It was the IOD fuse and it's unreal that little 10-amp fuse was the heart of everything that was wrong with the car! With it pulled out halfway, I could check it and knew the fuse was bad but we just could remove it. He finely said "I don't care if it breaks, it's coming out!". He went gorilla and it sounded like it broke but it just came loose. With the new fuse in place, everything came on; all the cluster lights, the interior lights, door locks, the lights on the center console, door locks, windows, the key FOB, and even the OBDII reader lit-up. I then checked for CEL codes and found P0442 and P0456; EVAP leak and very small EVAP leak. I had the same problem on my Ram and it was nothing more than the o-ring on the gas cap. He removed the fuel cap and found a kids band-aid and few other thing. After I cleared the codes, he started the car so he could check everything. The car sound great for an engine with 124K on it. While he was looking over the car, I removed the oil filler cap and shined my little LED light inside and again for 124K, it looked good. He liked what he saw inside as well and said he would get the oil sending unit.

That was about the time his wife came out and we told her what was found. She was over-the-moon happy and keep saying "NO WAY! NO WAY!". A minute or so later, she thought about it and she got mad. "You mean I worried because I had the kids in the car and drove with check engine light on, oil light blinking every time I stopped, no radio for more than 800-miles, and it's nothing more than a fuse, a bad gasket, and a sending unit?!" Somebody maybe sleeping a the sofa tonight.

He was offered $800-bucks during the week but that's with all the problems. I told them with all the problems and you're wanting to get rid of the car, that wasn't too bad of a price. But knowing what's going on, they should be able to get $1000 to $1200-bucks. Heck, the dealer would get about $2400-bucks for the Sebring.

Thanks for the help folks. I believe tomorrow is going to be a more relaxing day.

 

I got an update and some more info about what's going on.

They called the local Dodge dealer, Burns Motors, and were offered $1500-bucks for Sebring! They took the car to the car wash, then they were going to the dealer, and they off to dinner. When she left the car wash, the Sebring was just purring and everything was work prefect. A one of the stop lights, she texted her husband just how great the car was running and then joked "They should keep car!". She drove two more light towards the dealership, it started to lose power, and then stalled. The engine wouldn't restart and they had to have the car towed back to the house. She sent me a text this morning asking if I could bring the code reader and see what happen.

I walked over and they both came out to meet me. She and I were standing in front of the car with the hood up when he tried to start the engine; it sounded like it was dragging and didn't want to start. I put the code reader on the port and put the key in the run position. No codes, no nothing. I turned the key off then removed the reader, plugged the reader in again and moved the key to the run position again. Once again, nothing. I then thought I would try to start the engine with the smallest of chances that the PCM would throw a code or give some clue what was going on; the engine started. They were shocked and wonder what I did to get it to start! "Nothing, I just turn the key." The engine was running but it sounded like crap. When I heard the engine yesterday, it was smooth and it wasn't making any noise at all. Now it sounded like a very weak or maybe even a collapsed lash adjuster. I asked him to let it run a few minutes to see if the CEL came on. It didn't and he shut the engine down.

Here's where I got a-lot background info on the car. The car sat for six months and was only started or driven maybe once a month. The car then worked on for the trip to the RGV area. After the 800-mile drive, the car has sat for more than three years and again it has only been started or drive a handful of times during that whole three years. That means the quarter of tank of fuel is more than three years old. That was clue and told him I'd bet the tank had some water in it. I double checked the anti-freeze bottle for oil or crap and it was still clean. I then pulled, double checked the oil level, and smelled the oil. It had a hint of fuel but the engine was still cold and I had cycled the key a few time trying the something from the code reader so I felt that was 'Okay' as well. I started the engine again so I could double the for smoke or 'puffing' coming from the oil filler cap and again nothing. But this time, the engine was running smooth as again with no noise at all.

Okay, I then told him what I thought was going on....

