2001 Dodge Ran Van 3500
I just bought this van, was told it was the go too vehicle when other vehicles wouldnt start. First thing was the gas gauge was off and we thought out of gas but had start issues off and on. Replaced the fuel pump and was fine through 4 starts then nothing. Checked fuses in panel at end of dash and they are good. Switched those 2 relays around. Its started over and over while we as the working on it. Then I read there is the relay under hood and is the ASD relay on the firewall? I'm going to see of I can find it now but I dont have a lot of money and cant afford to replace parts without knowing what's wrong. Also there is fire to all 8 cylinders. Any ideas?

 

try swapping the asd relay with one of the others of the same type that's in the power distribution box to see if that's the problem. This should help if you don't know where to find it, etc...

https://dodgeforum.com/how-tos/a/dod...diagram-392736

 

The only time I had a true no start condition was when my crankshaft position sensor went bad..
if a coil goes bad, it would act the same way too.
After that, it gets complicated

 

Same sentiments here as ElCon... only thing is that the crank sensor ( in my experience) gradually fails, revealed by engine shut downs while driving then no start for a few minutes then will miraculously start again... then soon die again coming to a stop or while driving again, repeat and so on...
My last no start the van drove me home fine one day, parked it and the next morning crank with no start. I had spark (what I thought was acceptable spark) at 2 plugs but was kinda weak spark, yellowish no blue and strong type.
I pulled the wire off the ignition coil and it was corroded n rusty looking as well as the wire end. Tried cleaning them both up a bit but ends I changed out both and fired right up

The other thing you might want to check connection and visible corrosion n what have you is the " pick up coil" (Cam Sensor) located directly under the the rotor inside the distributor cap. If you've already checked fuel pressure (which isn't a bad idea) with a pressure gauge and have good fuel pressure then this can likely be ruled out.

just adding some thoughts here for help here, good luck

 

What color is the spark, blue or orange?
You might need to do a fuel pressure test to verify you're getting fuel, new pumps can be bad.

 

I didnt pay attention to the color. I will ask the person helping me if he noticed. I dont have a fuel pressure gauge and I am on disability so I will have to wait till the 3rd now. It does die going down the road, did it today but he got under hood in the box and I think he swapped those around. He also found the bigger relay at end of that row labeled HVAC blower was corroded and a prong broke off. My blower doesnt work and I tried changing the resistor(?)((on firewall on passenger side under hood)) at part store managers suggestion. It wasn't that and because I did it in parking lot he took it back, thank God it was almost $30. I tried changing the switch behind the panel inside and that didnt work and we found that messed up today so I am hoping that is the blower issue and not the motor. The van has not quite 150,000 miles on it even though its 18 years old and the motor just purrs, no misses, knocks or clicks. I feel I got a good deal it's just these things type of issues are frustrating and I am not knowledgable about electrical stuff.
IF its fuel pressure does that mean the new pump is bad and has to be replaced again?

 

Is the tool to test fuel pressure called fuel injection pump tester? Harbor freight has a Pittsburg brand (lifetime warranty) for $24.99 and they have one cheaper and more expensive but I tend to buy middle of the price range.
If that's not it, can someone please send me a link to one so I can see what it looks like?

 

That one should work just fine to test pressure. May I suggest first doing the free diagnosis stuff first before spending your money? Sounds like you have been driving the van around around but have stalls and no starts....? You originally mentioned no start but not stalling while driving too so Helps if you can give a better full description of exactly what has been happening...
Recheck the spark at the plugs, see if it's orangy yellow=weak spark, or blueish being strong. If weak check the inside of the distributor cap and rotor as they could be corroded, dirty, worn enough not to produce strong spark to the plugs... sometimes they look like they should be okay but even cleaning up a bit won't help much if at all and that is all that is needed to be replaced to get the engine running well consistently again. cost of a cap with brass contacts and a rotor are $20. and cheaper than an ignition coil that may not be needed.
If you haven't changed them nor no when last time a tune up was done (plugs wires and cap n rotor) then this is a good place to start, this will cause a no start or running rough.
If you're having trouble starting but won't idle with out you giving it some pedal or coming to a stop and the engine dies unless you give it some pedal then it's a good bet it's a dirty throttlebody and gunked up IAC valve causing it.
If you are cruising along say 35-50mph and the engine either cuts out and dies or just plain dies and won't restart for a few minutes then it's likely the crank sensor failing.

