Engine stalling?

Tiny
REDANDPINKIE2003
  • MEMBER
  • 1993 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
Why does your 1993 dodge caravan stall after 10 miles
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 AT 7:44 AM

28 Replies

Tiny
ZUE
  • MEMBER
  • 76 POSTS
This could be related to two areas. Heat related as the engine warms up an electrical sensor could be faulting. This should throw a P(XXX) code and the Engine light. Is the Service or Engine light coming on? If no engine light then I would check the least expensive cause of checking the fuel filter. If the fuel filter is clogged, it can cause the engine to stall as the demand for fuel increases. This guide can help us pinpoint the issue.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-stalls

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 AT 8:04 AM
Tiny
MRLYRICMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1993 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 225,000 MILES
Found the battery dead for no apparent reason twice now. Once a couple weeks ago. Jumped it and everything was okay. The second time was on monday. My son jumped it and tried to start. Just clicked and harldly turned over. He waited a bit more and tried again same thing but this time he noticed a puff of smoke from the left wheel well.
Tried again then it started. Wife got in and started driving and noticed the check gauges light on and that the speedo and fuel gauge were not working. Didnt think to much about it and drove it 50 miles round trip. When she got home and turned the ignition off it wouldn't shut off. At this time I was notified of the delema. I told my son to pull the power wire from the ignition module on the distibutor block and disconnect the bat till I got home. Now when the battey is connected I hear the fuel pump turn on and a few relays clicking on. I go look in the van and the key is in the off position. The check gauge light is on with the oil light and the airbag light. If I turn the key to run the airbag light goes out but nothing else works other than the radio. I turn it to start and the van starts oil light goes out turn the key off and the radio goes off, the engine keeps running. I have a spare body computer, engine controller that I tried and nothing changed. I have inspected all the harnesses under the hood for damage and found nothing. I dont have access to a real service manual for another week and I dont know if I got that long till the wife tells me to buy her a new van. Please help
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Have you checked the key ignition switch?
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MRLYRICMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes I checked the switch its okay also. When It is disconnected I still have the same problem
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Start with cap /rotor and ignition coil, check the ignition coil first may be faulty
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ALYXKA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1993 DODGE CARAVAN
Engine Mechanical problem
1993 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic

i replaced my spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap & rotor today. I had to remove the air intake manifold to get to the rear spark plugs. Car started fine & ran great after I put everything back together. I drove for about 20 minutes (mostly on the freeway). When I got off the freeway I stopped at a light. When I hit the gas it started to go & then stalled. Now when I turn the key, it turns over but doesnt start. If I turn it more than twice it makes a loud 'chugging' noise. A passing driver said it was the fuel pump, but I think it must be something I did when I was working on the spark plugs. I backtracked everything I did & couldnt find any loose wires or hoses.
Any ideas?
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CH112063
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,320 POSTS
I think you mean the air cleaner housing.
The black rectangular box that the air filter goes in.
You did not remove anything metallic with bolts like the intake plenum or anything, did you? If you have high mileage, it may be a fuel pump, on a 3.0l or 3.3l the fuel pump is a big problem. It may be aq coincidence, even if you had a hose like a vacuum hose I think you would have seen and felt it immediately and you doublechecked your work. Maybe the dist. Cap or rotor is not right? Sometimes things just happen, but I don't understand the chugging sound unlerss you have a miss in the engine. A single plug or wire will have a miss in the engine but a no start is the cap, rotor area, or a new fuel pump problem. If it is a 93, and never been replaced it should be replaced anyway. Common problem. Joe
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ALYXKA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
That was very helpfull. It was the air cleaner housing I took off. I'm new to car repair and I don't know what all the parts are called. I did notice something off when I removed the air cleaner housing originally: on the passenger side of the housing there are 2 nipples but only 1 hose attached to the upper one.I thought that was odd but I didn't see any loose hose to connect to the lower one so I ignored it. Am I missing a hose and if so what should it connect to? I had trouble getting the bolt on to fasten the rotor so I'm going to check that next + see if its loose. I saw on another website that this problem could be caused by the "hall effect pickup" which is under the distribtor cap, but I don't know what it looks like. Do you know anything about that?
Thanks again
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CH112063
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,320 POSTS
Yeah. The hall effect pick-up never failed on a 3.0L in all the years I have been with Chrysler but it certainly could. If no hose on lower nipple dont worry. The rotor must be on correctly. It distributes(get it distributes lol) the coil spark to all of the plug wires. So if it is not secured or something about it is wrong, a no start will follow very soom. The coil wire from the center of the cap to the small coil is very important.
The engine hall effect pick up is down deep in distributor under the rotor. May be there could be dirt in it or it may have failed or be disconnected.
You should not worry about the nipple on the bottom of the air cleaner housing if it was hoseless to begin with. It always had a drain. If a nipple on thr intake plenum is open or disconnected, plug it or find the hose for it.I don't think you you would have missed that.
Right now the rotor is the place to look.
That screw can become tight but because it is stripped threads, not really positioned properly. If your having trouble again, let me know tomorrow, and take your time, keep your cool. Only a van and not a health issue. It can and will be repaired. It may have nothing to do with what you did.
I know, only mechanics and technicians know the lingo of these parts, your normal.
And your welcome. They have a manual for your van on this site.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SOONERFAMILY08
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 114,000 MILES
I have a 1993 Dodge Caravan. I was driving it the other day and while turning the engine died. It took 3 or 4 cranks to start it back up. When I got home and was putting it in park it died again. Tried to start it and it would only run for 3 or 4 seconds before dying again.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,884 POSTS
Was the battery recently disconnected or run dead? If so, it won't idle by itself until you relearn minimum throttle. If this is the case, you simply need to hold the gas pedal down a quarter inch to keep it running.

