Sputtering on acceleration

Tiny
JEFFROAH
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 DODGE CARAVAN
When I push on the gas I have this rattling sound from the engine people have told me it's cheap gas but it only makes this noise at low rpm between 1700-2200. I think it is my valves the van runs great and the engine light is not on what do you think I can do to fix this problem? I would like to know your opinion on this problem so I can get it fixed. I know a little about cars and its not a steady tick or anything it is a rattle but only upon acceleration also only at low rpm. Once again its a 2005 dodge grand caravan with 58000 mile and its well maintained driven only about 5 to 10 miles a day. Your help would be much appreciated. I know that over fueling or under fueling or cheap gas can give you some valve noise. But I was just wanting a pros opinion. Also do you think a higher octane fuel would help I only use 87 octane now (b-cuz of the price) or do you think that some sort of fuel injector cleaner would be a good idea. Once again thank you.
Sunday, June 10th, 2007 AT 2:44 PM

37 Replies

Tiny
KIN CHAN
  • MEMBER
  • 453 POSTS
I can tell right of the bat.I am seeing 2 possibility
- dodge do have tons of recall or screw up that bury under pile of red tape.
- most likely a reprogram.
- 2nd. Ur problem is engine performance and emission repair L1 tech territority.
- tobe absolute. If this car is in my shop.I will definitely look at the scanner live data chking air fuel ratio, misfire, mass air flow sensor. To make sure that if it is a misfire. Either cuz by mechanical(valve train), ignition, air fuel.I will also hook 5 gas up ur tailpipe under a load and see if the engine is performing complete combustion at that particular range. After all hardware and data chks out.I would go thru all network and chk similar symptoms.
Since ur car is so new. We as an independent shop still just getting the beginning of 06' model.I would definitely place wireless electronic microphone and
zero in where the noise came from and start chking on all bulletin and chrysler website. Bear in mnd this is what a professional shop can do. Not u. Cuz car repair info is dime in a dozen. Only with enuff experiences and training can get infomations from everywhere and finish the puzzle for conclusion.
But I can tell u 1 thing for sure. Lookin at the O2 sensor on the scanner with live data at that rpm range will verify if u have a burn valve or else map sensor with vac transducer on an oscilliscope will verify a valve train problem. Keep me update
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Sunday, June 10th, 2007 AT 8:09 PM
Tiny
RPG007
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have the same problem.

Somewhere around 1,200-1,300 rpm's there is harmonic low pitch growling like sound that seems to come from the front - best guess is low to the ground in the center of vehicle under the hood maybe a little closer to the passenger side (feels like it's coming from just in front of the center console towards front of vehicle).

No grumbling is detectable when not in gear and car is revved to culprit RPM value (neither neutral or park) so it seems car must be in gear. Also, speed seems to play a role as 1,200 rpm's at some speeds it is not present (or at least not as pronounced) it is worse around 38 miles per hour and you get in the sweet spot of 1,200-1,300 rpm's. Same speed at another rpm there is no noise.

I think I can hear it through all gears at that rpm but it may be my imagination but it may be there at a lower volume that I just can't hear it over the road and wind noise.

Took to dealer and thought it was alternator and it was replaced -- no effect.

40,000 miles, SXT.

Thanks for any input.
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Monday, June 11th, 2007 AT 11:04 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
So this is happening when you are acceleration lightly but does it matter if you are on a hill or not? Will it do it still still if you put your foot on the brake and rev the engine to 1200 RPM or where ever it does it?

The noise they are talking about in this post is called detonation. So you may have the same thing but we need to do some things to confirm this. Let me know this info and we can go from there. Thanks
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 1:53 PM
Tiny
MGOLD
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 110,000 MILES
Why does my dodge caravan 2003 sputter when the air conditioning comes on and feels like it will stall when at a stop sign while the ac is on.
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Do you have a check engine light on or blinking?
Check for vacuum leaks
check it for tune up
check AC on
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SAVAGE65
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I cant believe this was an answer to this question. Expert my ass. Rip off is more like it. I could give the same answer myself. Shit maybe I need to work here. Auto Zone could have done better
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NIAHALL33
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 0.6L
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 96,787 MILES
My van sputters when I am at a stop light and when I start my car up in morning it just sputters, but never cuts off.
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
You need to list the correct engine size when you have an engine running problem. Have you read the diagnostic fault codes? What have you checked so far and what were the results?
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NIAHALL33
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
SE (2.4L 4-cyl. 4-speed Automatic)
CV (3.3L V6 4-speed Automatic)
Sport (3.3L V6 FFV
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NIAHALL33
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I can't get any codes because check engine light has not came on.
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
The Check Engine light has absolutely nothing to do with reading fault codes. There are over 2,000 potential defects that can be detected. Only about half of them refer to something that could adversely affect emissions. Those are the codes that turn on the Check Engine light. You can have one of over 1,000 codes that never turn the light on.
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CURIOUS1004
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 79,500 MILES
When I turn my air conditioner on it draws alot from the engine, and when I am a stoplight with the air on, the car sputters and feels like it is going to conk out.

Please advise

thank you
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Do you have check engine light on?
I would start by checking it for tune up
check the AC system
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CURIOUS1004
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
The check engine light is not and does not come on, and I just had a tune up 1 year ago at 65,000 miles, which included, wires, plugs, fuel injector clng, fuel filter. Any other suggestions?
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MSNITEQUEEN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 DODGE CARAVAN
When we stop at a red light or stop sign it sputters and kinda jumps, the rpms will shoot up high when it does this. Also it has went dead on us when we stopped. What causes this
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
Sounds typical of an intermittent vacuum leak. The Engine Computer is trying to lower the resulting high idle speed, then when it does come down on its own, the automatic idle speed motor / valve is set too low and the computer has to quickly open the valve to get the engine speed back up to where it should be. Then, when the vacuum leak shows up again, idle speed goes up too high until the computer kicks in and tries to bring it back down.

Intermittent vacuum leaks are typically caused by flexing vacuum hoses. Leaking gaskets are more permanent and steady.

If a leak isn't obvious, you'll need a scanner that can display live data to see what the computer is seeing and basing its decisions on.
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DRGNSPWN76
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 95,000 MILES
Enter your question. Why does my minivan sputter when I accelerate up hill and often at a stopsign?
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PEREZR4
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,100 MILES
My van is running rough, when at a traffic light it stutters when I press on the gas pedal. It sometimes back fires but the check engine light is off. When I take it in the tech tells me that they cannot duplicate the issue. I'm being told to wait till the check engine light comes on and to bring it back in. Symtoms seem to be getting worse but still no check engine light is coming on. When checked with the computer it shows no issues. Please help
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Have you checked for vacuum leaks? Has fuel pump pressure been checked?

Let me know.
Joe
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PEREZR4
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
No vaccum leaks. I have not check fuel pump pressure I will try that next. Thanks for the input
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Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 AT 1:05 PM (Merged)

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