92 Dodge Caravan 3.0L won't start;60's-70's veteren!

Van was running "puh-puh-puh-puh-puh," finally cutting off and had to get towed home. Changed the timing belt and triple checked that all timing marks were aligned, compression stoke and distributor pointing to #1. Still no start so changed cap, rotor, wires and plugs. Nothing, Hooked anmeter up to #6 injector wires (easy to get to) and got current when cranking engine. Got strong spark but nothing when spraying starting fluid into throttle body; not even a backfire. Fuel pump pumping into bottle from main fuel line. I know how to file points with a matchbook and set the gap with cover but know absolutely nothing about MAP's Egr's O2, sensors etc. Have Front wheel drive Chilton's but not helpful. Van was donated to me and drove it for 2 months without problems. Have tools and mechanical skill but lacking knowledge about these type cars. Thanks all!

Is the check engine light on? If so, check the codes. Most likely culprits are the cam and crank sensors. If they go bad, the system is designed to shut down the engine. I'm not as articulate as some of the others on here, so if you read through some of the similar entries, you are sure to get a better explanation. Autozone has the Haynes manual online at http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?UseCase=RG001&UserAction=processModel&Parameters=004

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the suggestions especially the autozone online haynes; I never knew it existed. I worked all day yesterday and Haynes couldn't steer me to where the cr & cam sensors were located. My next plan is to try to identify all the sensor components and get them from the junkyard and considering "walking" the distributor wires counterclockwise just to see if I get anything.

hello i had a simler problem myself and found out that a relay by the batter was bad

Thanks for the suggestions especially the autozone online haynes; I never knew it existed. I worked all day yesterday and Haynes couldn't steer me to where the cr & cam sensors were located. My next plan is to try to identify all the sensor components and get them from the junkyard and considering "walking" the distributor wires counterclockwise just to see if I get anything.


There are no cam and crank sensors on the 3.0 as it is has a distributor. One thing about that distributor cap to remember, if you point the rotor to where the number one spark plug wire comes out, it wont start. When you look underneath the cap, you will see how the cap will cross over, look at where the number one plug wire attaches, and then follow it under to where the terminal shows, that is where it needs to point.

When I rebuilt my 3.0, it took me several hours of tearing things apart before I figured that out:banghead:

There are no cam and crank sensors on the 3.0 as it is has a distributor. One thing about that distributor cap to remember, if you point the rotor to where the number one spark plug wire comes out, it wont start. When you look underneath the cap, you will see how the cap will cross over, look at where the number one plug wire attaches, and then follow it under to where the terminal shows, that is where it needs to point.

When I rebuilt my 3.0, it took me several hours of tearing things apart before I figured that out:banghead:
Thanks, going th look at it now. Does anyone know what "O'clock position" thew KEYWAY in the crankshaft should be for the #1 compression stroke at top dead center? Mine seems like approx 7 O'clock and the 2 front and back camshaft marks are lined up with the alt bracket and the inner timing cover. It seems to be maybe 3 marks on the crankshaft pully equidistant about 120 degrees apart

Thanks for the suggestions especially the autozone online haynes; I never knew it existed. I worked all day yesterday and Haynes couldn't steer me to where the cr & cam sensors were located. My next plan is to try to identify all the sensor components and get them from the junkyard and considering "walking" the distributor wires counterclockwise just to see if I get anything.


You might want to consider getting another distributor, there is an optical sensor in the distributor, some companies refer to this as a cam or crank sensor. If this sensor is bad it will shut down the ASD relay and you will loose power to ignition and fuel systems. ASD relay may be bad also?

Note: If the PCM does not detect input from the pick-up, the PCM de-activates the ASD and fuel pump relays, interrupting power to the fuel pump, injectors, coil, and oxygen sensor heater, preventing fuel injection and ignition, (a no start condition).

Hey Coalminer - You're a lifesaver! True to Chry/Ply/Dodge/Mopar electrics that caused me to shun them for decades - no where did I see in Chilton's et al that #1 contact wasn't under #1 tower. Pulled the cap and saw immediately what you meant. My 13 year old son who was my cranker-while-I-turned-the-distributor wide eyed amazement when the engine kicked over was delirious.
This van has 150K original owner miles and using a timing light I can't get it to go to 12 degrees btdc which the sticker says. Its limit is 15 degrees before the distr. hits the plenum. I tried resetting the dist. one curve away but lost the timing mark completely, fearing engine damage so I reset it back. Any suggestions? Remembering I have installed a new timing belt.

You might want to consider getting another distributor, there is an optical sensor in the distributor, some companies refer to this as a cam or crank sensor. If this sensor is bad it will shut down the ASD relay and you will loose power to ignition and fuel systems. ASD relay may be bad also?

Note: If the PCM does not detect input from the pick-up, the PCM de-activates the ASD and fuel pump relays, interrupting power to the fuel pump, injectors, coil, and oxygen sensor heater, preventing fuel injection and ignition, (a no start condition).
Thanks for your suggestion, I got it running but haven't taken it out on the road yet. excuse my ign. but where are those items you made reference to; pcm, asd for future problems.

Hey Coalminer - You're a lifesaver! True to Chry/Ply/Dodge/Mopar electrics that caused me to shun them for decades - no where did I see in Chilton's et al that #1 contact wasn't under #1 tower. Pulled the cap and saw immediately what you meant. My 13 year old son who was my cranker-while-I-turned-the-distributor wide eyed amazement when the engine kicked over was delirious.
This van has 150K original owner miles and using a timing light I can't get it to go to 12 degrees btdc which the sticker says. Its limit is 15 degrees before the distr. hits the plenum. I tried resetting the dist. one curve away but lost the timing mark completely, fearing engine damage so I reset it back. Any suggestions? Remembering I have installed a new timing belt.


Did you unhook the temperature sensor before trying to set the timing? I had no problem setting the timing on mine, but the computer will try to compensate for the distributor being moved unless the temp sensor is unhooked.