92 Caravan 3.3L will not start

Hello, Bought a used 92 Dodge Caravan 3.3 and started having problems with it cutting off at stop lights and going into curves when I let off the gas. Well whatever was going bad went bad and now the vehicle will not start. The engine will turn over, but there is no power to coil pack or to fuel pump. I can jump out one of the relays on driver side near battery to make fuel pump come on, so I know the fuel pump will work. I bought a Hayes manual, but it covers so many engine sizes and years. There is not a wiring diagram in my manual for my needs of troubleshooting. Does anyone know where I can get a schematic for the electrical system for a 92 Dodge Caravan 3.3L? I have been through the Hayes several times and have not found the information. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Brian

Reply to
Brian Mundy
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Yet they have the gall to label the book as a manual for your vehicle. In any context other than aftermarket car manuals, that would be called fraud.

It's just as well that Haynes does not have the schematics, because if they did, they would be labeled "Typical" and one schematic would not be specific to your vehicle, which, IMO, makes it worthless (kind of like like using a roadmap of the highways between Denver and LA to try to get from NYC to Chicago).

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- subscription to on-line access to good info. right out of the factory manual, plus other information, including full TSB's and the real (factory) schematics specific to your vehicle. $25 for a year's subscription ($15 for subscriptions for renewal after first year and/or any additional vehicles).

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

Reply to
Bill Putney

Reply to
jdoe

Brian, My guess would be the EGR Valve. It should "actuate" during acceleraton and "return to idle position" during deceleration.

Good Luck and do let us know what you find.

Reply to
Jes

When you jump the relay (I'm guessing it's the Auto Shutdown Relay) what happens when you try to start up? The Auto Shutdown relay will interrupt the circuit that energizes the fuel pump, the fuel injectors and, I believe, the coil when it goes bad. Also, do you get any fault codes?

In my '88, that circuit has wiring that is green with a black stripe.

Reply to
David Allen

Reply to
Brian Mundy

From what you've written you also have no service manual. The Haynes book is worse than worthless. You really need a *factory* service manual. They are easy and relatively inexpensive to buy. You can get them new from the dealer's parts counter, or used on Ebay.

This doesn't make sense...you've already replaced the ASD relay. That's all there is to the ASD system...there is no such a thing as "the ASD". Just the relay.

You don't need a code scanner. You've already checked for flash codes and found none. (Is that because the "Check Engine" light flashes "12" and then "55", or is it because the "Check Engine" light does not come on or flash at all?)

At this point what you need is a multimeter. Use it to check the power and ground at the ASD relay socket. With the engine being cranked, the socket slot that mates with relay terminal 30 should show battery voltage when you put a voltmeter across it and ground. The socket slots that mate with relay terminals 85 and 86 should show battery voltage when you put a voltmeter across them with the engine being cranked.

If not, then there's a problem in the wiring upstream of the relays or in the SBEC (Single Board Engine Controller, engine control computer, ECU, ECM). Corrosion can develop in the 60-pin connector to the SBEC, which is at the left front corner of the engine bay, often accessible only by removing the battery. The connector is held on with one 10mm screw. Loosen the screw, remove the connector and inspect the pins and sockets for dirt and corrosion. Sacrifice a pink pencil eraser to clean the pins pushwise. Apply Ox-Gard or Noalox (sold at well-stocked hardware stores for working with household aluminum wiring) liberally to the connector sockets, then reinstall the connector, secure the screw and try again. If still no go, do the same thing with the connectors at the firewall.

If still no go, it's probable you have one or more blown fusible links upstream of the SBEC and relays. I had a '91 a few years back...drove in from getting groceries, parked in the driveway, shut it off. Went to use it 20 minutes later and it would crank endlessly but not start. The wires to the heated O2 sensor had fallen out of their guide tube and onto the hot exhaust manifold. When I turned on the ignition next, the direct short to ground in the O2S heater circuit took out two fuselinks -- voila, no power to the SBEC, no power to the ASD, no power to the fuel pump or ignition.

I replaced the fuselinks in an unauthorized but effective manner, repaired and rerouted the O2S harness, and the car started right up.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I replaced the the engine control module and now have a functional vehicle. There was direct voltage from the battery, but there was not a

9 vdc or 5 vdc present to > >
Reply to
Brian Mundy

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