Chrysler Repair: starting problem in 1999 grand caravan., dodge grand caravan, exhaust gas recirculation valve

Question
QUESTION: Sir,
I have 1999 dodge grand caravan. Anytime i parked it for up to 2 to 3 hours, it has problem starting it. The engine will be rolling very well without starting. Auto electrician have checked it without any result. Early in the morning i have to re-start it up to 15 times before it might start successfully. please exactly could be the problem. I live in Nigeria, West Africa. could it be plug or fuel pump? i am afraid. Please help me out. Thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Victor,
I assume this is a gasoline engine 3.3 or 3.8L. If not, then let me know. If you have no fault codes stored in the engine contoller then I have one suggestion: the exhaust gas recirculation valve may be stiking slightly ajar which leans out the mixture too much to sustain an idle. Here is how I have described the fix:
The valve is located near the throttle body air intake at the rear end of the engine, mounted in a pipe that recirculates exhaust gas from the rear cylider bank exhaust pipe back around to the intake manifold. The exhaust gases have some fumes that can plate out a crud on the valve stem and thus keep it from closing tight when you are at idle. That makes for a too lean mixture so the engine stalls. The valve proper is mounted horizontally with the stem visible in a space between the body of the valve mounted on the pipe and the round top of the valve which is flanged and so if you look carefully you will see a metal rod (stem of the valve) with a slot around its circumference. You can take the tip of flat blade screwdriver and insert it in the slot and then lever the valve back and forth to check if it is moving freely (against spring action in one direction) or not. If it doesn't seem to close easily with the help of the built-in spring, then I would spray the base of the stem with solvent from a pressure can (such as WD-40 or carb cleaner) while moving the stem back and forth.  Then see if that solves the issue.
If not, then I would try to see if the engine controller has stored any fault codes in its memory: on-off-on-off-on and leave on with the ignition key (quickly, less than 5 seconds elapses) and then observe the odometer window to see the mileage change to show 4-digit numbers. Tell me those and we'll go from there.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sir,
The odometer window mileage is okay, actually is now at 6-digit (188643). Plaese the location of the valve i could not ascertain it. Can you give me the actual location aroud the engine. i can see the trottle, but i can not locate the valve. please explain in a lay man language.
Regards.
victor.

Answer
Hi Victor,
The valve is at the rear of the engine, hidden underneath the throttle body. It has a pipe coming to it from the rear exhaust manifold, and it is bolted in a place that allows it to send some of that exhaust gas into the intake manifold, very near to the place where the throttle body attaches to the intake manifold. It also has a vacuum hose that is attached to a round control object which decides when to open and close the valve. So look for it as I described it in my first response. I hope this will help you to find it.
When you did the key on-off-on-off-on routine did you see and other numbers than the mileage reading? If not, then try it again and do it in less than 5 seconds. It should work to show something different.
Roland
PS If you still can't locate the valve send me a 'private' follow-up question in which you tell me a postal mailing address. I will photocopy a figure which shows its location and postal mail it to you.