I went out to my T&C and hit the ignition as I was wont to do and it did not do as it customarily did, that is, start. The engine starter just did its thing but the engine acted like there was no spark getting to the plugs. The time before, when it did start for me it was harder to start than it had ever been before. It took several tries to coax the engine to keep running. It started, then stalled...started, then stalled. But this time...nothing, other than the starter running. Do I need a computer part or something? Thanks for any ideas on this beast.

 

are you lights flashing on the car? sometimes the computer will think the alarms is activated,even though you don't even have an alarm.not sure if thats the case here.

 

Thanks for the input moe, but the lights weren't flashing. I'm guessing, and that'sa big guess, that perhaps a computer sensor is out somewhere. I tried tapping hard on the dash (saw that in a thread here somewhere) but that had no effect either.

 

Was talking to a "sort-of" mechanic who suggested that perhaps the voltage regulator in the alternator was shot. He said that would cause the sparks to not go to the plugs. Is this the case?

 

By the way, is there a way that I can check the alternator on the vehicle without going to the trouble of removing it first? (I'm stuck here at the house with no way to get the part to Schuck's, etc. to have it checked.)

 

alternator has got nothing to do with cranking the engine.

it's easy to test spark plugs.
take out one of them, connect it to the spark plug cable and put the tip of the plug on the metal part of the engine. now have somebody cranking the engine. if electric part is OK, you will see the spark.
if you have no spark on the plug, then you have to look immobiliser, cam sensor, crank sensor, DIS.....

 

Thanks for the input I Wonder. I know that the alternator has nothing to do with the engine cranking - that's a starter issue. My question was whether the voltage regulator being out would keep sparks from reaching the plugs. Anyway, am going out to test the spark plugs as you suggested.

I believe the first thing I shall do, however, is take the gas line loose and see if the engine is even getting gas. Maybe the fuel pump is out. Then I'll check the plugs.

 

well
if there's enough power in the battery to crank the engine, there's certanly enough power to supply spark plugs. so, forget about the alternator. thats not the issue, not until you start the engine.

if you loosen the fuel line, you'll get sprayed with fuel. don't do that.
first you check spark plugs. if you have spark, than we can try to do something about the fuel.
as first, do you hear the noise of the fuel pump when you turn the ignition on? it should last a couple of seconds and then it should stop if you don't start cranking.
anyway, if you crank the engine for a while and it doesn't start, there will be a significant fuel odour at the back of the car, by the tail pipe. that will tell you that the fuel is reaching the engine.

what's buzzing me, is that the engine started and then died.
without that, my first guess would be crankshaft sensor. might be a good idea to take it down, clean the tip of it and to clean the place where it sits.
same thing goes for cam sensor.