Help me!

I have a '97 Dodge B350 Maxivan that quit running. I replaced the coil, plugs, distributor cap, rotor, and wires. It starts instantly, but was running rough, and gradually, and now always, has no power on accelleration; after a brief warm-up period after I step on the gas pedal it sucks air in the throttle body to the max. I checked the TPS, MAP sensor, Manifold air temp. sensor,(I have the dealers manual, but not the code reader). I pulled the plugs I installed-they were ALL carboned up. I replaced these with the truck plugs(which came out originally after 95,000 miles) No change. I really need this vehicle, which is my business vehicle-I'm an electrical contractor. Although it has 198,000 miles on it I haven't had any major problems although I dumped my tranny at 178,000. Any answers? I'm in the process of checking the water temperature sensor, although it's difficult to do as you just about have to remove the alternator and the water hoses to get to it with an A/C.

I did check the water jacket sensor-checked good. I am really stumped. I heard a parts guy telling me something about resetting the PCM since after I changed the parts this created a different operating environment than the computer was running, any answers to that? I appreciate any advice that you may have to offer.

have you installed a new cat converter ?

Reseting the PCM? Maybe it would work, maybe it will not. BUT, it's cheap and worth the try.

OK, disconnect the battery. Next turn the key on to start and leave for about 30-45 seconds. Then turn the key off.

Wait for about 20-30 mins with the battery still disconected. Upon the lapsed time, reconnect the battery. Wait another 5 mins. Start the van and let it idle unitl the temp gage reaches from cold to warm up.

Now, turn the van off. Check the codes by on-off-on-off-on with the key like you're going to start the van, but not to activated the starter. Look at the mile odometer for any code numbers. If you get P-done, then the PCM is cleared and no new codes arrived during the warm idle start-up.

Stev

Yup, I did and it works! However, it still has a miss and I have to try starting it 3 or 4 times to get it running. Any suggestions?

Have you checked fuel pressure? I'm thinking possible fuel pump problem.

Originally Posted by forcemajuere

Yup, I did and it works! However, it still has a miss and I have to try starting it 3 or 4 times to get it running. Any suggestions?

Stupid me , I forgot to ask you to write done any of the codes that first appeared.

You did say it worked.

By chance did you write done the codes to share with us?

I did and I had a tiny gas leak which I repaired with a $10 part from NAPA auto-went into my fuel injector rail from my fuel line. I also purchased and installed new O2 sensors in my cat converter and that restored pep when I was accelleratingand decellerating. I made the mistake of moving my distributor-I moved it back where I thought it was originally and that took care of needing the 2-4 times starting before it would run. I'm trying to get the distributor in line with a timing light but I can't find the engine standoff mark-the pulley of course is marked. Any ideas?

I can't remember if it shows cam position on my scanner or not for a Dodge.
I had to use my scanners cam position indication to set the distributer on the Chev Express that I traded in for the Dodge.
0 was the correct setting for it. (It wouldn't have been necessary if the frigging distributer hadn't gotten busted ears on it.....stupid plastic junk!)

My guess is that a scanner that has real time indication of the cam sensor is what will be needed.

You don't use a timing light to set timing anymore...the PCM does that. To get the distributor back in line, bring the engine up on TDC on no. 1 cyl. on compression stroke. The timing mark on the balancer will line up with the '0' on the timing tab. There is a notch in body of the distributor (or cam sensor can't remember which) that the rotor must line up with. Loosen the hold-down bolt and turn the distributor accordingly. Lock it down and you're done.