Everything was running great until a small pocket was water hit the fuel system causing it to stall. Part of the reason for the noise is from the oil being more than three years old and it's weak. Plus there's fuel from a cold engine mixed in with the oil and that's not helping. And last, the last adjuster has 124K on it and it's showing it age. I went on to add that if it was my car, I would get a new oil pressure switch, change the oil, and put about half a tank of fresh fuel in the tank. After that, drive straight to the dealer and collect $1500-bucks and call it done.

I have only had my hands on and worked with a few of these 2.7L Mit' motors. Did I miss anything? Am I full of crap and got it all wrong?

 

Some more info...

He changed the oil and put some fresh fuel in the tank. The engine sounds better until he revs the engine a-little. It then has a nasty knock. I'll try to post a video clip as soon as I get home.

 

Well, forget about the clip because he had had it, got the car started, they made a dash for the dealership, and it stalled again. They got a-little farther this time but it did the same thing as it did yesterday. So this time, he left the Sebring and everybody drove to the dealership in the wife's SUV. They sold the car to the dealer and the dealer will have it towed to the lot. At this point, it looks like the only way this is going the get fixed is by dropping the fuel tank and there's no way he was going to go for that expense. Now they're just glad the car is gone and no longer their problem.

 

Yeah, I think its a clogged fuel filter. It'll run for a while until it gets fuel starved, then stalls. Sits for a while until enough fuel seeps through and then runs again for a while with no codes thrown. 3-year-old fuel will do that to just about anything.

The 2.7 is not a Mitsubishi engine. It's all Chrysler. The 2.5L and 3.0L v-6's were Mitsubishi engines.

 

It sure looks like the Mitsubishi motor I rebuild back '00 or maybe it was '01. Oh well, it's now called "Toasted".

When I lasted talked to him, the engine's oil dip stick was half a quart too high, smelled of fuel, and I told him right then that he needed to get that out of there because the over fill was raw gas. He said he was going to and then he would drive the car down the street to put half a tank of fuel in it then he also said he wanted to go ahead and replace the oil sending unit. I found out later this afternoon, he only put a one gallon of fuel in the tank with a bottle of Heet and that was it. He then got 2.5-miles away from the house, the rod started to knocking, and it then stalled. When he finely got the car started, it didn't even have power to get back on the road. That's when they drove to the dealer and blah blah blah. Instead of $1500, he got $300-bucks. His wife said they got more money for the riding lawn mower during garage sale. The lawns around here you can cut the front and back in about 15-minutes because there so small. So he didn't need the big mower any more. I'd bet someone's sleeping in the dog house for the next few days.

 

Well, I can't help with the doghouse problem, but if the car was a coupe, it would have had a Mitsubishi engine but it would not have been a 2.7L engine. Sedans and convertibles had either 2.4L (4 cylinder) or 2.7 L V-6's by Chrysler. Coupes were built by Mitsubishi and had Mitsu engines. The 2.7L was introduced with the 2001 model year. If it was a coupe, I think you can get to the fuel pump and filter via an access plate under the rear seat. You don't have to drop the tank like you do with the sedans and convertibles.

I'm surprised the dealer gave him even $300 for the car. Nowadays, they don't want to touch anything like that at any price. They point you straight to the junkyard.

 

Yea, I was surprise as well about the offer and money for the car but Burns Motors, in my option, is the finest dealership in the RGV. Mister Burns is our biggest sponsor for the South Texas Mopars and our yearly Make-A-Wish project vehicle.

The reason I feel he's in the dog house big time.... She's been working outside in the plus 100-degree heat for the last two weeks and counting during their garage sale. Image trying to do the garage sale with three small kids and new Terrier puppy. The car was going to be the capstone on top of the garage sales funds for their vacation. Only getting the $300-bucks is really going to hurt because even after two weeks, she's only been able to raise $200-bucks plus whatever she got for the riding mower. Last years vacation to the mountains was big bust because it was so hot and it rained for days. They came home early when they couldn't stand anymore wet and mud.

 

So was it a coupe or a sedan?

 

LXi coupe

.