What things have you tried so far?

Caradiodoc
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JEFFINA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 DODGE CARAVAN
Engine Performance problem
1993 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

someone please help, I have a 93 Dodge Caravan that stalls just about every time I hit a bump in the road. It take 3 clicks of the switch to restart, it also shakes and stalls sometimes when leaving a stop light or giving it gas it fast on take off. This is the only transportation I have to get my little girl to school.

SO PLEASE HELP
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CH112063
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,320 POSTS
I want you to get an alternate ride for your daughter for a couple days and bring it for a scan of your computer as a bad crankshaft sensor may or may not fix it.
If it is a 3.3L 6 cylinder, have it scanned for any electronic trouble codes.
With a ride secured for your little girl, it would be best. Ok That is best.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEVON81272
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1993 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
What could cause my 1993 dodge caravan to stall when engine gets warmed up. Then start back up when the engine has cooled?
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,884 POSTS
Most common cause is crankshaft position sensor and camshaft position sensor. There should be a stored diagnostic fault code related to the circuit.

Have you checked for spark when it stalls?
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEVON81272
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes It has spark when it stalls. It runs perfectly fine until the engine gets to normal running tempature then starts to spit and sputter and I lose all power and it will stall out. And it won't start again until the engine has cooled. This takes about 2 or 3 hours. We have changed the distributor, distributor cap, rotary button and the fuel regulator. The fuel filter is good. The fuel pump is good. Do not know where to go to next.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,884 POSTS
If it has spark when it stalls, it has to be a fuel-related problem. The filter will never solve that on a Chrysler product except for the diesel trucks. The best place to start is by teeing into the fuel supply hose near the right strut tower and connecting a fuel pressure gauge to see what's happening. How do you know the fuel pump is good? They rarely quit while they're running but there could be a pickup screen that is getting plugged. The symptom would be stalling when the largest fuel volume is being pumped, ... Which is during coasting. The engine will run fine during acceleration and cruising at highway speed but will stall when you take your foot off the gas pedal.

If you suspect a plugged pickup might be the cause, try disconnecting the vacuum hose from the pressure regulator and plugging it. That will make it run too rich and you might see black smoke from the tail pipe, but it should not stall.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHANYC72
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1992 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 220,000 MILES
The engine will just shut off, like turning off a light switch. There is no sputtering, no hesitating, no losing power, and it doesnt matter if you are driving or sitting in park, it might 5sec or an hour for the engine to shut off. And then it might start right back up or it might take a couple of hours for it to start. But when it does shut down the lights, radio, ac etc are still working. Could this be a problem with the pcm? How can I tell and if it is and I got a used one will I have to have it programmed to my van even though I dont have an alarm or anything other fancy gadget on the van.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:57 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GEMINILLP
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I have a 1991 3.3 grand caravan. I had the same problem. I changed out almost everything. I finally took it to a real good mechanic. It was my Camshaft sensor. I bought one for $5.00 at the salvage yard, actually I bought 3, brand new they cost up to $75.00. Make sure you get a new spacer, I got that at the dodge dealership. This did the trick, my van has not shut down on me for the last 6 months. I hop this helps you out.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:57 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHANYC72
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
My thoughts were that it was that, the crank sensor, the inginition control module or the pcm. But what does a girl know :). I will diffently give that a try. You are the only person I have found that has had the same problem as me.

Thanks again.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 6:57 PM (Merged)

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