These are some of my experiences

 

The color of the spark is important for diagnosing the issue, you can't guess at it. The fuel pressure gauge can be rented from places like Autozone. Basically you pay the cost of the tool and receive a full refund when you return it, so in the end it costs nothing.

 

I re-read my original post and realize I didnt post a very good description. After driving the van approximately 5 miles, it dies going down the road. Sometimes it will restart but most of the time you have to sit for 20 mins or longer then it will start. The first time this happened we thought it was out of gas. We added 5 goals and drove home but left it running for awhile. It died twice but restarted, then died and wouldnt restart until we sprayed starting fluid in the throttle body which caused it to start right up and it started the next so we were thinking trash was in the line and had pushed through. When I bought it the guy said the blower switch needed replaced, so i went to parts store to get a switch, the manager s asd I'd he thought it was the thing (resistor or relay?) On the firewall not letting the blower run but if I changed it out in parking lot and it wasnt that he would take the return and I could try the switch (which they didnt have in stock), when I went to go home van wouldnt start until I shot the ether in the throttle body. So then we thought clogged fuel filter but there isnt an in line fuel filter on this van, it's in the fuel pump so we thought it was a bad fuel pump so we bought a new fuel pump. It started and ran for a long time and didnt die and we thought it was fixed. Next day we had some errands, it started up fine at home, went 3 places (one of which was the parts store for the blower switch and it wasnt that either so now I have to figure out if it's that relay or the blower motor?) came back and parked it in the side yard so I could clean out the back, was parked at least an hour. Went to put it in driveway and it wouldnt start. About an hour after that it started right up, they ran to the convenience store and was gonna leave it running but it died and fortunately started right up. Weve taken it out three since then and went approx. 5 miles and it died going down the road and we had to sit for at least 20 mins before it would restart. I was going to test the fuel pressure just to make sure it wasnt the new fuel pump but havent gotten the guys helping me nailed down to do it. I've read and read and I really think it's a relay. Ignition or ASD. I know I can swap them around but I dont know if there is more than one bad. Relays are not cheap, $33 for ASD and the others are $15-$20. So what do ya'll think? So as long as a relay has the same number of pins and are identical they will work in any slot of the same size relay? Also, when I got my check I bought a box of blade fuses with a tester and went to town on the fuse box at end of dash. There are 2 boxes side by side. On right all the fuses were good but there was discoloration on pins so I used a wire brush and cleaned the pins then went back and put the tester to them in box to make sure none blew when I put them in. In the left box number 1 and 2 were blown so I replaced those. On a couple of the fuses there was this little brass looking strip that was slipped over one of the pins and sticks out after its plugged in, what is that for? Also it doesnt say on ru he diagram what the other things plugged in the boxes are for other than the blade fuses. I uploaded pics of the fuse boxes so you could see and maybe be able to answer the next questions. First pic...In the left box under the yellow pinch thing holding the number 1 blade fuse, there are 2 black squares (relays, circuit breakers?) And a bigger blue one, what are they for? And if the 2 black ones are relays with the same number of pins are they interchangeable with the ones under the hood? Second pic...On the bottom of the right fuse box under all the blade fuses, there is what looks like a square relay down there and empty spots. Is that a relay or what and what is it for? Also should those spots be empty? If not what are they for? Third pic...Then on the top of the right fuse box on the right there is this silver colored thing but there is an identical slot empty beside it to the left, what is that silver thing and should there be one on the left? I think that's all my questions for now.
thanks for you help!!!!



On left under the yellow pinch thing with number 1 blade fuse are 2 black what? And a blue what? And what are they for?

Bottom of right box under blade fuses...is that a relay or what? And what is it for? Should thise empty slots be empty?

In right box on top of blade fuses...on right that silver thing, what is it? Whats it for? Should identical slot on left be empty?