I was going thru posts and comments here before I made a post, trying to get the answer I was needing. I seen some that were kind of conflicting, so I figured I would post and see if I could get a clear answer.

I started my van this morning to let it warm up before I drove off. I was in the house about 5 minutes and when I came back out, the van had stopped running. I started it again and it ran fine. I got in it and started to drive it and it started to run as if it was mis firing, then it shut off. I started it again and it was running fine, then it did the same thing again. I tried to start it again and it would start and run like it was missing then die. I did that a few time and it did the same thing, so I just sat there about 5 minutes and started it again. It started and ran fine so I headed it back to the house. It ran about 10-15 seconds fine and then started to miss again and shut off. When I got back to the house, I checked the codes. It was a P1391.

My question: Knowing the code is for Cam and/or Crank sensor. What is the best route to take? Can I replace just the Cam sensor or does the entire distributor have to be replaced?

Thank you in advanced for your time.

 

I went out today and started the van and let it sit and run for 15 minutes. It ran fine and didn't shut off. I was giving it gas up to 2000 rpm's and letting it drop back to idle and it never stalled. I am at a loss as to what the problem could be. Any help or insite would be be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Distributor/cam sensor? Can't say for certain but the distributor has to be changed on other cars. Never dealt with that on a Caravan.

You've probably read that many times it's a cracked flex plate causing a P1391. You've got all the symptoms and the age of the van increases those odds. You could try changing the sensors. That does fix it on rare occasions. Another option is to have a shop use a scan scope to determine which sensor is generating the erratic signal. You could remove the sensors and inspect for any signs of damage.

 

OK, so if the flex plate is cracked, would it just do this every now and then? I would figure if the plate was cracked, it would cause problems with the starter as well as it does on other car's and trucks. Just a thought.

 

Tough to say. All depends on the extent of the cracking and how much the plate is moving. If you have the 4 speed 41TE tranny there should be an inspection cover on the bottom of the bell housing you can remove to get eyes on it. Or you can remove the starter to get a peek. Unfortunately, it usually comes down to removing the tranny and looking. Don't know if the 3 speed 31TH has an inspection cover.