88 caravan 3.0 engine wont start
 

hi everyone, thought i’d give this forum a try to solve my dilemma.
My 88 mini ram/caravan just quit running while I was driving. No
sputtering or hesitation first, it just quit. The last time something
similar to this happened to this vehicle, the fuel pump needed
replacement. that was only four years ago and i’ve only put about
14,000 miles on since then so i’m looking elsewhere for the problem
first. Can anyone tell me the ignition key sequence to access the
failure codes? I knew at one time but forgot. The instructions in my
chiltons manual did not work. I also tried a new ignition coil with
no luck. The engine will start briefly if I spray starting fluid into
the air intake so i’m pretty sure the problem is fuel related. I’m
thinking the problem may be with the engine computer or a relay but
i’m not sure how to properly diagnose a failure code. Can anyone
point me in the right direction?

Dave

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On 6 Jul 2005 19:37:40 -0400, evad5150 >
wrote:

>hi everyone, thought i’d give this forum a try to solve my dilemma.
>My 88 mini ram/caravan just quit running while I was driving. No
>sputtering or hesitation first, it just quit. The last time something
>similar to this happened to this vehicle, the fuel pump needed
>replacement. that was only four years ago and i’ve only put about
>14,000 miles on since then so i’m looking elsewhere for the problem
>first. Can anyone tell me the ignition key sequence to access the
>failure codes? I knew at one time but forgot. The instructions in my
>chiltons manual did not work. I also tried a new ignition coil with
>no luck. The engine will start briefly if I spray starting fluid into
>the air intake so i’m pretty sure the problem is fuel related. I’m
>thinking the problem may be with the engine computer or a relay but
>i’m not sure how to properly diagnose a failure code. Can anyone
>point me in the right direction?

Failure code access is to turn the key to position 2, and back to 0,
three times.

The sudden death thing seems t be catching too - my 87 3.0 suddenly
died comming home from a party july4th, Driving along, 45mph, all of a
sudden oil light comes on, and the steering goes impossibly heavy. For
some reason the battery went flat. 10 minutes sitting at the roadside
with the battery disconnected and it fired up again.

>
>Dave

My '89 Caravan 3.0 just sputtered out and died while I was idling in
the driveway. I cranked it but it wouldn't start back up, and after
about 15 seconds of normal-sounding cranking, the battery suddenly ran
down to dead over the course of about 5 more seconds, to where there was
no point in continuing to crank it.
Had it towed to a shop where we put a new battery in it--end of
problem.
But I can't figure out why after it died the battery would crank the
engine over strongly for a short while before suddenly petering out. If
it had enough voltage to roll the engine over like that, why wouldn't it
run?
I don't think the tech (shop owner) was really sure that was going to
solve the problem, but I gave him the OK to replace it, and it worked,
and I know he had no definite explanation for it.