The saga continues on this problem:

1. Car started lurching and losing power then wouldnt start.
2. Assumed fuel pump since gauge had gone out recently.
3. Replaced fuel pump
4. No spark
5. Replaced Coil pack. Old coil had crank and burn marks between posts 2 and 5.
6. No spark
7. Found Engine System fuse blown. 15amp mini ATC in the power distribution center. Its the top right. On the electrical diagram for this PDC its the cavity 3 and 4 and is the top right fuse of the ATC's as you stand in front of vehicle looking back.
8. Replaced fuse
9. Car ran very well for 30 miles before the engine died again and wouldnt start.
10. No spark
11. Blown engine system fuse replaced. During crank it sounded like it sparked for a second and then blew again x5 more fuses.
12. After engine was cool, played with wires. Reseated connectors inspected for shorts and burns. Nothing found.
13. Removed devices one by one and cranked engine. Fuse didnt blow even when everything was reconnected.
14. Engine started and running VERY poorly.
15. Tested MAP sensor. GOOD
16. Tested for spark out of the new coil pack. No spark on posts 2 and 5. Strong sparks on 1 & 4 and on 3 & 6.
17. Replaced coil.
18. Engine starts and runs for about 30 miles before starts hesitating and lagging again, engine dies and will not start anymore.
19. Blown system fuse again. Blows 2 more fuses when cranking.
20. Next day again when engine cool, starts with fuse. Running very poorly.
21. Tested for spark. No spark on 2 & 5. Strong spark on 1 & 4. Strong spark on 3 & 6.
22. Removed air breather and housing.
23. Inspected line running from coil. Runs from electrical connector and splits off down to a sensor or something under the coil into engine and to a harness that runs down out of sight behind the belt area, and to main line running under manifold between fuel rails. This connects in a Y to the line running from rails and goes back to two more harness connections that then run into the PCM connector below the PDC on the sidewall (driver side). Nothing visible noted.
24. Probed top right wire which according to www.easyautodiagnostic.com is power: Positive lead on voltmeter to probe, negative to battery. Looks to be power hot when key is turned on, then returns to zero. Removed fuel pump fuse and started car til it dies, because this vehicle starts nearly instantly. Cranked engine with fuel pump off so it wouldnt start and got 10.8 volts. Reconnected fuel pump fuse. Cranked right up and ran horrible still, but read 13.8 volts. This is consistent with the battery voltage with alternator running.
25. Probed 2&5, 1&4, 3&6 wires. Used Negative lead to probe and positive to battery. All three got .2 to .3 volts when running. Then, I used test light. 3&6 very bright. 2&5 dim. (could be quality of my probe connection). But all three showed signal from the PCM.
26. Removed plug wire from 2 and 5. Started car and found no spark on 2&5. Solid sparks on 1&4 and 3&6.

This is the 3rd coil pack and all three look to have issues on 2&5. Burn marks on coil pack 1 but never tested. Coil pack 2 and 3 both ran for about 30 miles then no longer produce spark on 2&5. Combine this with the propensity to blow the Engine System fuse over and over again at the onset of problems and I am stumped.

Only things I can think of:
1. One of the plug wires on 2&5 causing a short?
2. Replaced front 3 plugs. Haven't yet replaced back three. Maybe that back plug is cracked or broken?
3. Some short inside the convoluted cable that I cannot see??? The cables all look great and the sleeve is intact.
4. PCM going bad? Shorting the coil pack through the switching signal?
5. What is this connector under the coil pack into the engine? Maybe its an issue? The wires as I understand it from coil pack should go straight back to the PCM though. Not to some sensor.

I doubt its two coil packs in a row that are defective and the original looks like it had the same problem.

Anyone got any ideas? Thank you in advance!

 

You could have a bad PCM drivers? Have you ohm tested the wires from the PCM to the coil pack?

 

I actually don't know how to do that. I have a voltmeter that has ohm's on it, but I dont really understand how to use it. Every time I look into trying to learn how, it seems like Greek. LOL Thanks for the reply!

