2006 Dodge Caravan Died with no warning

[LunaDragonStar]

I am going to apologize in advance, I'm not really a car person and neither is my husband. I was driving our van one day and about 10 mins later, on the road and driving about 25-30 mph, the van just died. No warning, no sputtering, nothing, just dead. I managed to get pulled over to the side of the road but couldn't get it started again. Some guys came to help me with it but they couldn't help either. The engine was getting gas because one of the guys pulled the hose off by the top of the engine and when I tried to start it, gas shot out. We replaced the wiring to the spark plugs and it is still not starting. Lights come on, so I know it isn't the battery.

I thought it might have been some kind of security feature because when I got out of the van the last time I accidentally pressed the panic button, but turned it off by putting the key in the ignition.

Any ideas?

[Crvett69]

does engine crank over but not start or won't even turn over? if you did turn alarm on locking and unlocking drivers door with key usually turns it off or hit the lock and unlock button on key fob

[LunaDragonStar]

It tries to start but it doesn't sound right. I can't explain it, I just know it doesn't sound right.

I have also done all of the various unlocking and starting attempts that I found online for the security option. Nothing changed anything. I also don't have a "security system" on the van. It just has the panic button on the key.

[Crvett69]

you need to check for spark, also if it has a distributor see if rotor turns when you crank engine. if it sounds strange when it turns over its possible your timing belt broke

[Alphabravo]

What size engine and how many miles?

[LunaDragonStar]

4 cyl, 90k miles

[Alphabravo]

In that case it's most likely the timing belt, like Crvett69 suggested. Especially if it hasn't been changed before.

[RIP]

" I can't explain it, I just know it doesn't sound right."

If the timing belt is broken the top half of the engine won't rotate therefore, the valves will stay open and no compression is produced. That means the engine will spin faster than normal when attempting to start because there's no resistance to it spinning. That fast spinning creates a higher pitched noise.

[Teddie]

Sorry your Caravan is not working and I hope it is not the timing belt. If it is though that is troublesome because the owner's manual for my 03 with the 4 Cylinder says to change the Timing Belt at 103K miles.

When my late Voyager would not start one day it was because the Distributor had called it quits after 15 years.