1992 Dodge Caravan 2.5 engine won't start!

[lcga]

I've got a 1992 Dodge Caravan with a little 2.5 engine that used to run great and got good gas mileage. It had 138,000 miles on it when I bought it two years ago with that mileage,knowing that the odometer had broken two years before that! So, it's got approx. 200,000 miles. But recently the gas mileage really started to take a hit and tonight, she just wouldn't start after stopping for a brief visit to Kum & Go.

I'm needing to know where the fuel regulator is located, pump schematic and relays are for this precious beast! I truly believe it has life left in it and want to try to fix it. If you can help me, I'd appreciate it!

I recently replaced the timing belt and starter so don't believe there's a problem there. It just cranks, but no fuel is getting to the cylinders. A little Starter Fluid ran it for a couple seconds, so I believe it's just not getting gas up front. Let me know what to be looking for. OK?

Thanks!
lcga

[GTP Dad]

Sounds like the fuel pump went out. This can happen without warning and if you have never changed it, I would guess that is where your problem is.

[lcga]

How can I know for sure the fuel pump is not working without dropping the gas tank? It's located inside the gas tank isn't it? Is there a way to check something like a relay control and find out without all that labor?

[GTP Dad]

Check the fuel pump relay first it is usually located in the power control center under the hood. If not when it is real quiet turn the key on and listen at the fuel tank. You should hear the pump build pressure. Do this after the car has been sitting for a while. If you don't hear the pump then it probably isn't working. It should sound like a low vibration. (Yes the pump is in the tank.) Hope this helps!

[who fan]

Get someone to crank the vehicle while you bang on the bottom of the gas tank with a shovel, if vehicle starts its a bad fuel pump. If vehicle does not start could be a bad fuel pump.

[Cobra_Sam]

Originally Posted by who fan

Get someone to crank the vehicle while you bang on the bottom of the gas tank with a shovel, if vehicle starts its a bad fuel pump. If vehicle does not start could be a bad fuel pump.

There is a valve up front on the fuel line, it has a dust cap on it and looks just like a tyre valve. You can take it to be checked or buy a guage at Sears to check the pressure yourself. The fuel pumps run about $180 so I would test it first. Most places won't take it back once you have installed it and it's not a fun job to undergo ... I have done it many times, without a good place or workshop available to you, you will be inventing new words.

[lcga]

Thank you to all who have helped me out so far! I've tried some things so far; the relay in the hood--I swapped a matching one for the fuel one and it didn't work. I also tried the "banging trick". You're right, it did deliver fuel, but only when it was hit with a rubber mallet--the shovel idea just "sparked" my imagination! Once the banging stopped, so did the engine! I also had removed the fuel filter to see if anything would spurt out, nothing but a few drips-- so I've only got the latest idea posted to try.

I'll let you guys know how this all comes out. Does $400 parts and labor sound like a fair price for having someone else drop the tank and replace the pump? Give me some info, please.

[GTP Dad]

$400 is about the going rate for a fuel pump replacement with parts and labor.

[lcga]

To "GTP Dad" and others;
Thanks for all your input. I'm now trying to figure if replacing it is a good option or should I look for another vehicle with less miles? I just had to get a different car for my kid in college as his tranny bit the dust in his '94 Taurus last week and a brake job for the next one a couple days later; so I'm between a rock and a hard place. Have you been there too? What would be going wrong with that van after the fuel pump? (I know, you guys can't see into the future---but you get the drift?)

[HiRez_L]

I've had to replace the fuel pumps on 3 of my 4 Caravans. They seem to last about 10 years or so. I don't know where the prices quoted in these replies are coming from, I did the first 2 myself, it cost about $35 for the part. The last one, I sent to the shop, because it is a pain in the buut to drop the fuel tank to replace this, I seem to have an especially hard time detaching and re-attaching the fuel fillier neck, on one of my 89's it still leaks every time I top off the tank, because I didn't get the filler neck re-attached correctly. So that's why i sent the last one to the shop, and they charged me $200 to do it. Maybe the other posters are sending theirs to a dealer or buying their parts from a dealer, I always use a local shop, because repairs are about 1/4 of dealer costs, and when I repair myself, I use O'reilly or Advance to get the parts rather than the dealer, again cause it's cheaper. One thing I noticed, I don't know if it's coincidence or not, all three of mine seem to have failed right after filling up, so the tank I had to drop was completely full . . .

[lcga]

Your bad luck on Caravan fuel pumps really bites! I did have mine replaced using a local mechanic who was also a friend and the total cost was $460. which included having the guy tow it to his garage. Now it runs great. Crossing my fingers now!

When you live in the cold Mid-West and don't have a heated shop of your own, you do what you have to do---let someone else do it!

Now if you can help me figure out why I've had to replace 3 timing belts in the last two months! One on this same Caravan, another on an Aerostar and now my son's Sunbird! It hasn't been a good Christmas season, except for my mechanics! Just glad they can do the work.

Thanks to all those talented people!