Starts Idles dies, now won't start? (Not my car)

[DuhNeon179]

I was driving home from a park and this neon was pulled over to the side. It was 2 girls about 17-18 and I pulled over to help them out see what was wrong. It's the same year and model as mine ('03 SXT). She claims that her car was smoking. Her car just had a timing belt, cylinder head (1), looks like he ghetto rigged the fuel injectors. And got a oil change. (A do it yourself guy fixed this car FYI). I turn it on to see if it was smoking but it would start idle for a few seconds then turn off. Turned out the 3rd time I tried to start it, it just died. Wouldn't crank (Had power though, lights were on headlights were on, everything was on) Wouldn't start when I tried with the headlights on to see if it would go out no they stayed good. Now I noticed there was oil from the oil cap, oil on the fuse block which I'll never know why or how it got there. There was oil on the tranny as well? I don't know what he did but there was oil all over the bottom of the car, on the oil pan and tranny. That is what I'm thinking caused the smoke (he did overfill the oil too). So then i Noticed it had the MIL on. I lived about 4 blocks away not even and got my scan tool hooked it up. The codes were P0300, P0301 P0302 P0700. It was Random/Multiple Cylinder misfires, Cylinder Misfire 1, Cylinder Misfire 2 Tranny Control System Sensor (In the order of the codes). And a Cam shaft position sensor (The same problem I had). A Low system voltage code as well.

So my long story ends here:

#1 It would start then die, then won't start at all the fuel pump was OKAY you heard the click, so i'm thinking the Starter Motor went? Could you think of anything else? Ignition coil/wires were new. but the battery was really corroded

#2 What caused the smoke was it the oil? Can anyone explain the random moisture on the tranny, oil pan, gas cap, and fuse block.

#3 I got her number should I fix her car and if I do I need to know what the Tranny Control system is if anyone knows. Is it even worth fixing?


The car has about 125K miles an 2003 Dodge SXT.

[DuhNeon179]

I was driving home from a park and this neon was pulled over to the side. It was 2 girls about 17-18 and I pulled over to help them out see what was wrong. It's the same year and model as mine ('03 SXT). She claims that her car was smoking. Her car just had a timing belt, cylinder head (1), looks like he ghetto rigged the fuel injectors. And got a oil change. (A do it yourself guy fixed this car FYI). I turn it on to see if it was smoking but it would start idle for a few seconds then turn off. Turned out the 3rd time I tried to start it, it just died. Wouldn't crank (Had power though, lights were on headlights were on, everything was on) Wouldn't start when I tried with the headlights on to see if it would go out no they stayed good. Now I noticed there was oil from the oil cap, oil on the fuse block which I'll never know why or how it got there. There was oil on the tranny as well? I don't know what he did but there was oil all over the bottom of the car, on the oil pan and tranny. That is what I'm thinking caused the smoke (he did overfill the oil too). So then i Noticed it had the MIL on. I lived about 4 blocks away not even and got my scan tool hooked it up. The codes were P0300, P0301 P0302 P0700. It was Random/Multiple Cylinder misfires, Cylinder Misfire 1, Cylinder Misfire 2 Tranny Control System Sensor (In the order of the codes). And a Cam shaft position sensor (The same problem I had). A Low system voltage code as well.

So my long story ends here:

#1 It would start then die, then won't start at all the fuel pump was OKAY you heard the click, so i'm thinking the Starter Motor went? Could you think of anything else? Ignition coil/wires were new. but the battery was really corroded

#2 What caused the smoke was it the oil? Can anyone explain the random moisture on the tranny, oil pan, gas cap, and fuse block.

#3 I got her number should I fix her car and if I do I need to know what the Tranny Control system is if anyone knows. Is it even worth fixing?


The car has about 125K miles an 2003 Dodge SXT.

[theguyver007]

Wow... sounds troublesome... Id start by locating the leak of any fluids, if oil, valve cover gasket, headgasket, cam pos. sensor,Pcv..... if water id check the connections to the heater core which is right over the tranny ... If and i dont know!!! but if the guy did a bad job the head may not have been torqued correctly or may not have changed headgasket correctly... Im aiming towards the somewhat serious scenerio here i think lol... I think automatics have a few sensors ontop maybe some of the fluid your saying is over the tranny may have effected them somehow.. as far as it not starting id say check the sterter for voltage, but again if theres alot of fluid it may have shorted or something .. Check fuses , clean everything up.... Im no specialist but i always do everything to my car myself and ive had some nasty electrical grimlins always turned out to be something STUPID! that had me carless for a month at one point... "Ground screw not bolted up to rad support in first gen" " intirior lights blown fuse disableing immobolizer also in vw"

But anyway good luck, just random question here... Are they hot lmao....

[C1DoG]

If there is that much oil, sounds like it soaked the starter and killed it. Along with other things.

[theguyver007]

check your other post on same subject lol

[DuhNeon179]

My car had a camshaft sensor problem though it just took forever to start. This started right away idled for a second and died now it won't start, but if it's the same problem just someone tell me and have a mod lock it lol

[occasional demons]

It almost sounds like the SKIM locked it out. Low voltage could also be part of that problem. Oil may have soaked the alternator belt: No output. If the system voltage got low enough, it may have shut down the PCM.

Unless you're still working on the car, or are now dating the chick(s), is it really relevant anymore, other than curiosity?