Van Mechanical Issues Are Taking the Wind out of My Sails

[drewker]

Failing crankshaft position sensor? Just thinking out loud.

I had similar sounding symptoms that were caused by a dried out AC/Heater damper selector switch. It would only act up when the switch was in certain positions and caused a bad enough vacuum leak to completely stall the motor and not allow a restart on one occasion. I was able to restart after I 'exercised' the selector back and forth a few times. I only found the problem when I turned off the AC to be able to hear the engine better and all the surging stopped at once and then returned when I turned the AC back on.

Guy

that has been changed and it was easy to do. it helped with a rough idle problem but none of the other symptoms...

i rarely ever use the a/c even though it has one. i do use the heater a lot though, so i wll inspect that part that you are talking about...i have inspected for vacuum leaks very closely and found none, although i swear i can hear a hissing noise coming from somewhere. the mechanics tell me i would have a high idle with a vacuum leak though and i have never had that problem, low idle only

 

[drewker]

Why you are not getting results by throwing money at your van to solve this issue is at that the majority of auto mechanics are really not auto emissions/ drivability trained diagnosticians.  A skilled diagnostician would get to the root of your problems quickly without guessing and throwing part after part at your van with the hope that something will work.  Then, of course, they usually expect you to pay for their inflated parts prices for components that you did not actually need and also for the labor to not fix the problem. This is called serial replacement of parts in the auto industry and is the surest mark of a wannabe diagnostician. 

I can make the above statements because I have had the formal training in the California Smog tech license program.  I took and passed the course.  

Is the computer in your van reporting diagnostic trouble codes (DTC's)?  If so, what are they?  Does your rig display the problems only when fully warmed up?  More often on hot days or cold days?

The good news is that since you are in California I can point you to your best chance at finding a qualified diagnostician.  The best diagnosticians are often employed in a licensed test and repair Smog station that has Gold Shield status.  The CA BAR holds Gold Shield  smog stations to much higher standards in many areas of their business.  

For example, they act as the technical gateway into the  Consumer Assistance Program (CAP)  link:  http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/consumer/Consumer_Assistance_Program/index.html     Only  a Gold Shield station can diagnose and/or repair a car for a low income owner who is trying to get the state to help to pay for repairs to their vehicle so that it will pass smog and be registered and driven again.  For good reason, the state will not put up with a lame tech who gets this important diagnosis wrong frequently.

If you are willing to do a couple of inexpensive things on your van yourself that might solve the problems you are having please let me know.   Even if these tasks do not solve your current problems, they will greatly reduce the probability of future electrical gremlins cropping up.  No serial replacement of parts will happen.

The first mechanic I saw was an ASE certified mechanic in Hillsboro, Oregon. He charged me $150 to tell me what autozone told me for free: PO306 ... He was a friendly guy but just not very helpful. I got the impression he did not want to work on the van because of its age. Saw a mechanic in Crescent City, CA - very nice guy, thought it was PCM related, which it might still be. Saw another ASE in San Jose, CA (Goodyear auto)... he got a PO304 code, but that was after I switched the fuel injectors. He told me straight out the gate that he would check for the codes but did not want to work on the van bc of its age. "Could be lots of things" they all seem to say.

I wish I could identify patterns like you are asking but it really is unpredictable. I would say though I have a better chance of making some distance out of the gate in the morning. I have after all covered quite a lot of distance even with these problems. 

I am absolutely willing to take whatever your suggestions may be so do tell... I might have tried them, but that is interesting about the gold shield, did not know that.

 

[drewker]

It all comes down; what are the diagnostic codes?

PO306 and PO304... i wish it was as easy as that

 

[GotSmart]

PO306 and PO304... i wish it was as easy as that

• OBD II P0306
  ]Fault Code Definition
  • Misfire Detected in #6 Cylinder
    ]
    • Check Engine Light flashing
      
    • Rough running, hesitation, and/or jerking when accelerating
      
    • In most cases, there are no adverse conditions noticed by the driver
      
    • In some cases, there may be performance problems, such as dying at stop signs or rough idling, hesitation, misfires or lack of power (especially during acceleration), and a decrease in fuel economy
      ]Common Problems That Trigger the P0306
      
    • Worn out spark plugs, ignition wires, coil(s), distributor cap and rotor (when applicable)
      
    • Incorrect ignition timing
      
    • Vacuum leak(s)
      
    • Low or weak fuel pressure
      
    • Improperly functioning EGR system
      
    • Defective Mass Air Flow Sensor
      
    • Defective Crankshaft and/or Camshaft Sensor
      
    • Defective Throttle Position Sensor
      
    • Mechanical engine problems (i.e.—low compression, leaking head gasket(s), or valve problems
    
    
    
    Have you changed the cap, rotor and wires lately?