 

Ok, update:

Gave up and took it to a mechanic. They spent 2 hours troubleshooting and said the problem was the crank sensor shorting out. That and the BWD coil pack. They put in a Standard Ignition coil pack and crank sensor and it started and ran fine....while parked.

I started driving it home and noticed it was very sluggish when gas was applied. So I turned around and headed back to the shop. On the way there it the engine kept dying and was difficult to start again. I think I had to give it gas with the pedal to make it start. Otherwise it just cranked and occasionally turned over and nearly immediately died again. Then I would give it gas and it would start and run a bit more. On the way back to the mechanic shop I also started leaking antifreeze. Mechanic said he didnt create the problem and wanted to charge more to look into it, said it might be the idle control valve.

I took it home. Replaced the idle control valve with one from Napa (supposedly made for them by Standard Ignition).

Found the coolant leak was from the heater hose coming from the top of the pump and going up to between the valve covers UNDER THE ENGINE MOUNT. Really Dodge?? Really????? This little bugger has squeeze clamps on it. I had to remove the vacuum line at the end of the fuel rail on the front valve cover. Then use two flathead screwdrivers in some sort of reverse scissor action to get the squeeze clamp lower and to the right where I could get a super long needle nose plier on it.... ended up ripping the cable off at the top connection by severing it and then prying and begging that clamp and leftover piece to come off. Then in order to get to the bottom of the hose, I had to remove the lower radiator hose, couple sensors, wire bundles in split loom, the other heater hose that goes behind the radiator to the driver side, AND the friggin oil filter. Really Dodge?? Really???? Got some 5/8 hose, cut to match the two broken pieces of old hose and spent the next couple hours begging it to seat properly on the hose nipples. The top one was a bugger. Those needle nose didnt push so well once it was partially on, and no way your hand fits under the engine mount front brace and inside the pulleys. Anyway got it mostly on, and thats as good as its going to get. After running, I have found no leaks though so....so far so good.

Now, it initially ran high idle but settled down after a restart. I took it for a test drive and it was boggy under mild acceleration but didnt die once in a couple blocks. The RPM indicator was jumping up and down a couple hundred RPM while accelerating. I got it back home, popped the hood and noticed the idle was surging up and down. Did that about 7 or 8 times and the engine died at idle with me in front.

Started right back up. Checked all the sensor connections I had had to remove and reconnect. Checked for leaks, no leaks. Took off again. This time no real bogging or rpm fluttering. Got it on freeway and gave it moderate-high acceleration and it responded great. Got it to the auto parts place to drop off old oil, left it idling while I was there and it was very smooth. Got back in car and gave it gas in park. Engine sounded like it backfired and wallowed out nearly immediately. Started back up and sounded ok. Left auto parts and it died as I turned right on a green light as I gave it gas. Hard to restart. Finally got it started and turned into driveway and it died again. Hard to restart again. Got it parked though and it would start and die nearly immediately several times.

What could it be now???

Recap:
New fuel pump
New BWD premium plugs and champion double plat plugs
New Standard Ignition coil pack
New crank sensor
New idle control valve
New friggin heater hose...grrrrrrrrrrr

Tested wires into coil - good voltage
Tested map sensor - good


I am about ready to run this Caravan off the cliff :P

Thanks in advance!

 

Just wanted to add: crank sensor shorting out can cause the coil pack to blow and the engine system fuse to blow.

As for the dying while idling and giving gas from start followed by hard starts, and intermittent surging idle, occassional backfire, and sometimes wallowing when giving gas I dont yet know.

 

Well, it looks like it's been almost exactly a year since the last post on this thread, and there's no answer to the riddle! Boy it sure woulda been nice if you'd found the solution and posted an update. I have a 92 that is doing almost the same exact thing, and I'm hoping to avoid the "Thousand Dollar Trial and Error" that I had to go through when my wife's '98 had a similar issue! I ended up giving up on that one and parked it in the back yard for a storage van!!!

 

All of it was caused by the computer. We purchased the computer at the Dodge dealership and had them program it with our VIN. Put it in and another new coil pack and it ran like a champ. Until we wrecked it in November. Now its going to be a Fire Department Training vehicle they light on fire over and over again.