Sometimes it drives fine and sometimes the engine will start stalling?

Tiny
GCB2369
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  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
Some times it drives fine and sometimes it will start stalling and cutting out real hard but if you let off and slowly ease back into gas it drives normal. Recently it has started dying while driving, sometimes it starts right back up and sometimes it takes ten minutes, and the check engine light flashes on and off now instead of staying on constantly.
Friday, September 23rd, 2016 AT 1:21 PM

47 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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It sounds like the crankshaft angle sensor could be bad but to be sure lets run down this guide.

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

Please run down this guide and report back.

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+1
Friday, September 23rd, 2016 AT 2:37 PM
Tiny
GCB2369
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Could the cam shaft sensor cause this to happen?
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Friday, September 23rd, 2016 AT 4:22 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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There are a hundred things that could cause it.
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-2
Friday, September 23rd, 2016 AT 4:24 PM
Tiny
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I took the number four spark plug wire out and it was soaked in oil, other three looked okay.
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Friday, September 23rd, 2016 AT 6:10 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Does the car have any codes? here is a guide to help you find out

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please let us know what you find so it will help others.

Best, Ken
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 AT 8:12 PM
Tiny
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I dont have access to scanner so I got them by turning the key on and off 3 times in a row and it displays the codes in the odometer, anyway there were 10 codes, I cleaned the oil out of the spark plug tube, and cleaned the cam shaft sensor, the check engine light stopped flashing but is still on, its been dieing while im driving down the road and if I put it im neutral it will start right back up, but if I kill it, turn the key off sometims it takes 20 minutes before it will start and sometims it starts right up, anyway the codes it displays now are
p0016, p0522, p0339, p0340, p0335 and p0038
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 AT 9:55 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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The first code is for the crankshaft sensor that it what I would replace first.

Here is a guide that will let you know what you are in for:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/crankshaft-angle-sensor-replacement

Let us know what happens so it will help others

Best, Ken
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Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 AT 2:37 PM
Tiny
DMIRAMON
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  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 11,900 MILES
Car stalls out either warm or cold it runs sometimes starts right up after stalling sometimes I have to wait for long periods of time for car to restart?
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Since it starts back up, it sounds like it might not be a sensor-related problem. Try holding the gas pedal down 1/8" and see if the engine restarts. If that works every time, I have a real simple fix.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PGB-001
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Caradiodoc, what -is- that "real simple fix"? I'm in the same boat as "dmiramon".

Thank you in advance.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Does your engine always stay running if you hold the gas pedal down 1/8"? If it does, but stalls at stop signs, this problem occurs after the battery was disconnected or run dead. If that doesn't apply, my fix won't help.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GCB2369
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  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
Some times it drives fine and sometimes it will start stalling and cutting out real hard, but if you let off and slowly ease back into gas it drives normal, here recently it has started dying while driving, sometimes it starts right back up and sometimes it takes ten minutes. The check engine light flashes on and off now instead of staying on constantly. I checked spark plugs and number four spark plug tube had a bunch of oil in it, I am guessing it is from leaking valve cover? The wire and plug seem to be still working fine.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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What are the exact code numbers not code descriptions it has in the computer?
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GCB2369
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Now remember I have had the van for six months, and it was given to me by an eighty five year old man so I so not when the last time the codes were cleared and it ran great 90% of the time and it would try to stall and jerk real hard occasionally, but if you eased back into gas it was fine. Now it does it just about every time I drive it. Anyway, here are all the codes, there are a bunch of them.
P0016, p0442, p0456, p0440, p0300, p0522, p0344, p0339, p0340, p0335, p0038.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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You need to clear the codes and let's see what codes come back. We might have multiple issues I am thinking from those codes.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GCB2369
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I have no way of clearing the codes, I got those codes by turning key on and off three times in a row and it displays them in the odometer. I live in a small town closest place to go to be able to clear codes is thirty miles away.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Then you are going to have to buy a pocket code reader. There are pretty cheap ones. I recommend the Autel Al319. That is the one I have. Make sure you do not get the cheap Chinese knock off that one. It also has some live engine data which is helpful on diagnosis.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
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I do not have extra money to buy one right now. So I cleaned all that oil out of spark plug tube cleaned connectors on cam shaft sensor and drove around town a little and drove fine. Took a minute for it to start, but check engine line stopped flashing at least.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Okay, take it one day at a time one of those codes was for the crankshaft position sensor that can cause a stall no start for ten minutes. But without things like code readers etc it is hard to see what is going on. Let me know what happens.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CHECKAIRMAN
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  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 78,000 MILES
Engine suddenly quits at any gvien time without notice. Cranks but does not fire just like lacking fuel or ignition. No obc code, new fuel pump, new rebuilt ECU and now new ignition coil. Drove it for 1/2 hr fine, my wife takes it out and quits on her randomly. After it sits for a while it will start right up without a problem and it might drive for a while or quit again.
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Monday, September 21st, 2020 AT 11:30 AM (Merged)

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