 

[drewker]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]"Stalling out and having problems starting again is by far the most stressful part of this."[/font]




Your ECM/PCM is the likely culprit.  You can throw every part at this that you want, until the ECM is the only thing left to replace, and that is how you diagnose a bad ECM/PCM, it seems, unfortunately.

These dodge ECMS are so prone to failure as they are located at the very top of the engine compartment, baking, and the 90+ wires in bundled connector's  weight  is effectively leaning on the solder joints inside the PCM's circuit board with not nearly enough strain relief.

Sometimes the wire pressure is just so...... so that a broken solder contact that was touching enough to pass current 99.99% of the time, hit that specific threshold of temperature and flexibility where contact is lost, and a stall occurs, and it will not restart until the ECM connector is wiggled just so, to reestablish contact and allow normal engine function, until the next time, when clinching your butt cheeks mid intersection in the bad part of town.

Next time it stalls, put it in park, leave the key on, and go wiggle the connectors at the ecm/PCM.  Do you hear relays click on and off?  If so, bingo.

Disconnect battery, 

Remove ECM connectors and inspect wires or contacts for anything obvious.  Look closely at the pires and pins/sockets on the edges  or the top of the ECM connectors
Flush out old dielectric grease with crc QD cleaner or similar  economical electronic connector cleaner sold in auto parts stores,  and mechanical means of dental mini bottle brushes.

Reinspect connectors, pins and barrell/ sockets with strong light and magnification.  See if any of the pins can be easily wiggled more than 1 mm in any direction with tweezers.  If so, it is likely the solder contacts on the circuit board are compromised.

Use Caig DeOxit d5 spray on this cleaned connector to remove the oxidation from the conductive surfaces.  It might look clean, but unless it gleams like oiled chrome or Brass, it is oxidized and causing resistance or even causing an open circuit/ no conductivity.
  Inside the sockets there are little spring arm/ claspers designed to grab the pin tightly.  You can carefully rebend these inward slightly  with a fine sewing needle to exert more pressure on the pins, ensuring better contact.

If the Van still stalls after this, then the solder contacts inside the PCM, where the connector pins mate to the circuit board, are compromised, and need to be resoldered.

Sometimes Zip tying the connector  or wire bundles tight to the ECM body can seemingly eliminate the issue, for a while, but eventually those broken solder contacts cannot be assuaged to cooperate.

I was dealing with a bad PCM issue from November too January 2015.  I could not find anybody who would resolder my PCM's pins, So I learned how to do it myself. But basically this was originally a connector issue, that progressed into a solder breaking issue over 8 to 10 years of 'Zip tying' the connector.

Not a single stall since January 2015 and my resoldering, but I still say I am going to get a backup PCM just to have, not only for diagnostics, but for the reason that to find a good remanufactured ECM/PCM when necessary, is not necessarily possible or convenient when necessary, and as time goes on, perhaps less likely.

Try the ECM connector cleaning.  Do not disregard the necessity of the Caig DeoXit d5 contact cleaner after cleaning out all the old crusty dielectric grease from the connectors No other product can compare.  This stuff is magic electrical contact juice.  I never open any such connector without a can of Caig DeOxit d5 spray and some precision swabs to ensure good conductivity, and how I wish they compensated me for this praise of their product.

http://www.amazon.com/CAIG-DeOxit-Cleaning-Solution-Spray/dp/B0002BBV4G

http://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-Cotton...&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=tamiya+precision+swabs

http://www.amazon.com/Dentek-Slim-B...=1462604479&sr=8-1&keywords=dentek+slim+brush


The following is a sample pack of most of their products, with a few precision swabs and brushes/ applicators.  Try cleaning, lubing the USB contacts of your phone or other devices with Gold g5.
 
http://www.amazon.com/DeoxITKit-Ind...id=1462605355&sr=8-9&keywords=caig+deoxit+kit

Do not fall into the trap of seeing dielectric grease inside the connector, and declaring the connector fine and dandy.  I found hideously oxidized contacts in my 89 dodge van despite them being  firmly immersed in dielectric grease their whole lives.

