I am making this post in an attempt to payback for some of the info I have gleaned from this site for both my 97 Plymouth Voyager and my 05 Hemi Durango. This post is about the Voyager though. Here’s what I have been dealing with and what I think (with fingers crossed) may have finally fixed it. ‘97 Plymouth Grand Voyager -3.3ltr 140K stumbles at about 10 miles after start-up- if I were stopped at a light or slowing down for a turn below 1K RPM and when it would stumble at about 10 mi., it would stall; above 1K RPM it would usually just stumble and then continue to run; the CEL would illuminate for about 1-2 seconds then go out; the speedometer and tach would go crazy bouncing all over during these 1-2 sec episodes. If the cruise control were on, it would disengage -it could be re-engaged by cycling the set and on/off buttons; and finally the transmission would shift funky until reset by turning off and restarting the vehicle. If it did stall -instead of just stumble- it could be restarted immediately. It set no codes into memory that I could read with my code reader. As far I know, this would only happen once per trip. I have a 26 mile drive to work and this would occur daily, both going to and coming from work at somewhere between 9 and 11 miles into the journey and did not repeat for the rest of the trip. At approximately 100K the plugs, coils, fuel-pump, TPS, and EGR valve were replaced for not necessarily related issues.

Here is what I have done in an attempt to remedy this stumbling/stalling and the results I got. These things I have done in the last 2K miles as I continued to drive it daily to and from work. First I pulled the PCM and inspected the contacts on both the wiring harness and the connector using a magnifier lens. I did not notice anything obviously wrong like bent or corroded pins, but I sprayed both with contact cleaner anyway. While it did not “fix” the problem it did change the distance/time that the stumble occurred to aprox 6-8 miles. Next, I pulled the instrument cluster and re-soldered the connector which I found as a recommended fix to this problem on the internet. I did identify that there was a corroded joint and I re-soldered the entire connector. It had no effect on the stumbling/stalling but it did fix a somewhat unreliable fuel gauge. Next, I replaced the Crank Sensor (also recommended) and it too changed the distance/time parameter to 6-10 miles for awhile then went back after week or so to the 9-11 mile interval, but it did not fix it. Next, I replaced the cam sensor. While replacing that sensor, I did find a corroded center terminal on the sensor connector but I replaced the sensor anyway and sprayed the connector. The results were that I believe it may have been fixed. It may have stumbled again twice after that -once at about 2 blocks and on a different trip at about 20 miles, but I’m not sure because if it did stumble it was very mild compared to previous incidents- and then seems to have been corrected. During the past 3 weeks now it has not stumbled or stalled at all, while prior to this, it was guaranteed to stumble or stall on both the trip to and from work.

I actually think it was the corrosion on the cam sensor connector that was the culprit, but I am not sure. It is working for now with no stumbling or stalling and I will re-post if that changes. Sorry about the long post, but I wanted to give as much info as possible to potentially help anyone else who may be experiencing this aggravating condition(s) and also so to focus any feedback I may get. I hope this helps someone else as this site has been an invaluable source of information to me for my Chrysler products. Good Luck.

 

well, it "stumbled" again today, both going to and coming home from work at just about the 10 mile mark both ways. I still think it might be something to do with the cam or the crank sensors because it did seem to change the characteristics but at his point I'll take any and all advice.

 

does it stumble just sitting idling?

 

Could be a dirty throttle body.
Very common and happens more at Stop lights and Left turns. When warmed up.
The throttle body cleaner can be bought at any auto parts store. Gumout, etc.
Make sure its designed to go into the carb.
Disconnect the plastic intake up to the carb.
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS on the can carefully and go to town cleaning it out.
Shoot it deep down the carb.

You don't mention any trouble codes. Did You test for them?

 

Well I don't know, I've never just let it idle. Like I said it usually happens at about 10 miles into the trip or about 15 minutes. I've never let it just sit that long idling. I guess I could give that a try. Like I said if I happen to be at a light or at idle for some reason while driving it, and it occurs then yes it will stumble and die. But it can be restarted immediately.

Upon further reflection, when we had a couple of single digit temps last month, I did let it idle in the driveway to warm up and it had died once.......not sure if it was from the "stumble" or for some other reason. Another time I let it idle for 10 to 15 minutes and when I drove it away it "stumbled" just a few blocks from the house. So it seems to be more likely a timing thing than a mileage thing.

 

I guess in my OP I forgot to mention that I did clean the TB early on when this problem started manifesting and it made no difference. No it doesn't set any codes although I understand it can "flash" a code when it occurs without actually setting into the memory to be read.