Questions and Answers
Caravan Won't Start
Q. I have a 1993 Dodge Caravan with a 3.3 liter, automatic, 140,000 miles, fuel injection, P/S, P/W, P/L, A/C (front & rear). My wife had put gas in it, and it began having problems starting. We were thinking that it had water in the gas, so we ran a couple of bottles of gas treatment through, but it didn't help. I changed the fuel filter, but that didn't make much if any difference.
One day she couldn't get it cranked at all, and I replaced a vacuum hose that had gotten melted by battery acid. It cranked and ran until I got home, and now won't crank again. I have been told that it sounds like the fuel pump. I talked with a Dodge place about draining the gas, and during the conversation the guy told me that he would replace the fuel pump module. He said that replacing the fuel pump only solves the problem about 20% of the time. I wanted to get an honest opinion before I shelled out another $400.00 or so bucks!
Thanks,
RickyA. Okay, when you say it won't crank I'm assuming it cranks but doesn't start.
Working on that premise I think the problem might be in the fuel tank. It was fine until she got fuel and then it immediately started acting up. Where I come from, 2+2=4. It was fine before, and lousy after. If you did get water in the tank, the only effective way to get it out is by draining the tank, cleaning it and refilling with fresh fuel. Gas treatment or dry gas will not do much to remove it.
There is also the possibility of debris in the tank clogging the fuel pick up screen. The likelihood of these two possibilities increase if the gas station just received a fuel delivery. When the new gas is put in the storage tanks, all the debris and water that has settled out to the bottom gets mixed up and gets pulled into the pumps as a car is filled. This is why i schedule my fuel deliveries to arrive two hours before I close. That gives it all night to settle back down to the bottom.
At this point I would suggest dropping the tank, have it cleaned and refilled. You might want to consider replacing the fuel pump as well since the tank is out anyway. The two jobs can be combined and it will save you quite a few bucks.
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