96 Grand Voyager SE 3.0L Stalling

[bobcat2001]

Armnfish,

I feel for you buddy. I have a 99 caravan 3.0L V6 (By the way, the 3.0L doesn't have an IAC valve, as an FYI).

My Story;

99 Caravan 3.0L V6, 156000kms. bought new in 99. Never had a single problem with it. (Also I was never very good with the maintenance either). Anyway a few weeks ago, engines starts sputtering, dying occassionally, etc. After a few cut-outs, I decided to bring it in to Crappy tire. I said I thought the timing was slipped or something. They came back with a list a mile long, including, ignition wires, spark plugs, PCV valve, distributor cap and rotor, fuel filter, serpentine belt, AC belt, belt tensioner. I said, well, I am not going to pay for to get those things replaced and bought the parts, then went home to change them. After 3 hours, I had all the parts replaced, except the belts which were just annoying and squealing. It was the same thing. I went back and they acted like idiots and wanted to charge me another $86 for a diagnostic, so I said forget it I will change the timing belt myself.

2 days later I get it all back together, (after repairing the belt tensioner, and pulleys, etc., timing belt replaced) it was still acting wrong. I tested all the sensors (bought a Haynes manual) that I could (MAP sensor, TPS sensor, O2 sensors, etc. and the only "bad" sensor was the front O2 sensor. I also replaced the EGR valve, which didn't do anything. I played with the dist cap timing (which I will correct this evening). I was looking at the timing as being indicative of where the spark plug wires were, but the distributor cap routes the wires to different locations inside, so maybe this will solve the problem.

I will keep you posted.

Bobcat

[armnfish]

Check your crankshaft position sensor and/or your camshaft position sensor. The gotcha with the camshaft sensor is that they make you buy the whole distributor to replace it ($300 US).

Good Luck.

[bobcat2001]

I ended up having a problem with the starter, after I was still having problems with the van. I went and bought a new starter and put it on. Same thing, starter would spin but engine wouldn't turn. I checked my old one on a battery and it worked fine. Then I got scared. I removed the new starter and checked the ring gear and it was flawless. Then I decided to try and spin the ring gear and to my surprise, it span around very easily, but the engine wouldn't turn. I spent a full day and ripped out the tranny and took off the torque converter and the "flex plate" which has the ring gear on it had the center ripped out of it. Like a donut cutter. Anyway I bought a new flex plate and put it back on, put the transmission back in (another day) and tried to start it again. Same thing sputtering, kicking, backfiring. Then I decided to read the book a little more and I noticed that in the distributor cap, the ignition contacts for some of the cylinders are rerouted elsewhere. Number 1 is actually 90 degrees away from where the spark plug wire is located on top. I lined up the crank with the zero marker, aligned the position of the camshaft (there is a little snap cap in the rear cam belt cover that can be easily removed to check). Turns out that somehow (not sure how) but the timing had slipped so that number 2 cylinder was fired when number one cylinder was at TDC.

Anyway, I removed the distributor cap and moved the helical gear over one notch until it lined up with the place where it should be. As soon as I turned the key, it ran like a brand new engine. (It bloddy well better after all the new parts I put on it!).

Maybe when the original timing belt stretched, it had jumped or something, who knows. It works perfectly now, which is the main thing.

FYI, there is a place where the timing belt can be adjusted through the timing belt cover which requires no disassembly at all. All that's required to adjust the timing belt tension is to loosen the nut which holds the tensioner and the spring will pull it in tight for you. If I would have known this in the beginning, then I would not have needed to replace the timing belt.

Bobcat

[bobinohio84]

This is to bigalbundy. Just in case you read this thread, if you have a cracked diaphragm then when ur engine gains speed and engine vaccuum goes to the egr to open it up, first of all ur egr wont work cuz of the crack and second of all ur vaccuum pressure will drop cuz itl be sucking in air instead of holding pressure. So yeah it would run rough. Try replacing the egr valve and reconnecting vaccuum lines. That should take care of ur problem. Let me know what happens.