Gather near I suspect youll wanna watch this one!

Well I have gotten a real appreciation for the Crossfire as I have been studing and reading the manual and fault code lists trying to gain the edge on fixing my engine. At wide open throttle I would get a BAS/ESP fault light as the engine would STOP and let the car coast to a stop........Bummer Dude.

I have pulled and opened everything I could think of and asked everybody for thoughts and help..........Nothing came to the top and I was still limited. The PO221 code could be the throttle and also the main computer and the throttle body.........AARRUGH! Nothing seemed to make sense and I was stuck with a car that could not go full throttle, what a retarded situation that was.

WAS, yup I got the bug killed and Iam here to tell you what I located and how it was fixed. In the army I was taught how to kill snakes instantly, simply cut off their tail. When trouble shooting BIG BAD SNAKES you only need to determine which end had the biter.

The PO221 code was for throttle body and or Accelorator Pedal Position sensor (APP). I finally went to the pedal (gas) and pulled it and after inspection opened the $178 part that is not servicable. After studing it and taking photos I replaced it without any change or improvement.

After much study on the internet if became apparent that the throttle bodies can get out of calibration ( DRIFT ). This is a $700 dollars part and it is NOT SERVICABLE also. I pulled the throttle body (easy job - 10 minutes) and decided to open it up too. What the heck the cars not running well now so whats the biggy deal anyway.

The Throttle body has an electronic module on its side that is held on with some really classy clips like your SRT fan only different. In a clean area and with NO RUSH I dissassembled it like a live bomb, taking my time . This could end up as a one way trip to spending $700 if you are not really cool here.

With GREAT care I pried the modules apart with a small screw driver, you cant yank it apart with your hands. When separated the halves look like the pictures attached. The sensor is a pair of resistive patterns that the movable wipers run against.....DONT TOUCH ANYTHING With your fat dirty fingers.

I cleaned the pattern with some brake cleaner and blew off the excess to clean the pattern. The wipers were dirty and giving me a false reading as the car NOW runs all the way up without issue. Looking at the picture you can see the fine wire wipers that are geared to move with the throttle plate. As the throttle plate is moved by the electric motor driver, the resistor wipers change their readings indicating their positions to allow feeback to the computer control loop.

After I cleaned My sensor plate I very carefully put the two halves of this $700 assy back together and then rotated the plate to be sure that it felt smooth. Replacing the clips with my thumbs was very satisfying as I felt good about this fix, testing was of course FUN. After the Throttle Body was bolted up I went out and PUNCHED IT and it WAS GOOD.

Full power without any codes after all 4 speeds (Not 5th yet). Typically I would have nose dived in 2 seconds of full power, now its back to my good old car. YESS and it is great to have done it without the dealership, BTW they had no suggestions after looking into the system. But you know that the repair would have been parts and waiting for them to be SHIPPED in to them to TRY.

WEE I feel all tingly , could it be the disconnected CAI sound of the supercharger? Probably.

THIS I believe is going to be repeated in other cars mark my words. They are all built the same (SRT's) and similar errors faults will occure like kids with their teeth falling out in grade school. This is the power of the FORUM, may it all live long.

Study the photos and let me know what you think.

Fixed this one, Yess Iam Enjoying it now. Woody

 

I think 240M3SRT may have already pointed this out.....but you have a very interesting "way" with words my friend. Anyway, I must say CONGRATS and WELL DONE. Now go back out and run the SH*T outta that car!!!

 

Respect. Thanks for the write-up.

 

Woody -

I get all tingly just reading your posts. Please keep 'em coming!!

GEEZER

 

ditto...that was a grt read...

 

Great post. Just like the relay controle module and everything else in our car with contacts and potentiometer's. All will eventually require some cleaning, but now at least curiosity of opening the part and cleaning will be an option. thanks for risking your throttle body for the sake of research.

 

Waldig....... I've read your post twice and still have no idea what freakin part (looked at all the pictures also) we are talking about but I'm still impressed as all get out!

 

its the second to last pic. he took off the black cover off the throttle body and that's whats inside.

 

good work ......

 

Wow very nicely and interesting read. I only wish this was found out a bit earlier. Although im not sure if what Im thinking is closely related.

My car would do the same thing...at wide open throttle the BAS/ESP light would come on and it would act as if it had nothing in it.

But the fix was replacing the whole supercharger assembly. I guess that wasn't even needed if the problem was the same. Im not that mechanically inclined so Im not sure if it is or not.

