Hello All.

Driving down the street, running just fine, my 84 245 died suddenly,
Tank was below empty, so no gas was my first guess, but I could hear that the fuel pumps weren't operating. I jumped the relay, and both pumps kicked on, so I went ahead and replaced the relay and put some gas in the tank. Still, the relay won't click and the car won't run.

ANy clues?

Thanks,
Mark

First check to see if the cam turns by looking under the oil cap. The lobes should change position to prove you still have a working timing belt.

Next the ICU needs to see a signal from the distributors hall sensor to turn on the pumps and fire the coil.

Check out Art's site Cleanflametrap.com and look for manignition76.jpg and follow the troubleshooting layout.

Another thing one has to question IS have you ever rebuilt/replaced the engine wiring harness on this car?

There are more clues from posters coming but this will give you a place to start and post back to us.
Phil

Went about checking the hall sensor and got nothing, unplugged and replugged the ICU and generally jiggled connections while poring over the wiring schematic - next time I cranked it, it kicked right over like nothing ever happened. I did a degreaser power wash the other day; I wonder if that created some temporary short somewhere which the jiggling rectified.

I hate to have to tell you this but the ICU should never be unplugged. They, Chrysler, in all their wisdom or lack of, used one time "on" connecting females terminals inside the plug. If someone unplugged it before you that maybe the problem.

You did not say if this car still has its original engine wiring harness. They are touted by others on the board to have "biodegradable insulation" on the wires inside the wrap.

I do not believe they would used such a thing on purpose but did not invest in oil resistant coatings on their wire.
I do believe engine cleaners will help degrade them.
If some of it creeps into the harness the oil scum cleaner will still breakdown many petroleum products.
Insulation materials are made from forms of plastic which are petroleum.
Water dilutes the cleaner but how much is enough and then engine heat can activate degreasers too. But after the water leaves, there is a sludge like film left there, that keeps on cooking.

Best thing to do is to plan on replacing those terminals or making up a new harness with oil resistant wire and a split loom covering.
If your wire is good you might get by with soldering each wire onto the pins in the ICU along with heat shrink tubing slipped over each solder joint.

With the split loom covering repayment try to align the splits downward at the lowest points, so the later liquid things, can drain away down below.

Some posters have found out that there is a splice joint inside the harness for the distributor hall sensor. You may want to investigate that area during your evaluation of the harness first. The large connector on the back firewall. It's another rotting zone going south of it too! It usually causes battery charging problems.

Most of these thoughts are armchair reading with just a pinch of actual experience!
Hope it helps!

Phil

Thanks, Phil

I replaced the original wiring harness with a very clean Volvo "non biodegradable" one about 9 months ago. Obviously this involved unplugging the control unit.

Wires are all good, but good to know the weak link may be the connector.

Also, there's no spark and no juice at the coil. Voltage test reveals 12.5 at the battery, 11.95 at the relay.