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Car Forum / Chrysler Cars / April 200597 Grand Caravan Stalling - no codes set
I have a 97 Grand Caravan w/3.8 front wheel drive, @130,000+ miles. It stalls at slow speed. Probably anywhere from 5 to 20 miles an hour, foot off the gas usually. No trouble codes are ever set. It starts right back up with no problem. I changed the output-VSS hoping that was the culprit after reading other posts suggesting that would be a place to start... no help. At high speed it will buck hard once and then be fine. It does not stall at highway speeds, just bucks once. The problem is intermittent. It sounds like a sensor to me, but there are never any codes set. I really don't want to take it to a dealer. I know what will happen. They will charge me $100 plus to look at it and then tell me they can not duplicate problem. What would cause the van to just stall and not set any type of code? Any clues? Thanks, sdm Give a bit more info please like when the spark plugs, ignition wires, air filter, PCV were last replaced. When was the throttle body last cleaned properly? How does it idle when the engine is warm and stopped at a traffic light? Any noticeable decrease in fuel economy? Does it behave differently when the engine is hot or cold? Any other symptoms at all? Given there are no engine diagnostic codes being set, I'd first suspect the basics. At going on 9 years and 130K miles, your maintenance history is very important before venturing a guess at where to look based on just the symptoms you described. Sounds like it needs the plugs, wires and filters (air and gas) replaced as a starting point if they have not been done recently. I'd also definitely clean the throttle body real well too. You may also want to try a good fuel injector cleaner in the tank as well while you are at it. Bob > I have a 97 Grand Caravan w/3.8 front wheel drive, @130,000+ miles. > > It stalls at slow speed. Probably anywhere from 5 to 20 miles an hour, foot > off the gas usually. No trouble codes are ever set. It starts right back > up with no problem. > At high speed it will buck hard once and then be fine. It does not stall at > highway speeds, just bucks once. > > The problem is intermittent. > What would cause the van to just stall and not set any type of code? > Any clues? > Thanks, sdm Throttle body and injector system service at dealer 34,523 (so they say, not convinced they really did the work, no marks or clean spots near or on throttle body at the time) PCV 66,130 Plugs and wires 100,957 Fuel filter 101,202 EGR valve and control 101,340 Leak Detector Pump 116,660 Trans filter and fluid 131,578 VSS-output 131,970 Air filter recently checked, clean Oil and filter changes done regularly Maintenance pretty much followed according to schedule as recommended by the maintenance book that came from Dodge. Other than the intermittent stalling as slow speed and buck at high speed, the van runs great. Idle is as smooth as it always has been. Fuel economy is good, no noticeable drop from earlier years. Hot or cold van seems to run the same. The only other thing I can think of, the trans was getting a little noticeable while shifting. Particularly when coming to a stop. You can feel a nudge or bump as it downshift coming to a complete stop. As if at the last second it decides to shift into 1st gear. Any recommendations on a fuel injector cleaner? > Give a bit more info please like when the spark plugs, ignition wires, air > filter, PCV were last replaced. When was the throttle body last cleaned [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > > Thanks, sdm It needs the throttle body cleaned. Have it removed and disassembled cleaned thoroughly and reinstalled with a new gasket. Reset the AIS and you're good to go. Larry >I have a 97 Grand Caravan w/3.8 front wheel drive, @130,000+ miles. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Thanks, > sdm What is the AIS? > It needs the throttle body cleaned. Have it removed and disassembled cleaned > thoroughly and reinstalled with a new gasket. Reset the AIS and you're good [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Thanks, > > sdm Air Intake Servo (I think this is right)... It controls the air mixture to the Throttle Body. Based on your nice listing of the service history (thanks), and assuming it idles a bit rough, I would start at the TB and do as was suggested by jdoe with disassembling and cleaning the TB and the AIS. Make sure you use a new gasket when you reassemble. In addition, if it was me, I'd toss a large bottle of Techron fuel injector cleaner into a full tank as well. If this does not help, I'd remove, inspect, and replace the spark plugs next before looking further to make sure these are not fouled and firing properly. Good luck and let us know how you make out. Bob > What is the AIS? > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > to go. > > Larry Automatic Idle Speed motor. Stepper motor moves a pintle in and out in a bypass circuit around the throttle plate. Notorious for gumming up in MPI FI engines as there is no constant supply of fuel to wash it clean. If your PCV valve gums up the engine oil mist cloud is routed downstream of the throttle plate and gets sucked in to the air cleaner (what was once the PCV intake is now the exhaust) and soaks the intake system with fine oil mist over time. IF the AIS pintle gets gummed up it becomes sluggish and cant open up quickly enough when you remove your foot from the accelerator. In any case a good cleaning with a tooth brush and some O2 sensor save solvents (brake cleaner is ok if non flam ie Gunk AM720 in green can). Run engine and blip the throttle and when the throttle closes squirt b/c into the throttle opening and repeat many times. > Air Intake Servo (I think this is right)... It controls the air mixture > to [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >> > to go. >> > Larry Sounds good to me. Now, what would cause the buck at highway speed? I believe the two are related. > Automatic Idle Speed motor. Stepper motor moves a pintle in and out in a > bypass circuit around the throttle plate. Notorious for gumming up in MPI [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > >> > to go. > >> > Larry > I have a 97 Grand Caravan w/3.8 front wheel drive, @130,000+ miles. > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks, > sdm That sounds like a dirty throttle body starving for air as you close the throttle blade, You don't have to remove it, just take a can of throttle body cleaner and a tooth brush and clean the inside bore of the throttle body and the top and bottom of the blade, Of course do this with the engine off. The Bucking problem would be something else and not related to a dirty throttle body. Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech |
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