I have a 2000 2500 4X4. My check engine light has been going on and off for a while. I know "fix it", but I haven't had time yet. Yesterday on one of my twenty trips running around town the tach quit working then I revved it up and it bounced around and the quit again. Half a mile later it started working again and didn't act up again. The truck has also been hard to start sometimes lately. I may have to crank then turn off key then try again or sometimes fires on the first crank.
Ben

 

Can I go to thew local parts store and get a code reader for my truck? Will the OBDII code reader they have for sale help with reading the check engine light?

 

Watch for other symptoms when your tach quits.

1. Watch your voltmeter when the tach quits, if it drops to 12 V then its likley to be the CPS.
2. I don't know how warm it is where you are but your A/C compressor will turn off to.

Your CPS (crankshaft position sensor), is where the tach gets its signal. The ECM also uses that signal to know if the engine is running or not. The there is no output from the CPS the ECM thinks the engine is not running and will turn off the A/C compressor and the alternator output, as both are computer controlled.

You can pull codes by doing this trick with the key. Turn the key in the following sequence: ON, OFF, ON, OFF, and then ON and leave it in the on position. Now watch your odometer window. It will read P PCU, then -------- if there are no codes, then P DONE. If there where codes instead of seeing --------, you would see P XXXX (four digit code, ex. P 0216). Thats the codes for the PCM, then in the odo you will see P ECU, ------- or codes, then P DONE. That scans the ECM for codes. *Note* this method pulls most codes, but not all. To get all codes you need the DRB III scan tool at the dealer. Hope this helps.

 

jrs _dodge I just went out and did exactly ike you said and got code 1693, then ----- then p done and went to mileage. How do I find the meaning of 1693?
Thank you for your help!!!!

 

Check out the TECH FACTS section at the top of the page or this link:


https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...&onlynewfaq=30

 

Search turned up this thread plus a bunch more.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...highlight=1693

Sounds like you need to visit someone with a high-dollar code reader.

 

Go to top of page and look for tech facts and click , then deffinitions , codes , should find in there , but also go to the ft. of eng. and diconnect crank sensor and feal for good connection while touching connector , once disconnected look at the pigtail & the sensor and look for dirt , lose andthing that looks like it could be a bad electrical contact , then look at comuptor grounds sometimes unscrew and see if a little rust or lose , put back to gether with dialectric grease .
Also when in the area of sensor use lite , mirror .and compressed air to blow out any dirt [ metal , theres a magnet in sensor and sometimes a little iron, road dust, can get in there and cause prob. same with any sensor that senses rotation , anti lock brakes , speed , even inside distributor of gasers] .
A bad electrical connection , wire ect. can give the same symtom as a bad sensor , so when ever I have an indicator of a sensor malfungtion I always check , clean and grease the connections then retest and if still bad then replace , [ if you do not have access to equipment to test sensors , volt -ohm meter for temp like and scope for movement sensors like crank , or throdle posision ]

 

Like the dealer ship or how high of dollar are you talking? The one at Checker Auto for $160

 

1693 is what is known as the "companion" code. All this means is there is a code in the ECM that can't be read using the key trick and you need a code scanner to read and clear it. A DRB III (Dodge dealer scanner) works. But do realize that 1693 can mean a lot of things.

Have you noticed any of the symtoms I mentioned earlier.

 

JRS Dodge The tach only actually wasn't working for a little while in city traffic, I didn't notice the volt meter and the AC is not on I am in northern Nevada. I have a buddy that has a code reader and we are going to try to see what it will tell us later this afternoon.
As far as seeing this CPS Crank shaft sensor do I have to take off the Serpentine belt? I have looked a few times and don't even see the sensor.

 

There isn't an easy answer to the cost of the professional scanners [ code readers are the cheap DIY tools that are very limited to reading codes only] then you step into Snap On and other after market pro. scanners , mine is from snap on starting at $2,500 witn just the basic software and on average each cartrage goes for about $500-800, so an independant shop can have up to $8,000-10,000 in a scanner , and to do the job right , a scope , starting at $1,500-2,500 , and the list goes on , as a one man shop , I had a one point $160,000 in tools and that didn't include the stuff that came with the shop , lift. aircompressor ect.
Then to talk about the DRB II- Cry , each manufacturer had there own deticated scanners , and it used to be that the after market shops couldn't get those , but I've seen then showing up the last few yrs.
This cost is why the owner has a decending number of choises , dealer, ind.shops, DIY parts houses , and then just you , and if thats where your at ,you still pay by not having enough of the diagnostic equipment to test & replace only the needed parts , and in a lot of shops ,becouse of the lack of whatever they'll also just through parts at it , even with all the tools , the pro. shop manuals will sometimes go - if you've got to this point in testing , replace with known good part and continue testing .

Some times I get started and can'nt stop.

Now what might happen is you'll find a simple fix [ connector ] and all these post will just be a long read .

 

No you don't have to pull the belt. The sensor is only in one of two locations :

On the crank pulley up front or mounted in the block behind the starter.

 

After I replaced my CPS, the CEL light was off, but the code was still there. Cleared it with an Actron reader and it has not come back on.
Go to Auto Zone or some other parts store and ask to have it read for FREE.

 

I got it scanned and got 0336 which is CPS and I got p1689 which the guys reader says is dealer code only. I lookeed in the list someone posted a link to earlier and it did not have P1689 Anyone got a better list that wants to help. Thanks

 

Here's one that I use in conjunction with the one in the tech facts section.
http://www.troublecodes.net/chrysler/96-01.shtml
Between the two, most codes can be had.

P1689 No Communication Between ECM & Injection Pump Module

Not a good code to have.


phox