A gremlin in our Town & Country?

Since last summer, my mom's 1997 Chrysler T&C van has occasionally refused to stay running after initial start up. It cranks over, fires up, then immediately dies, and the next day it'll start and run like normal. There's still fuel pressure, and no trouble codes. In fact, there was some kind of pressure sensor replaced last summer after the OEM part failed. The 3.8 engine does not have a fuel return line or a MAF sensor. It seems like once the engine fires up, the computer relies on that pressure sensor to calculate air flow or injector pulse width, but that part was replaced and the problem persists. How does this engine calculate air flow without a MAF? Does it have a speed density system? Does anyone know the exact location of the pressure transducer sensor and how to test it? Is this common for this vehicle, and have there been any TSB's issued for this type of problem? I have an auto X-ray 2000 code reader, and was unable to obtain any trouble codes when the engine wouldn't stay running. Could a newer scanner display the voltage signal of this sensor?

Jackolantern2010-05-01T15:56:05Z

Favorite Answer

It doesn't have a Mass Air Flow sensor like most other makes do. Chrysler went with the MAP sensor. Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor. It reads intake vacuum. Later on in 2000, they went to MAF sensors. What is the fuel pressure at first crank? If it is lower than 10 lbs, then the fuel pressure on start-up is to low to maintain running which means you need a new pump. It could be that the check valve in the pump is bleeding off pressure over a long set such as over night. If so, you can overcome this problem by simply cycling the key on and off several times before cranking to build the pressure up before cranking so as the starter action will not starve the pump of voltage. Low fuel pressure will not give a code unless it happens going down the highway. Then it will give a code that reads 'O2 sensor lean'.

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Bubba TN2010-04-30T20:25:47Z

The fuel injectors need to be cleaned, fuel pressure regulator bad, fuel filter needs to be replaced or bad fuel pump. Those sometimes will not throw a code.

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