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1990 Dodge Caravan Fuel problem

Tiny
MZEITOUN
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 230,000 MILES
Well at first I had no fan, so it over heats. Later engine light came on all of the sudden. Van started to cut out. Then fine then cut out. After I went on the highway it was fine. When I came in the city. Light went back on. Then it started cutting until days it used to turn off in the middle of the road. Kept like that for a bit until finally now when you turn it on, it will stay on and it will turn back off right away. Unless you give it half way gas it will turn off. Then another half pump gas it stays alive. Otherwise it will turn off. If you hit the gas bar to the end the engine will turn off hearing no fuel burn. So only when you kinda touch the gas bar that it will keep the motor alive for as not so long just few seconds. Otherwise motor will not stay on long afterwards just for few seconds and then you have to give it another gas pump.
I changed the fuel filter. Same problem. I have a fan so thats great. Have new radiator.
wats the problem?
is it a sensor? Or the ASD relay? Or the fuel pump?
?
thanks
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Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 AT 1:02 AM

8 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Test the ASD relay-this one controls the coil/injector/s and fuel pump thru the fuel pump relay.
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Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 AT 5:17 AM
Tiny
MZEITOUN
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Ok, I guess I will order a new relay and replace that and see if that does anything,
It is jut that a diagnostic test will cost over a 100 and I cant afford that. A relay costs 16 - 20 bucks. So let me try to replace that. Hope that does it. I will come back with an update.
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Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 AT 7:28 AM
Tiny
MZEITOUN
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Hi there. So the relay was fine. I plugged the new one in and it did the same thing.
When I remove the relay it would not start at all. So it is not the relay.

What is it that I should do now?

I changed the fuel filter, the fuel pump seems to work.
I dunnu what else could there be wrong?
Maybe the oxygen sensor?
Or is it the PCM maybe?
Where do I go about now?
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Saturday, March 8th, 2008 AT 3:05 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
The fuel pump may be coming On -but is it producing the correct fuel pressure-check it and comeback with the readings-

While cranking it over try to listening to the injector/s-are they clicking? If not fuel will not be delivered to the cylinders.
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Sunday, March 9th, 2008 AT 6:06 AM
Tiny
MZEITOUN
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Ok,

when I turn the key on, I hear the fuel pump moving so thats good.
Now I am not sure how that clicking voice should sound, but I will check it.
I will check the fuel pressure and come back to you,

Now about the cranking, I cannot crank the gas bar to the maximum! If I do the fuel will die out. I can only pump the gas bar a little bit. If I pump it all the way the engine will be cutting out and eventually dying. So, I can't crank it to the maximum. Maybe that has to do with something.

Worthy note: If I keep pumping the gas, the van will stay on and won't go off as long as I am pumping gas.

Note: at times I am able to keep the engine on without pumping gas for a little while like couple of minutes.

Anyways, if that help let me know what could be the problem just by hearing this. I will go get a prssure test.
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Sunday, March 9th, 2008 AT 2:02 PM
Tiny
MZEITOUN
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Hi. So I got a mechanic friend of mine over.
When he heard it. He said it is an electronic problem. So he kept fooling around with it until he unplugged the MAP sensor. The car then was turned on and everything was fine.

Crazy. Now without a MAP sensor. It is working just fine.
Does that mean all through out the way it was the MAP sensor? Or would you think if I replace that. It wont be enough to solve the problem?
Whats ur advice?/
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Friday, March 21st, 2008 AT 4:57 PM
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
It will run very rich with the MAP sensor unplugged
I suggest replacing it
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Friday, March 21st, 2008 AT 6:32 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Did you try checking for troublecodes before you replaced anything?

Turn the key (on/off on/off on) by on, I mean you turn the key till the dash lites come on, you don't crank it, then the check engine lite starts flashing, you count the flashes to get the codes.

As far as the map sensor, I'd check ref voltage, ground, signal. I'd check vacuum also. I've seen other makes and models run better with the map sensor unplug. On some of these, the vacuum was the problem. With the sensor unplugged, I guess the computer reverted to a default value.
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Saturday, March 22nd, 2008 AT 6:46 AM

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