just got this 96 dodge grand caravan, 3.8, automatic. This van sounds good cranking but just wont start. fuel pumps ok, no spark. replaced crankshaft sensor, no go. battery was dead when i got it and don't have much back ground on the van except they thought it had electrical issues. charged up battery. cranks over ok, pulled spark plug, no spark, disconnected battery again along with disconnecting engine control module. reconected ecm, no luck. read something on here about anti theft device. so i hand unlocked the front doors, half a dozen different times on each side, with the clicker and also by hand after that. still no luck. ????????
Also did a code check, no codes, but i dont know if that cancels them out once you disconnect battery.

 

very common for the drivers in the PCM for the coils to short out. There is a 4 pin connector that connects to the coil pack, pin 3, dark green with an orange tracer, is the power supplied by the asd relay. Should have 12v there while cranking. Check it with a test light connected to ground. The other 3 wires are for the 3 coils. Connect the test light to battery positive and probe each wire, while cranking, the light should flash. If any of them are illuminated constantly, the coil pack and PCM will need to be replaced.

 

Sounds like my 95, At first I thought it was the fuel pump,, replaced that ran good for a while . I left for a few months had it in the garage with the batt disconnected.
came home, installed the batt. Started right up like a new clock. for a few days drove it every where. then one day it said,,, sorry ! Then I thought OK maybe the transmission park safety, down on the tranny was bad, I reached down to see it and it came loose in my hand. Then walla it started up again. The wife yesterday drove it all over town and this AM it decided not to start again.

IT will turn over real good, has spark but the fuel pump will not actuate?
Any thoughts.
Thanks

 

Connect test light to positive? when checking 4 prong connection going to coil pack?

 

yep, the PCM grounds the wire to fire the coil. You are checking for ground so you hook the test light to the positive terminal. When the driver that fires the coil craps out, it usually grounds the wire all the time, so you check one of the wires and the light is always lit.