My 96 Grand Caravan 3.8L won't start today, first time i've had a problem with it starting. I turn the key and i get no action out of the engine, just a minor whurring sound, the locks and dash lights all work fine. Could this be a starter or spark plug issue or could it be something with the electrical? About two months ago my AC blower started to only work on Max speed and the van does other quirky things like the windshield wipers turn on for a second when i use my turn signal sometimes.
thoughts?
thanks so much!

 

these vans are notorious for weird wiper problems.

your problem could be everything you mentioned, so to fix it go through each of the items you mentioned and eliminated the ones that are working and replace the items not working. once you do that, everything will work

 

Thanks,
any idea on what specifically could be causing it to not start? just hoping to get it to run so i dont have to get a tow to the shop

 

spark, fuel, compression, battery, wiring are all things that could cause it not to start

 

are you POSITIVE that the battery is KNOWN GOOD?

I had a similar issue, and it was the battery. not saying you dont know for sure, but if you havent tested it, only because it "ran fine yesterday, and not today".. type scenario, might as well check it out.

 

find the starter, hit it with a wood 2x4. it may be stuck and needing replacement. it also could be the starter relay not making but this can get dangerious and i probably would not advice to do so if you not confortable is to short out the power to the feed of the starter. (contacts). like tapping on it and see if it turns over. i thinking its a starter issue since you said the engine does not turn over. fuel pump if engine turns over but does not start.

 

I think it's only electrical issue, just check it.

 

does it click at all?
has it moved at all? try putting in nuetral and rolling a foot backwards or foreward to move the flexplate for the stater to engage. seen it many times.
also check your starter connection on your starter solenoid

 

how can rolling a vehicle with an automatic transmission move the the flexplate?

 

sorry i meant drive not nuetral. with the vehicle rolling forward it will move the flexplate.
i have seen it before when the starter hits that exact position where the starter pushes against the flexplate and wont merge together in the teeth and sits there and hits the flexplate. which will cause it to not start