Hello all, I'm new to the forum and I wanted to just introduce myself before I fire away with my many questions. I inheireted a 92 Dodge Caravan w/ the 3.0 motor. I'm using it as my daily driver now and I'm giving my other car a well deserved rest. Now that I have a second vehicle I've decided to take better care of it than my parents did. Before giving it to me they did quite a lot to it. It recently recieved a newer engine (60K on it), rebuilt transmission w/ new filter, new tires, battery, ECM, alternator, fuel pump & filter,pick-up module, cap & rotor, spark plug wires, spark plugs, radiator, oil pressure switch, and a K&N air filter. The van broke down and we replaced all of the stated parts before just getting a newer engine. With the new engine it runs great with one exception. When I accelerate from a dead stop the van will stutter or jerk as it picks up speed. Once it gets going everything works great. I ruled out the speed sensor because I don't see the speedo jumping and fuel isn't an issue because I have a new pump, filter, and newer injectors. The transmission can't be the culprit because I have a rebuilt unit that worked flawlessly with the previous enigne. A co-worker of mine suggested to change the plugs. I'm currently using NGK V-Power plugs but when buying them I didn't check to see what the OEM plugs were. If it is the plugs I think I'm going to get the OEM recommended plugs which are Champion platinum plugs. What do you guys think, should I try changing the plugs? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Pretty much, to tell you the truth, I doubt it's the plugs or wires. I mean, you didn't say how many miles you have put on it since you have gotten it. If it's been like 30,000+ miles, go ahead and change the spark plugs.
The acceleration from a dead stop: now, is it a certain "amount" that you are accelerating? (Such as, if I accelerate normal on my Dakota, it will be just fine. If I accelerate in even just kind of a hurry, it will shutter too, for me, I believe it is the transmission)
One thing I will tell you: if you got the good old 4-speed automatic in there (versus the reliable 3-speed they used to use), good luck, it's probably the transmission. To make that transmission last, you should probably take it real easy with the van, and pray you don't have to replace it again. HERE is a little link to people on this forum who want to find a manual tranny that will bolt up to the 3.3 (yes, I know, you have the good 3.0), and their 4-speed automatic. One guy had 5 (yes, he said, FIVE) in ONE YEAR. The user "minivanin" is, as he said, currently on tranny #4, and I would definitly believe it.
However: since you have the 3.0, if the tranny goes again, and since a 3-speed will bolt up to it, swap a 3-speed in there, if you wouldn't mind (sure, you would have to swap some stuff out, but the tranny would last). You loose the O/D gear, but, on 60-65MPH average road trips, my grandmas van would average 22-24MPG.
Good news: the 3.0's seemed to be good. My grandpa bought my grandmas van (a 1990 Caravan) with about 130,000 miles on it. He rebuilt the motor, and we had to junk the van at 289,000 miles. He's still got the motor sitting in the garage, waiting to be put in his 1988 Voyager.

 

This occured a month after we got it back from having a newer engine put into it. It didn't do that up until now. I have a rebuilt trans in it and I had the fluid and filter when I had the newer engine put in. If i accelerate really slow it won't do the stutter but if I accelerate normally or with some quickness it will do that. Also out of curiosity, what is the average mpg these vans get. I did the math on the first full tank of gas I spent and I clocked it at 18 mpg. Prior to the engine swap I swore the van got more. This is just my everyday driver folks, I just want to take better care of it and have it get me to school and work in a reliable fashion. I might throw in a new set of speakers and a CD player just for kicks.

 

well mine would shudder in moderate acceleration but didn't seem to, or at least almost not at all when i floored it, in all the trannies i had, & the current with the polyurethane front motor mount, so mounts is not the issue as i heard some people said once a while ago

mine seemed to do it alot in the 40-60 range about 1/2 throttle in 3rd, sometimes 2nd

i have a modded 3.3, but engines can't be an issure, sinces its happeining to you

BTW- i drive like a 13 year old & average -21-23mpg per tank


-greg

 

Another weird thing I noticed is that when I'm in Sacramento, CA. the van won't jerk as much if at all during acceleration but when I'm in the cooler SF bay area it does it all the time. It's significantly hotter out in Sacramento hence I thought that the standard NGK plugs were burning more efficiently and while in the bay area the lack of hotter burning platinum plugs causes the jerking. This thing is driving me crazy. Also on the drive up to Sacramento it would intermitantly jerk the whole freeway drive up here. But after arriving and letting the van rest for an hour I went to run some errands and it never jerked like it normally did.

 

It could also be the fuel injectors.If they aren't giving a good spray pattern you would have acceleration problems.Cleaners won't work on worn out injectors,you have to replace them.

 

hes got a point, your injectors may be worn, & so when its hot they seem to work fine, but when yer in the cooler region the wear on them becomes obvious

its worth a shot to check 'em out

-greg