1993 Dodge Caravan stalls when hot outside, air conditioning on:

[Delivery Driver]

I have a Dodge Caravan 1993 that will stall after running about 1/2 hour, and the airconditioning on. I have to put it in Neutral while going down the freeway and start it again, then put in gear. I have taken this thing to 4 separate mechanics and have replaced many many parts. NO ONE can find the problem. PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME SERIOUS IDEAS ON THIS. This does not happen in cool or cold weather. Some hints: driving along, there will be a small clunk in the middle or back somewhere, it will lose power slightly, then stall. If I am many miles from home, I must pull over let it rest for about 10 minutes go again without the aircond. it will last longer. With the aircond, I must start on the run every 5 minutes to get home. Replaced: fuel pump, fuel filter, camshaft sensor (twice), and one other thing I cannot remember now. I put a New Message on here 2 months ago.....I just got a message and was so happy, but it was an advertisement to a Rally,,,wow. Thank you for anyones time on this subject.

[rwood13]

things to make noise in the back would be exhaust and gas tank; possibilty for the gas tank noise, it is creating too high a vacumn in the tank, what you hear it the tank trying to colapse, if that is the problem, take off the gass cap and go for a drive, if not, get a friend, plan a day trip and do some troubleshooting, when it dies see if the plugs are getting fire, if so, squirk some starting fluid in the intake, see if is runs, this will decide if it is fuel or ignition, let me know

[theFREAKnasty82]

rwood13, what are you talking about? A gas tank creating too much vacuum? Only pressure that is exerted on a fuel tank is fuel vapors and pressure from the pump.

[rwood13]

take a soda bottle, suck on it, it colapses, take a gas tank, run the pump, if your not letting air into the tank you create a vacumn, run long enough and the pump will not be strong enough to move the fuel, before emission standards the gas cap was vented, now it is done via the charcol canister

[theFREAKnasty82]

Back to the main issue, Delivery Driver, do you have any check engine lights that come on?

[rwood13]

any news Delivery Driver??

[Delivery Driver]

The check engine light does NOT come on. The engine just shuts down. This only happens when it is hot and humid outside. I won't be able to test this as you guys suggest till next summer. No kidding.

[Delivery Driver]

Originally Posted by rwood13

any news Delivery Driver??

I cannot test what you suggest until the summer because this does not happen in the cool weather. It must be something with vacuum issues or the only other thing I can come up with is that when the airconditioning is on there is an "overload" whatever that may be in (electrical or vacuum). I have racked my brain on this and so have all of the mechanics around here. Even the Dodge Dealer in Leavenworth, KS. Still a puzzle.

[rwood13]

well, I'll look forward to hearing from you next summer

[theFREAKnasty82]

Just off the cuff here, your Idle Speed Motor might be overheating due to hot weather and hot underhood engine temps. Something could be shorting out due to hot weather. Just a little something I found out one time on my cousin's '95 Monte Carlo, that might be the problem with you van.

[Delivery Driver]

Thank you for your advice. I will speak to my mechanic about it.

Marsha

[rwood13]

I wouldn't think it would be the idle control because the way I read it would cut out while at speed, do agree it is heat related

[70GTORAG]

For what its worth, had a 95 Plymouth Voyager do the same thing, only no noise heard in the back before she quit. Just driving down the road with the air on and engine stops running. Cure: faulty Daytime Running Light Module caused a short intermittently.

[Delivery Driver]

Originally Posted by 70GTORAG

For what its worth, had a 95 Plymouth Voyager do the same thing, only no noise heard in the back before she quit. Just driving down the road with the air on and engine stops running. Cure: faulty Daytime Running Light Module caused a short intermittently.

Thank You.

I will write it down on my list for the mechanic.

Marsha

[ryteller]

I recently experienced the same problem with my 89 Caravan 2.5L turbo. When I moved to Texas this spring and started using the A/C, I would have the exact same symptoms as described by Delivery Driver minus the clunk. Eventually they problem started happening whether the A/C was on or not.

I replaced the fuel pump and filter, Distributer cap, rotor, plugs, wires and pickup coil (on a tip from a mechanic).

Now I have not problems as long as I don't run the A/C. When I turn on the A/C at idle, the engine seems okay, but as soon as it is revved over 2000 rpm, the engine starts to choke and sputter. When I drop the rpm or turn of the A/C, engine returns to normal.

Unfortunately, after running the A/C and then shutting the car off, it wouldn't restart until after cooling off for a while.

I though maybe these specific details might trigger an idea with some of the experts out there.