Starting issue 2000 Venture

OK...so last night my wife drives to my parents house from work, around 8 miles or so...gets there, goes in to get the kids and gets back in the van. Is backing out, stops to put it in Drive and the van cuts off....it turned over, but wouldn't start...tried really hard to start, backfired, maybe started for a few seconds then sputter out. I had the mechanic look it over...he goes over and the van starts right up and he does a test drive with it...NOTHING....no codes, no hesitation, not anything he can see. He did say the started bearing may be going...but that shouldn't have stopped the van once it started....I know a lot of vague info...but that's all I got...

OOook...went to go test it out this morning...drove it around the block...NO problem...got it back to my parents and let it sit running while I filled the washer fluid in my truck and then took her for another spin around the block...about a half a block away from the house it just CUTS OFF...no spit, no sputter...BAM. Has to be a sensor of some flavor...

Don't forget to check out if it's a bad or worn out ignition switch. The van maybe won't throw a code just because it thinks it's being switched off. Does it start right up again?

Sorry just reread your first post where you said it tried to start oh well...happy hunting

Well...when I checked it out the other day...it wouldn't start..acted almost like it was flooded. Today when I pushed it into the yard...it started back up. LOL...wish I would have known that instead of pushing that BEAST a half a block...just couldn't let the forward motion stop :)

Check the CKP sensor, I would start by (when it wont start) unplugging the connector on the MAF sensor, try to crank, squirt some carb cleaner into the intake (can pull the hard plastic line outta the rubber elbow infront of the intake) and crank.

If it starts with MAF unplugged it could be a bad connection or a bad MAF.

If starts with carb cleaner, could be a fuel issue such as bad pump/ connection, PCM, etc.

CKP will cause loss of ignition so it wont even start with carb clnr if bad....

It ended up being a bad MAF...threw no codes...nuthin. Thanks for the input guys!

What was your process to determine bad MAF?

Glad to hear you got it, that will do it for shure......

I didn't...my mechanic did. Been driving it around today and it seems fine now. Glad it got figured out :) I assume he unplugged it, but he said when it was plugged in he could see the spike in readings up to 50...cant remember the units but he said he didn't know it could pass a reading that high.