 

Good write up and good info to know, thanks for risking the parts.

 

Waldig,
Do you have any interest in working for Chrysler as the Master Crossfire Mechanic ? Excellent job!

 

thanks we needed that. jim

 

As always, an amazing writeup by the Hemingway of XFires!! Very interesting and informative.

"The PO221 code was for throttle body and or Accelorator Pedal Position sensor (APP). I finally went to the pedal (gas) and pulled it and after inspection opened the $178 part that is not servicable. After studing it and taking photos I replaced it without any change or improvement."

I think we would like to see your photos of you "studing it". On second thought, never mind.....

 

Good bird-doggin’ Woody! Sorry I missed your PM.
Looks like you got things squared away.

 

Woody, I couldn't agree more with the rest of the group. You are amazing.
Only one thing has me just a bit jittery about your work, though. What in
the world are you doing with a Sawzall in your Crossfire! Have you lost
your mind? These cars require surgical instruments, not slash and burn
technology

Keep up the good work, and be sure to give us some more of the home
brew fixes.

Coyote

 

Freaking ta da................YOU SIR {{ COYOTE}} ARE IT.................YOU FOUND ME OUT......................OUT OF ALL THE POSTING YOU SIR ARE THE FIRST TO CATCH ME.

A WHILE AGO I PUT IN SOME POSTS THAT WERE LIGHT HEARTED AND SORT OF MET WITH A FIRESTORM OF NEGATIVE VIBES. A FEW WERE P.O.ED AND GOT RATHER WORDY ......EVEN WANTED TO BAN ME.


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I DECIDED TO HAVE MY WAY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE BEEN PUNKING MY ARTICLES. YOU SIR ARE THE FIRST SO FAR TO FIND ME OUT, INDEED.

MY ARTICLES THOUGH ACCURATE AND ABOVE BOARD HAVE BEEN CARRYING A SINISTER MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE THE FIRST TO NOTICE.

I HAVE BEEN ADDING THINGS TO MY PHOTOS THAT DID NOT BELONG AND SOME OF THE SCENES HAVE ADDED IMAGES THAT WERE SORTA FUNNY. YOU SIR ARE THE FIRST TO PICKUP ON ONE OF THEM. FOR GODS SAKE A SAWZALL...........WTF, OVER.

ITS BEEN A LONG TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN INSERTING THE EXTRA ELEMENTS AND I TRUST THAT MORE WILL BE NOTICED BUT YOU SIR ARE THE FIRST TO SEE ONE. BINGO GO TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS.

I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE LOOK AT OTHERS PICTURES AND GET DETAILED ABOUT THE IMAGE, SOOOOOOOOOOOO I ADDED A FEW EXTRAS TO ADD TO THE ENJOYMENT OF THE READERSHIP............BUT YOU SIR WERE THE FIRST, THAT YOU CAN TAKE TO WORK AND PUT ON THE WALL OF YOUR CUBICAL.

CONGRATULATIONS, TO MY FIRST IMAGE DETECTOR................TAA DAAAAA. YOU GOT ME.

ENJOY, WOODY (THEY ARE DIFFUSE, IN THAT NOT EVERY POST HAS ONE SOME HAVE MORE THAN ONE TO AVERAGE IT OUT). THIS MAKES ME SMILE, I HAVE HAD MY WAY FOR A WHILE BUT NOW I HAVE BEEN BUSTED BY YOU SIR.

 

Woody,

Excellent way to track down a problem!

I think that whoever designed that throttle body feedback potentiometer did a crappy job. I would never put a potentiometer in an engine bay environment. I would have gone with an optical sensor, like computer mice use on their wheels. With that inside of a sealed unit, you would NEVER have the issue that you did.

Once again... Excellent work!

 

true ... good job thanks again

 

This way costs less. Think of when the Crossfire, hel the SLK was in just the drawing phases. Pots are cheap, been around for awhile. The factory don't give diddly-$h1t about us end users and with their grandiose dreams of pushing millions of units, for every pot the sell over the optical sensor (which would be fan-frickin-tastic) would save themselves 5cents a piece sold.

It's crazy how automakers don't want to give us what we. As if the public don't get in accidents and whatnot. We'll always be buying cars. I'm gonna stop here because I can rant on all automakers for hours on end.

Woody, you're awesome!! Keep it up. Never tire. Never fail. Never stop. Ever.


Justin