QuestionDoes anyone know what to do next for 96 dodge caravan 3.8L Our van went dead, had it towed home....made quick check, had to replace coil pack. Van started and ran for about 2 weeks...BOOM...went dead again, made visual check of van and everything looked ok.....coil pack, crank sensor, cam sensor etc.... all checked out ok.......had check engine light code 353...i checked wiring system, noticed RED/YELLOW wire (ignition coil cyl. 3 and 6 driv) from computer to coil pack was giving me a grounded signal, so i disconnected the RED/YELLOW wire from plug, and the van started with misfire...was advised to replace computer......computer was replaced with rebuilt one.........now i get a grounded signal from the GRAY wire (ignition coil cyl. 1 and 4 driv) from computer to coil pack.......... RED/YELLOW wire is ok with NEW computer but still have misfire........................................................................
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...............................when all 4 wires are plugged in, from computer to coil pack, van will not start with either computer.....lost at this point....HELP!!! thanx in advance=)
AnswerHi Libfred,
Have you tested the harness between the coil pack and the PCM? The gray/red goes to pin 11, the dark blue/tan goes to pin 3, and the red/yellow goes to pin 2, while the dark green/orange goes to the ASD relay pin 87 (middle pin). The wires could be alternatively open or shorted to ground or shorted to 12V. Shake the harness at the various ends to be sure while measuring. That would be my first approach.
Hi again,
I read your evaluation.
I checked the '96 powertrain control diagnostic procedure manual before I responded and what I suggested is basically the only thing Chrysler can recommend other that a bad pcm. You might try monitoring the ASD relay output to be sure that it isn't intermittent.
If you turn the engine over by hand via the crank pulley bolt with the ignition 'on' you should be able to notice the voltage on each of the three primary wires will show 12v, then ground out once per engine revolution. If you don't get that it has to be the wire harness or pcm.
Have you sought to get a readout of the codes again? You should be able to get a general OBD-I fault code readout (if the pcm is still from a '96 model) using the check engine light: 'on-off-on-off-on' wirh the ignition key. and leave 'on', doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the light which remains 'on' to begin to flash, pause. flash, etc. Count the flashes of the check engine light before each pause. If you get 4 then 3 then 5 then 5 that would corroborate a coil primary winding problem such as would explain your symptom, but can't say which winding.
Only an OBD-II reader plugged in under the dash will tell you which one. Autozone will do a free readout, usually.
That is all I can offer.
Roland
