After approx. 5 mins, stalls. then restarts after 2

[fleeferfla]

Hello all,

I have a '95 caravan with a 3.3.

After 5-10 minutes after a cold start, the engine will just die. All the electrical still works. When I crank, the tach won't register cranking speed. I have checked spark- nothing. I have replaced the Auto shutdown relay. I have re-seated all the connectors I can find. There are no codes set. When the engine dies, it quickly dies. Not like it's running out of fuel. All the relays have been rotated fron their original position. I have a brand new battery. The diodes in the alt. look good on the scope. I have new plug wires and plugs. The spark module is clean and no sign of carbon tracking. It doesn't matter if I'm driving or idleing in the driveway. 5-10 minutes-- dead...

After all that, I simply wait 1-2 minutes and it runs fine all day.

Next cold start.... Let's do it all again...

Ideas?

[fleeferfla]

At first I was thinking it was a logic issue with the computer, but now I have found it is a temperature issue. I used a laser thermometer and checked the temperature of the block each time it has died. 220 degrees seems to be the magic number.

Can anyone of you folks figure why when it reaches operating temp. it will die and then restart after a couple of minutes and then be fine the rest of the day?

The van will only have the problem after the block has reached ambient temp. and then returned to running temp...

[trisoninc]

Hey! New here, but I also have a verry similar problem, and have not yet figured it out! If i start my 96 caravan w/3.0 auto w/out overdrive and let it warm up for about 10 minutes to normal operating temp, then it will run all day. If I get in it when it is cold and start and go, then in about 10 minutes, when the temp guage gets to normal, it will stall. sometimes I can put it in neutral and start as I'm still coasting, sometimes I must pull over and wait a couple minutes. sometimes it will stall a couple more times, sometimes not!I have replaced the fuel filter, pump, plugs, cap, rotor, AIC motor, and the MAP sensor, none of wich have solved the problem, however, since I replaced the MAP sensor it does not stall every day, only about 1-2times per week!! I only get codes 11 & 17, crank position, and engine running too cool, but I figured they were in there because of the motor stalling! Sorry I couldn't solve your, and my problem, but hopefully someone here can help us out! Thanks all!

[sellabrations]

I have a dodge intrepid with the 3.3L and a 95 caravan with the 3.3. I found I had the same problem on my intrepid, and no one could figure out what was wrong, I had it towed and everything. Well I finally figured it out, and it was very simple. Some 3.3L have a auto shut off relay located on the drivers side box under the hood. If this relay gets to hot or is bad then every time the engine gets to around 200-250 degrees the car dies. Then when the car cools down it starts right back up. I replaced this relay, and have never had the problem again! That is my suggestion to your car stalling problems! Let me know if it works! Hope it does.
I know some one said that they rotated the relays and it didn't work. I actually tried that too, and had to buy a new one. It's also located in the top left hand side of the relay box under the hood.

[fleeferfla]

Thank you very much for your replies!
The van is at my buddies repair shop. I'll forward the forum to him. When he figures it out, I'll let you know what he found.
Thanks again!

[trisoninc]

Hi , did you have any luck yet? I now tried replacing both the asd relay, and the fuel pump relay, and still stalls while driving unless I let it warm up for 10 to 15 minutes first! This is turning into a very frustrating little money pit!!! Hope you had better luck than I!

[jmihokovich]

Originally Posted by fleeferfla

Hello all,

I have a '95 caravan with a 3.3.

After 5-10 minutes after a cold start, the engine will just die. All the electrical still works. When I crank, the tach won't register cranking speed. I have checked spark- nothing. I have replaced the Auto shutdown relay. I have re-seated all the connectors I can find. There are no codes set. When the engine dies, it quickly dies. Not like it's running out of fuel. All the relays have been rotated fron their original position. I have a brand new battery. The diodes in the alt. look good on the scope. I have new plug wires and plugs. The spark module is clean and no sign of carbon tracking. It doesn't matter if I'm driving or idleing in the driveway. 5-10 minutes-- dead...

After all that, I simply wait 1-2 minutes and it runs fine all day.

Next cold start.... Let's do it all again...

Ideas?

I am having the same problem with my 1994 grand caravan 3.3. It exhibits the exact same behaviour. I also get trouble code 12 followed by ending code 55. Did you resolve your problem, it sounds the same as mine?

[LErs1977]

Buy a used distributor which contains the pick-up coil. This electronic part is sensitive to heat.

[fleeferfla]

Bill found that from a cold start, the engine would heat up to running temp, and the temp sender would go to a direct ground, ultimately giving the computer fits. The 2 mins. while the van was dead, the temp would drop slightly and the sender would come off of ground. The computer was happy and it would run fine. I don't understand why when the sender got warm again it would cause the same problem!

Bill had his diagnostic equipment on it every time it happened. The sender was replaced, and everything has been fine for a while now.

That's all I know. If Bill wasn't a good friend of mine I would have told him he was full of crap, and that something else must have been wrong.

Anyways, there it is guys. Good luck with your issues. I hoped this has given you all a few ideas.