1993 Dodge Caravan 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 180,200 miles
Gas gauge has been reading innacurately for several months. Saturday drove the van to the library and when I came back out an hour later, it wouldn’t start. It attempted to turn over, but wouldn’t catch. Boyfriend is the primary driver of this vehicle, and handn’t reset trip odometer when last refilling the tank, so I thought it may just have been out of gas (as this has happened before.)
However, after adding 5 gallons of gas, the vehicle still wouldn’t start. I thought there might be air in the fuel line, so I bled it. It took several seconds before any fuel squirted out, but it eventually did.
Attempted to start the vehicle again…again it would turn over but not catch. I thought that perhaps the engine was just flooded at this point, and might start if left for several hours. So BF picked me up and we returned to the vehicle again the next morning.
At that point, the engine not only turned over, but the car did in fact start. However, it loses all power and dies pretty quickly when engaging the throttle. If foot isn’t put on the gas, the car will idle for 15-30 seconds and then it sputters out and dies.
3 days later, the story is still the same. The car will turn over and start, but die w/in 30 seconds or with any engagement of the throttle.
We’re thinking it’s the fuel injectors…thoughts?
If that’s it, I feel confident we could replace those ourselves…I just don’t want to replace the injectors only to find out that wasn’t the problem at all.
No, it’s not the fuel injectors. More than likely it’s the fuel pump that is failing.
Wouldn’t the car not start at all if it was the fuel pump? The fact that the engine not only turns over, but catches and starts makes me think that fuel is getting to the engine. And that wouldn’t happen if the fule pump was going or gone would it?
“It took several seconds before any fuel squirted out”
That could be a weak, intermittent fuel pump or relay. The next thing to do is measure the fuel line pressure with a gauge. Cheaper than throwing parts.
Has the fuel filter ever been changed. Replace old dirty fuel filter; then, if it doesn’t start, use some spray starter fuel into the air intake tube. If it starts, and, then, shuts off, check the fuel pressure.
If the fuel pressure is ok, the MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor may be bad. A voltage check of the MAP will check that. The instructions are in the repair manual.
He says it does start but he can’t keep it running. By the way is that a 3 liter or a 3.3 liter engine. The 3 liter has one central valve body while the 3.3 has 6 injecters…
akseabird,
It’s not continuing to run because it’s not getting enough fuel to be injected in sufficient volume and/or pressure. One step at a time. Step 1: change the fuel filter. Step 2: check the fuel pressure. Step 3 depends on results of step 1 and step 2. Let us know the results of step 1 and step 2.