QuestionQUESTION: PLLLLEASE help.
My 1997 Dodge caravan has been cutting off in the middle of driving, we have to shift to neutral then recrank the vehicle. Also if we are just cranking the vehicle to go somewhere it will shut off after running for a few seconds, then we crank again, sometimes 6, or 7 times before it stays running. My cousine who owned his own shop ran the codes and it came back with a cam sensor, which he has already replaced with an oem sensor. We left the van with him for him to look at again, then the van came up with another sensor code, then cleared its own memory for the fault codes. My neighbor came over this week and hooked up his scanner to it, saying that it had a map sensor failure, I replaced and it is still stalling and not wanting to stay running. PLEASE HELP!!!!
ANSWER: Hi Jason,
That does smack of a cam or crank sensor as the problem. The '97 model year was one which may only give codes with a reader, but nonetheless try the ignition key:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the check engine light, which remains 'on', to begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause, then repeat to assure accurate set of counts. If that doesn't happen then instead watch the odometer window to see if the mileage reading changes to show 4-digit numbers preceeded by a P. Let me know of any such results that you get. Otherwise, Autozone parts stores will do free readouts.
Another possibility, if the cut off occurs when you take your foot off the gas, is that the egr valve is gummed up and is failing to close when the throttle closes, which it must do or you will get a too lean mixture. Let me know which engine you have so I can tell you where it is and how to check it.
Roland
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QUESTION: Roland,
Thank you very much for your reply. The Code that I got the other day while doing the ignition was 12 161 55. I hope that makes sense. While I'm driving the van seems to do it while I'm on and off the gas, like when you obtain the speed you want to drive and your not really accelerating but just trying to maintain the speed, however sometimes it will do it while accelerating as well. The engine is a 3.3L V6. I have checked for loose wires, spark plugs, and wires. Just need to get this fixed I have two small children and my wife almost got in a accident the other day due to the van cutting off. Will the EGR valve cause the van to "spudder" before it cutts off? Normally the van will just shut off like it lost all power. Please let me know if you need any additional info.
Thanks,
Jason
ANSWER: Hi Jason,
Try the readout again. There has to be another pause, probably what you thought was 6 flashes was actually one/five, three/three, or four/two, etc. So let me know your recount. The 12 merely means the battery was disconnected recently, and if that is not the case then you may have a loose clamp at one of the battery posts as part of your problem.
Roland
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QUESTION: Ok, 12 54 55. Hope that helps.
AnswerHi Jason,
That is better. The 54 code is for the camshaft position sensor being flaky or out of order.
The sensor is located at the front of the engine, on the right side, adjacent to the right side engine mount and the thermostat housing to which the top radiator hose is attached. The sensor itself is mostly hidden (except for the back end) from view because it is inserted thru a hole in timing chain cover, but there is a retaining tab with a slot, held in place by a bolt, and three-wire lead and black plug to attach it to the wiring harness (wire colors:orange/black-light blue/yellow-tan). Once you find the bolt and wires, notice that there is hole in the mounting bracket of one of the belt-driven devices nearby through which you can insert a socket/extension/ratchet handle so as to loosen the bolt, then pull the round end of the sensor out of the hole (the slot in the tab allows the removal without removing the bolt) in the timing chain cover. It has an o-ring that may cause it to stick in the hole, so tap on the end of the sensor to free it, if necessary. The replacement sensor will have a paper spacer glued to its tip. That spacer should be left in place. Verify that there is an o-ring that has a light coating of oil on it before you insert it in the hole. Then insert the sensor in the hole until the tip touches the cam shaft timing gear. While holding the position with the tip in contact, tighten the retaining bolt to 9 foot-pound of torque. Then connect the plug to the harness, making sure the the connector is not touching the accessory drive belt.
Once you start the engine, the friction between the paper spacer and the gear will wear away the spacer but leave the spacing between the tip and gear for the sensor to work properly.
I suspect that your present sensor is failing as it becomes
heated up, which is the common failure mode of a hall-effect crystal sensor. Then as it cools down, it recovers, and so forth.
Roland
