94 Viper cut out whilst driving and won’t start.

[Tytan]

Hi All.

First time poster. I have a 94 that was running rough whilst at a slow cruise, would sometimes cut out when coming to a stop. I just assumed it didn’t like to be driven around neighborhood streets and preferred to be on the open road.

I was driving around the neighborhood just to get it out for a bit and it just cut out, I pulled over, tried to start and it cranks, but won’t start. I can disarm the car with the alarm fob, even after removing the battery. I have had the battery checked at the auto parts store and it is good and fully charged. I don’t hear the fuel pump kick in when I turn the key. I replaced the relay in the truck thinking that might be the issue from what I have read from the parts store and still nothing. If I jump the terminals to test the pump, it seems to be working as I can hear it and it gives me fuel at the Schrader valve. When I plug the relay back in, nothing at the Schrader valve after cranking, with the old relay or new relay, same result.

It has 1/4 tank of gas, so can’t imagine that is the issue. I have checked the engine bay and can’t see anything obvious, burnt wires or anything loose or unplugged. I’m not a mechanic, so my knowledge is pretty limited.

I checked the fuses under the passenger side dash and all of them are good.

Is there something obvious that I am missing? Bought the car a few months back and have only driven it a few hundred miles as the weather has been less than ideal. I’ve tried to search the forums and I just can’t find anything that seems to be the same issue I’m having that wasn’t resolved with an easy fix. I’m not sure it is alarm related as I never use it, but I could be wrong. I’ll admit that I can be wrong, especially when I don’t have a clue on what could be wrong.

If it isn’t something that I can diagnose myself, or through advise from others, if someone can recommend a mechanic around the Jersey Shore area to have a look at what is wrong. Summer is here and I’d like to actually be able to use the car before the winter comes around.

I’d be very appreciative for some feedback or recommendations for a good mechanic around the Manasquan area of the Jersey Shore that could help me. Thank you.

 

[daveg]

Fuel Pump Relay? Try reseating / check it.
Viper Wizard is in NY (Tator's Garage)

 

[Steve-Indy]

When you wrote about jumping the terminals to test fuel pump, were you referring to jumping the sockets for the fuel pump relay or did you mean the terminals on the fuel pump itself?

If you meant the fuel pump relay's sockets (obviously with relay removed), was the 12 volt source the socket for pin 30 or 86 ?

Have you tested the voltage at fuel pump socket 86 with the ignition on to the run position ?

 

[Goggles Pizano]

Could be ASD relay.
You have more that you need to test but it needs to be systematic.
I can only help so much as I don't have a service manual for gen1 (only crude manual access). Only full manuals for 97 and 98.

 

[Goggles Pizano]

Just tell us what you are capable of doing and if you have a digit voltmeter.

 

[white out]

Pop off relay and jump it like you did. Go drive the car. If that fixes it, then you can figure out what is causing the relay to not work (I had that problem with a prior car, but sold before fixing it).

 

[Tytan]

When you wrote about jumping the terminals to test fuel pump, were you referring to jumping the sockets for the fuel pump relay or did you mean the terminals on the fuel pump itself?

If you meant the fuel pump relay's sockets (obviously with relay removed), was the 12 volt source the socket for pin 30 or 86 ?

Have you tested the voltage at fuel pump socket 86 with the ignition on to the run position ?

Hi Steve.

Yeah, that was at the relay socket.

I’ll have to check the numbers, to confirm. I haven’t checked the voltage with the ignition on, I’ll do that over the weekend when I get a chance.

 

[Tytan]

Pop off relay and jump it like you did. Go drive the car. If that fixes it, then you can figure out what is causing the relay to not work (I had that problem with a prior car, but sold before fixing it).

Tried that. Still doesn’t start.

 

[Tytan]

Just tell us what you are capable of doing and if you have a digit voltmeter.

I’m sure I can carry out any suggestion, yeah, I do have a voltmeter.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Contact me before you dig any deeper.

 

[white out]

Tried that. Still doesn’t start.

So if you remove the relay and jump it, the pump primes but the car still won't start?

 

[99RT10GTS]

Spray in some starter fluid, see if it at least fires up for a few seconds.

 

[Mopar4me]

I have a 94 with 5,000 miles and after sitting for a long period in my garage I attempted to start it and it would crank but not fire. I checked the fuel pump relay and a few other things. No spark. Put a DRB on the PCM and the PCM was dead. Talked to Dan at The Viper Store. He said the power supply had probably melted down and recommended that I send in the PCM and the ECM for a rebuild as they are both 30 years old. Got them back and car fired right up and ran like new. Good for another 30 years.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Dan is The Man in this area...amongst others !!

 

[Viper Specialty]

I have a 94 with 5,000 miles and after sitting for a long period in my garage I attempted to start it and it would crank but not fire. I checked the fuel pump relay and a few other things. No spark. Put a DRB on the PCM and the PCM was dead. Talked to Dan at The Viper Store. He said the power supply had probably melted down and recommended that I send in the PCM and the ECM for a rebuild as they are both 30 years old. Got them back and car fired right up and ran like new. Good for another 30 years.

I am assuming that's you Mike?

Just wanted to correct that company name for anyone reading; I did the remanufacture here at Viper Specialty, not TVS... ha! The Viper Store is a competitor/customer, LOL!

 

[Tytan]

Thanks for the feedback to everyone that replied. I spoke with Dan and am shipping a couple of parts to him. He was extremely helpful and he took time out of his Sunday to jump on a call with me to do a few diagnostics.

I’ll update this thread once he’s managed to have a look at the parts for anyone else in the future that may have the same issue.