Stuck relay
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Tacoma
Age: 73
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stuck relay
I’ve got a large current draw. When I connect the battery I hear a “frying egg” sound coming from the same box as the RCM is, however it isn’t coming from the RCM, which I had replaced in the past. The car starts and runs briefly. I can start it and run it three of four times before the voltage drops too much. At that point it will not turn over. Any ideas?
Last edited by tripley; 01-13-2019 at 09:14 PM.
Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Age: 64
Posts: 13,449
Received 878 Likes
on
684 Posts
Re: Stuck relay
There is ONE way to find where current is going. You can ask for "ideas', you can guess, you can search youtube videos - or you can do the ONE thing that will give you your answer: remove the battery ground cable from the battery post, insert an ammeter, and start yanking connections until you find where the current is going. You will need the diagrams in the service manual as well.
But no one wants to hear it, so I will stand down while others toss guesses at you.
But no one wants to hear it, so I will stand down while others toss guesses at you.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Tacoma
Age: 73
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Stuck relay
It’s drawing .01 amps across the meter, probably the four way flashers which are blinking. When I recharge the battery, I can get it to run momentarily three times. At that point the battery needs to be recharged. It seems to make little difference on the power draw if the key is turned on or off. I don’t have the sort of meter that will take the full amperage of starting. The starting three times is pretty predictable, I was thinking I might have a skreem issue, but for the battery being discharged. Any ideas?
Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Age: 64
Posts: 13,449
Received 878 Likes
on
684 Posts
Re: Stuck relay
.01 amp is 10 milliamps - the spec is .045 to .055 amp. Your readings seem very low for a Crossfire.
And above all: If you have .01 amp flow with flashers blinking, your meter is not accurate. Not even close.
Again, your meter is bad or you do not have it connected correctly.
All of your talk about "three times and the battery is dead" and "it runs three times and..." makes me think the SKREEM is bad.
FACT: Starting the car three times will not discharge the battery. PERIOD. You are misreading what is going on, OR you have a completely defective battery. If the battery is dead after three starts, you need a new battery, PERIOD.
But again, it sounds like you have a bad SKREEM -but I am reading between the lines, I"m not standing next to your car so I can't say for sure, but nothing you have posted lines up. Your current readings are invalid.
And above all: If you have .01 amp flow with flashers blinking, your meter is not accurate. Not even close.
It seems to make little difference on the power draw if the key is turned on or off.
All of your talk about "three times and the battery is dead" and "it runs three times and..." makes me think the SKREEM is bad.
FACT: Starting the car three times will not discharge the battery. PERIOD. You are misreading what is going on, OR you have a completely defective battery. If the battery is dead after three starts, you need a new battery, PERIOD.
But again, it sounds like you have a bad SKREEM -but I am reading between the lines, I"m not standing next to your car so I can't say for sure, but nothing you have posted lines up. Your current readings are invalid.
Last edited by pizzaguy; 01-14-2019 at 03:54 PM.
Senior Member
Re: Stuck relay
It’s drawing .01 amps across the meter, probably the four way flashers which are blinking. When I recharge the battery, I can get it to run momentarily three times. At that point the battery needs to be recharged. It seems to make little difference on the power draw if the key is turned on or off. I don’t have the sort of meter that will take the full amperage of starting. The starting three times is pretty predictable, I was thinking I might have a skreem issue, but for the battery being discharged. Any ideas?
Have you looked inside the RCM, it may be trying to run a seized air pump all the time. But the air pump has a fuse so it should have blown.
With that loss of powere so quick something has got to warm up really quick.
Are you sure the battery is good and has electrolyte in it. Does the battery get hot?
Is the starter/solenoid getting hot?
I am grabbing at straws here.
Last edited by onehundred80; 01-14-2019 at 03:59 PM.
Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Age: 64
Posts: 13,449
Received 878 Likes
on
684 Posts
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Tacoma
Age: 73
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Stuck relay
Battery is good, just months old and recharged by the parts store before this discharging episode. I just tried to start it again, three time started briefly then nothing, disconnected the battery, three times started briefly then nothing. The “frying egg” sound remains, but the battery doesn’t seem to be discharging as excessively. Flasher, fan or something intermittently stuck on? Now I’m thinking I’ve got a skreem problem. That will be interesting to solve as the keys are both not emitting signal, and you need to sink them to the car to complete the repair. I’m looking at a used ecm, skreem, door-ignition locks and key for $450 on fleabay? Anybody got a suggestion?
The car does not have a key which is working. What I’m thinking now is that I let the battery get discharged. Since I don’t have a working key, the skreem has nothing to sink to. I’m wondering if getting a working matching the VIN would do the trick. I see an ecm, skreem, ignition-door locket for sale on fleabay. I know a used skreem will not work. Will it behave with a matching ecm?
The car does not have a key which is working. What I’m thinking now is that I let the battery get discharged. Since I don’t have a working key, the skreem has nothing to sink to. I’m wondering if getting a working matching the VIN would do the trick. I see an ecm, skreem, ignition-door locket for sale on fleabay. I know a used skreem will not work. Will it behave with a matching ecm?
Last edited by tripley; 01-14-2019 at 06:02 PM.
Senior Member
Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Age: 64
Posts: 13,449
Received 878 Likes
on
684 Posts
Re: Stuck relay
Yea, I'm lost. You say you don't have a 'working key' and you keep talking about "syncing" a key. Syncing the key has to do with the lock/unlock function, it has NOT A THING to do with starting the car.
When you put the key in the ignition and turn to "on" the skreem reads the RFID chip in the key. If the chip responds properly, all is good.
If the chip does not respond, or the SKREEM has gone bad, you get the "three cranks and nothing" symptom, this is a designed behavior to tell you/the garage that the SKREEM is not giving the ECM the "ok" to start.
I think the SKREEM is bad, unless someone has had the dash apart and they accidentally left the cable from the "Key RIng" (my term) unplugged from the SKREEM. Or you have replaced your key Fobs and didnt transplant the RFID chip to the new FOB.
Not sure what the "Frying eggs" and "battery drain" thing is all about.....
When you put the key in the ignition and turn to "on" the skreem reads the RFID chip in the key. If the chip responds properly, all is good.
If the chip does not respond, or the SKREEM has gone bad, you get the "three cranks and nothing" symptom, this is a designed behavior to tell you/the garage that the SKREEM is not giving the ECM the "ok" to start.
I think the SKREEM is bad, unless someone has had the dash apart and they accidentally left the cable from the "Key RIng" (my term) unplugged from the SKREEM. Or you have replaced your key Fobs and didnt transplant the RFID chip to the new FOB.
Not sure what the "Frying eggs" and "battery drain" thing is all about.....
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Central South Carolina
Age: 69
Posts: 5,839
Received 369 Likes
on
321 Posts
Has the key FOB case ever been replaced? If the chip in the FOB wasn't moved over to the new case, it'll never start. 
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mexico63
Engine, Exhaust, Transmission and Differential
3
04-20-2013 10:54 AM
Louie K
Troubleshooting & Technical Questions & Modifications
9
08-11-2007 08:25 AM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)