I have silver/teflon PL-259s....
Let’s stop right there and make sure you are using the
right connectors.
A “silver / Teflon PL-259” is, at least in my experience,
a solder-type connector. It doesn’t work with a crimper.
Crimped connectors come in two types: one where you
crimp the center pin, and one where you solder it.
But you need the type specifically designed for crimping.
They also have to be designed for the cable type you
are using: crimped connectors aren’t as generic as the
old original MIL-SPEC PL-259.
Now, I might not be up to date, and you may indeed
have the proper connectors for your cables. But that is
the first thing to verify when you are having problems.
A crimp connector for RG-59, for example, won’t fit
RG-8X, even though the cables are the same diameter
(because the center conductors are different sizes).
Then the next step is to identify the failure mode:
Are the conductors shorted, or is the center or the
shield open circuit? A DC test with an ohmmeter is
usually adequate. Once you know that, you have a
better idea where to look for the problem.