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[3rd Gen : 96-00]: 2000 Dodge Caravan 3.3L Flex

Old Dec 28, 2017 | 08:46 PM
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Unhappy 2000 Dodge Caravan 3.3L Flex

I have been banging my head against the wall. I was driving the car at 70 MPH yesterday and just started loosing power. Speed dropped to 60 MPH and kept getting slower, I pulled over and limped the car about a mile and a half down the road. All instruments were working and I received NO Check Engine Light. Kept running around 1000 RPM. Then it struggled to keep that going, finally it died. Tried to turn it over and it would but no fire. I was on the side of a very busy highway, so I had the car towed to my office. I went down today to check on it and tested the fuel pressure on the rail and checked the spark from #2 plug. Everything looks fine. Still no Check Engine Light. Still have full electricity so that rules out battery and alternator. I had someone suggest timing belt, so I called Dodge Service Dept. and they told me that it has a timing chain and that it did not sound like that was the problem. If anyone has an idea please let me know.
 
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Old Dec 28, 2017 | 09:20 PM
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Bad gas? Could be anything.
 
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Old Dec 29, 2017 | 07:16 AM
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Test your fuel pump:
Start it and run it with the Pressure Gauge connected see if it starts losing pressure while idling, it should have around 58psi at idle (if it's under 53 you're pump is likely dying).
Then shut the vehicle off and see how quickly it loses pressure. If it drops more than a couple pounds every couple of minutes, you have bad seals in the fuel pump (AKA, bad pump), or a leak somewhere.
The other problem could be as simple as a bad fuel filter.
 
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Old Dec 29, 2017 | 10:27 AM
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if it was a fuel problem; you could spray brake cleaner into the air snorkel and it would fire and start

i would do a compression test
 
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Old Dec 30, 2017 | 05:50 PM
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UPDATE: Went today swapped out Relays and it started, but not running right. Can't put my finger on it, but just not right. Got it home, only about a mile down the road, but it had trouble getting up the hill. Now it starts rough and does not want to hold a smooth idle, fluctuates between 900 RPM and 500 RPM. If it falls below 500 RPM the engine stalls. Still no check engine light and no codes on computer.
 

Last edited by Richard Vick; Dec 30, 2017 at 05:52 PM.
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Old Dec 30, 2017 | 05:51 PM
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BTY: All of the relays were good, tested them by swapping them out with others.
 
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Old Jan 1, 2018 | 12:12 PM
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Test your fuel pump:
Start it and run it with the Pressure Gauge connected see if it starts losing pressure while idling, it should have around 58psi at idle (if it's under 53 you're pump is likely dying).
Then shut the vehicle off and see how quickly it loses pressure. If it drops more than a couple pounds every couple of minutes, you have bad seals in the fuel pump (AKA, bad pump), or a leak somewhere.
The other problem could be as simple as a bad fuel filter.
 
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