What could be causing my 1997 Dodge Caravan to be Jerking & Jumping when i go down the road. it has loss of power & it backfires. let me tell you what i have done with it so far. I have Changed out all 6 spark plugs & Cables. I gapped the spark plugs to Chiltons Book specifications. once i replaces the spark plugs & cables it ran better for at least three days. then back to the same old bad condition. also when it ran good the gas did not get used up as quick as it does when the van is jumping & jerking. so anyways. I once thought it was the EGR Valve because i drove it to a automotive store & they did a FREE Computer scan of my van & it pointed in the direction of the EGR Valve. so i bought a new one & replaced the old EGR & its still doing the Jumping & Jerking & loss of power thing. oh yea, did i mention it also pops/backfires?... i have a Mechanic in the family & he said it could be the coil pack. I'm assuming this is the thing where the 6 spark plug cables run from & to the spark plugs themselves. this all started right after i changed out the full rail. it was leaking gas. I'm thinking it could be 1 or more of the 6 full injectors that are connected to the full rail. keep in mind the fan was not jumping, jerking, losing power or backfiring until i chances out the full rail. so could it be the full injectors?... maybe not pumping gas through them or a few of them or at least one of them. anyone else had this problem before?... Any help would be appreciated.

 

Cycle the key from off to on (not start) 3 times within 5 seconds then watch the service engine soon light. You'll see it blink. These blinks are fault codes similar to what a scanner reads. Each code has 2 digits divided by a pause. Multiple codes are separated by a longer pause. Should end with a 55 code meaning flash x 5, pause, flash x 5. Let us know the codes. Or... have it scanned again.

Ask your family mechanic to determine which plug or injector isn't firing. There are several ways to do this.

Years ago they issued a recall for leaking fuel rails on 3.3 and 3.8 ltr engines on your van. Was that ever complied with?

Chicken and egg scenario. Your EGR code could have been induced by the rough running.

 

You brought up something i had forgotten to mention. the "Service Engine Soon" Light. before i changed out the EGR Valve the service engine soon light was always on steady. after i changed it out the service engine soon light blinks while going down the road. it will blink like 3 to 5 times then stop. then it will blink 3 to 5 times & stop again. i repeats this process all the time while driving.

Okay so i went outside & turned the key on & off 3 times within 5 seconds. this is how it went. the service engine soon light went Blink, Blink, Blink (3 Times) then stopped then it went Blink, Blink, Blink, Blink (4 Times) then stopped. it kept repeating that process. so in others words a 3 blink STOP & then a 4 Blink STOP

& Yes it does have rough Idoling/Running. while idoled it seems like it wants to stop running.

 

& yes i changed the leaking fuel rail out. i was leaning at a seal.

 

That's a code 34 - speed control solenoid circuit. That's a problem with your cruise control. I want to jump on that and say disregard it but, for now put it in your pocket. When you get a chance have it scanned again.

The SES light blinking while driving could be a sign the cat converter is being damaged by your rough running engine. If it starts blinking consistantly, it's time to park it and get it fixed. In any case, get it fixed pronto.

Take a look at the camshaft sensor and wire harness. On the 3.3/3.8 ltr engines it's mounted on top of the passenger side of the engine near the thermostat housing. May have damaged it while changing the fuel rail.

 

Well my Speed/Cruise Control has never worked so that makes sense it would be that. but I'm sure it has nothing to do with the Jumping & Jerking. i was just driving today & while going down the road i noticed the SES Light was blinking tons of times. it might blink 10 times then stop then even 20 times then stop & so on. it had no pattern while driving down the road.

Enclosed is a Photo of what i think you might be talking about being the camshaft sensor. look where the finger is pointing. I think that might be the Coil pack right?... i heard that could be doing it. I think its called a Ignition Coil.

 

Yes, that's the coil pack. The camshaft sensor (not in view) is slightly aft and left of that 2 inch diameter hose connection you see just below the coil pack. Either could be the cause.

Has your speedometer been working normally?

Next time you see the SES light blinking, pull over and do the key dance again to read the codes.

 

Actually now that you mention it the speedometer & all the dash lights some times go off. all together but not this or that. its all or nothing. & if i hit the window shield that covers all the gages in the dash they come back on. so that tells me there is a short i guess. Iv been doing research on the coil pack & the camshaft sensor. i pretty much know where both are located. i just need some way of testing these items before i buy them. I'm tired of getting burnt & replacing things that did not need to be replaced in the first place.