On Mon, 05 May 2008 02:55:05 GMT, "Ron Seiden"
<subronseiden@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
><clare at snyder dot ontario dot canada> wrote in message
>news:0hks145p38u9oaeg938dkpu10jv3ogc4u1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> My Dad just called. His 2002 Caravan has been behaving bizarrly.
>> It will generally start normally, but then immediately stall. It will
>> restart this way several times - and then sometimes run fine. Other
>> times after several restarts the lights on the dash come on, but it
>> will not crank - not even a solenoid click.
>>
>> Walk away from it, and come back in half an hour and more likely than
>> not it will start and run perfectly. Then stop somewhere, and try to
>> start it again in five minutes or so - good luck.
>>
>> The ignition switch has been replaced, with no change in behaviour.
>> Has anyone run across this before? If so, what was found?
>> I'm thinking a bad ground somewhere is a possibility.
>> It only has about 68000 KM on it - out of warranty by time.
>>
>> Any experience with this problem (Caravan 3.3 - not a Grande)
>> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com
**
>
>Possibilities:
>1. Bad battery. (Automotive electrical systems don't always follow the
rules
>you learned in school. A bad battery [dead cells, all around dead, ...]
can
>bollix up the entire system.) How old is it, and has anyone checked the
>fluid level (regardless of whether or not it claims to be "maintenance
>free")?
>2. Bad connections where the cables connect to the battery.
>(A) If they're the clamp-onto-post kind, with age they can loosen up
(=bad
>connection) and then oxidation gets inside (=bad connection). Too many
>people over-tighten battery cable clamps, thereby bending the clamps
(hey,
>they're only lead) and removing the ability to tighten them anymore. You
>would need to remove them, clean (with that cheap inside/outside wire
brush
>widget available at any parts place) both the clamps and the posts,
spread
>the clamps back into shape and re-install tightening them enough but not
too
>much. (Then you can coat them with grease to avoid future problems.)
>(B) If they're the screw-in type ("side terminal"), unscrew them, clean
>every contact point you can find, and re-install tightly (but not so
tightly
>that you strip the screw threads).
>In either case, if they're not one-piece, solidly molded cables, replace
>them with *good* cables.
>3. Bad connection where the battery cable connects to the starter motor.
>
>The reason for the hard starting after a five minute wait is that, when
>warm, the oil drips down off the cylinder walls quickly and, at the same
>time, the parts are still expanded from heat, making a tighter fit. The
>combination makes it harder to start (i.e., demanding more from the
battery)
>than when everything's cold (and loose).
>
Generally you are right - BUT
The car always starts eventually - and IF it was the battery, why
would it start but not continue to run? - the immediately restart? If
it was ONLY the intermittent no crank I would agree - battery or
battery connections (both of which have been checked - I had to pick
Dad up at the garage and drive him home when he dropped it off -
battery connections are clean and bright - obviously checked when the
ignition switch was replaced. Also, when the car won't crank, the dash
indicator lights come on, and do not dim or go out when trying to
crank - that pretty well rules out bad battery or main connections and
chassis ground.
I'm sure it's not the neutral safety (PRNDL) switch too as that would
not contribute to the stall immediately after starting - and I'm
virtually certain it is ONE problem - not multiple problems. The
computer has not shown any codes either - so aside from the fact that
engine sensors would not affect the cranking, I'm almost 100% sure it
is not an engine sensor problem. I'm thinking a bad ground somewhere -
any of you Mopar specialists have an idea where to start looking (the
shop had the car for 2 days and put in an ignition switch last time -
not convinced they will find the problem this time either. I may end
up having to spend some time on it - If they can't fix it Dad's
talking about trading it in. If I can fix it, it would be a cheap
replacement for my TransS****t. (dealer will only give him about $3500
for it on a new Calibre)
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com
**
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