Subject: 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.3L
Dale asks: My van will start and idle fine in Park or Neutral, however, once I engage it in gear it immediately dies. I’m sure it’s a sensor but I am unable to retrieve a “check engine code.” Any advice?
Dale, I hope your idle speed is up to par when in park, if not set it up a bit higher. It also sounds like your fuel mixture may not be sufficient at the idle speed.
Take a look at a couple of spark plugs and check the gap and condition.
You know, it could also be a timing chain that is getting to the point of replacement. I used to check this by popping off the distributor cap and then turning the crankshaft one way, then the other and look to see how many degrees you can turn it before the distributor shaft moves. I think if it is 8 degrees you need to replace the chain and gears but I am not for sure on how much since it has been a long time since I have had to check an engine, but you can ask a Dodge mechanic and they should know.
I hope this helps you, Dale. Good luck!
Dave
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