More Car Problems - GAH! Help please. I need this thing running right.

[ReanimationLP]

Well, I got the fuel pump replaced (Cost me over 400 dollars )

Worked for maybe two days, before new problems started to pop up.

Now when you push the gas pedal, it lunges, almost like the engine is coughing, and also when your starting to make it go, it sounds like its struggling to go (kinda like this : vrrrrrooooOOOoOOOooooOOOOm) When you get it to a red light, it will normally die out, to where it has to be restarted again.

So far, I've replaced the following parts :

Fuel Pump
Fuel Filter
Distributor Cap
Spark Plugs
Rotor
Added ALL fluids, from oil, to antifreeze, to transmission

I was gonna change the wires, but the morons at Advanced Auto Parts SOLD me the wrong wire set. >_>'

I'd like to get this thing running sometime before the end of the week, so I can pay my respects to my friend on Saturday on the eve of her passing.

And no, buying a new car isnt an option. See, I'm rather poor.

So, I'm here asking you guys, my buddies.

I wouldnt be surprised if the mechanic screwed something up, but if you have any suggestions, please let me know. Its very, very hard to secure rides to and from work, and a cab costs 30 EACH way. Its rather ironic, until the fuel pump died, everything was running smoothly and beautifully.

For reference, its a 1993 Dodge Caravan SE minivan with the 3.0L V6 Mitsubishi engine.

 

[MACDRIVE]

The first step is to get it read for diagnostic trouble codes. Do you have an AutoZone near by? They can read the codes for you.

 

[ReanimationLP]

The first step is to get it read for diagnostic trouble codes. Do you have an AutoZone near by? They can read the codes for you.

The codes' reader is built into the Check Engine light, and it says nothing is wrong. :/

 

[MACDRIVE]

Hook a fuel pressure gage up to the fuel pressure regulator and get a fuel pressure reading. You want at least 50 PSI.

 

[Case-sensitive]

Has it got fuel injectors or carburetors?

Maybe they're dirty/on the way out.

 

[Sdashiki]

have you had the timing of your idle checked?

if when stopped, an automatic tranny, the car sputters and possibly stops, it could be that the idle is set way too low.

seen it happen before. worth a try.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Has it got fuel injectors or carburetors?

Maybe they're dirty/on the way out.

This engine is fuel-injected. Could be dirty injectors, but the odds of this problem afflicting more than one cylinder seems remote and I would not expect to see lunging/surging with just one or two clogged injectors, and I expect the engine would always run rough.

I once owned a Chrysler van with this very same engine. The issue I had with it most often was bad sensors. The one that created the most havoc was a bad engine speed sensor. The engine ran very poorly when the sensor failed. Other weird stuff happened. Does your cruise control work?

Do you know how to read the diagnostic trouble codes on the check engine light? IIRC, you cycle the ignition key three times from off to accessory position, then leave it in accessory. If you've got a trouble code, it should flash the check engine light in a two-digit sequence, ending with 5-5. Your mechanic should know what the codes mean.

 

[skunk]

Is the problem the same with the tank full as with it nearly empty, or does it get worse?

 

[lexus]

It may be the type of gas you use.

 

[pseudobrit]

Take it to a reputable garage.

There's no point in throwing more parts at it if you don't like wasting money.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Assuming the fuel pump was replaced properly, I wonder if it's a problem with the intake manifold or mass airflow sensor...that might make it run very rough. A problem with the ign ition could also cause those symptoms.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Assuming the fuel pump was replaced properly, I wonder if it's a problem with the intake manifold or mass airflow sensor...that might make it run very rough. A problem with the ign ition could also cause those symptoms.

The fuel pump is in the gas tank. I also had this part replaced on my Chrysler minivan. It produced similar symptoms when it was failing, but I knew it was going to fail ahead of time, because it had become noisy.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I wonder if they checked the fuel filter as well. Maybe the pump failed because something is wrong (sediment) with the lines?

It might be a good idea to have another garage look at it.

 

[mac-convert]

I noticed above that you replaced the fuel filter. Go back and check it again. If the fuel pump (in the gas tank) was replaced, maybe there was enough shaking around that some sediment was knocked loose. That would clog the fuel filter. And while you are at it, make sure you have it installed correctly. I don't know the setup on that make, but if you install one backwards the gas will have a helluva time getting to where it needs to be.

 

[ReanimationLP]

Thanks for all the tips. I found a new mechanic instead of the one who installed the fuel pump and filter. Hopefully, he'll be able to fix it for me, and not cost me an arm and a leg like the last one.

I cant wait to this thing starts to move again and not be grouchy about it.

For the record, it is driveable. It just doesnt feel right, and dies out when its idling, and is hard to get it to start moving after idling at a redlight.

 

[rdowns]

Have you tried Lube™?