't have the fancy equipment to test them!

[Nanook]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

Ha! yes JKid, you are so right.

I do not want to buy a next car, I am just so disheartened I might be starting to hate this one. I have a mechanic who will put it on the tester for free, but we don't have pep Boys or Auto Zone here. The last test read cam sensor, which has now been replaced twice. I remember replacing the coil on my last Intrepid. I will let you know what happens next! Thanks JKid.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I found someone else with the same problem, it sounds exactly like mine...

You can see &amp; hear the car here </div></div>if you are going to buy a prewned car expect similar problems. A part of the condpirscy to take repairs from small shops and return it ti dealerships.
This is a common problem, easy to fix but difficult to diagnose.
Post the make model and year and i will see if i can pinpoint the problem

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nanook</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ha! yes JKid, you are so right.

I do not want to buy a next car, I am just so disheartened I might be starting to hate this one. I have a mechanic who will put it on the tester for free, but we don't have pep Boys or Auto Zone here. The last test read cam sensor, which has now been replaced twice. I remember replacing the coil on my last Intrepid. I will let you know what happens next! Thanks JKid. </div></div>Cam sensor does not usually mean the sensor is bad. But it should be checked since the reading is showing a fault that the sensor ptotects. Cam sensor faults are usually an anomaly in the vacuum advance system. This system adjust the fuel/air mixture and combustion time of the engine depending on it's state to maintain efficiency.
It is very simple to repair but need a dealer controled chart to pinpoint the exact fault based on the amperes on the meter.
Since every fault return a different ampere reading. But there are common ones and each make has different location of the faulty unit.

[j-kid]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

You are quite correct Dr. D, about the trickiness of analyzing the fault codes!

[Nanook]

Re: Mystery car problem, help!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cam sensor does not usually mean the sensor is bad. But it should be checked since the reading is showing a fault that the sensor ptotects. Cam sensor faults are usually an anomaly in the vacuum advance system. This system adjust the fuel/air mixture and combustion time of the engine depending on it's state to maintain efficiency.
It is very simple to repair but need a dealer controled chart to pinpoint the exact fault based on the amperes on the meter.
Since every fault return a different ampere reading. But there are common ones and each make has different location of the faulty unit.</div></div>

OK so instead of going to my mechanic, I should go to the dealer and have them look. Will do! Thank you Dr. Dudd. Hopefully my next trip to town will result in an answer.