Do ensure the main battery cable (-) to engine and to firewall shine like silver  on their mating surfaces, and are tight.

Any signs of green or white corrosion on the battery  terminals/ cables or creeping up the wire insulation, and replace them. Do not do anything until you eliminate the battery cables and main grounds.  Then use Deoxit in the pre cleaned connectors.  If that does not work, then you need to get a new PCM, or have yours resoldered/ fixed.

Make sure the rather massive wire bundles to the engine computer connectors cannot put their weight on the ECM, transmitting vibration to it and fracturing those solder joints.

Really if the ECM is the issue, wiggling the connector should produce some result indicating it is the issue.

Stock up on Zip ties, long enough to wrap around the whole ECM, and prepare for some trial and error when exerting pressure on a corner of a connector  in a certain manner, until the relays click on, and stay on, then see if the engine starts

Good luck, let us know what you find.

you may be right - - very sharp analysis sternwake... the mechanic in crescent city, ca thought so too. in fact he put a zip tie on the bad connector to stabilize it which has already been identified. basically when you press down on the connector the van will stall out. the reason i did not jump for joy thinking the problem was solved, was that about 15 minutes after leaving his shop, the van started going nuts again. by some miracle i made it from crescent city, ca all the way back to portland oregon... but it was the ride from hell. and i mean from hell. every time since then (which has been several weeks now) i am always inspecting the connector and checking it to see if it is stable - - which it always is, there is very little play in it. you have to push down pretty hard to get it to malfunction now. upon very close inspection the little latch on the harness at the bottom is broken - it does not snap into place as the other connectors do. i even went to a junkyard in san jose a couple of days ago - i found the exact harness i need but discovered that its pretty much intertwined with all those wires in such a way that it really seems over my head to attempt that on my own. another reason i doubt that is the total problem is that there have been many times where i cannot start the vehicle even while parked on a level surface. this makes me think its the fuel pump. 

however, i was this very hour about to head to a hardware store to try another method besides the zip tie method so thank you very much for that. some of that sounds over my head but i can learn it just like several things i've already learned about this vehicle (even though i did not want to learn it). for instance i did not even know how to access the spark plugs until one of those mechanics pulled off that "doghouse" dashboard compartment. 

in a couple of weeks i will be able to afford a pcm replacement, (even though they are very hard to find) and it might do the trick, however i have read many dodge message boards where the pcm replacement did not fix the same issues that i am having, so i am a little doubtful that it will work. 

i just stumbled on this message board this morning. interesting idea, but it may be foolish to attempt this. i am getting to the point of desperation though. i am not gonna go down with the ship. if the pcm replacement / fuel pump does not work, then i am probably gonna strip big bertha and sell the parts on ebay to re-coup some of the money i have put into this. 

curious if you hear about this, its called an ASD jumper... sounds like a total "macguyver" solution :

http://www.chargerforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-139526.html

 

[drewker]

• OBD II P0306
  ]Fault Code Definition
  • Misfire Detected in #6 Cylinder
    ]
    • Check Engine Light flashing
      
    • Rough running, hesitation, and/or jerking when accelerating
      
    • In most cases, there are no adverse conditions noticed by the driver
      
    • In some cases, there may be performance problems, such as dying at stop signs or rough idling, hesitation, misfires or lack of power (especially during acceleration), and a decrease in fuel economy
      ]Common Problems That Trigger the P0306
      
    • Worn out spark plugs, ignition wires, coil(s), distributor cap and rotor (when applicable)
      
    • Incorrect ignition timing
      
    • Vacuum leak(s)
      
    • Low or weak fuel pressure
      
    • Improperly functioning EGR system
      
    • Defective Mass Air Flow Sensor
      
    • Defective Crankshaft and/or Camshaft Sensor
      
    • Defective Throttle Position Sensor
      
    • Mechanical engine problems (i.e.—low compression, leaking head gasket(s), or valve problems
  • 
    
    
    
    Have you changed the cap, rotor and wires lately?

All that has been done, with the following exceptions: ignition timing - apparently this cannot be adjusted with my particular model, MAF sensor - not sure if this has one - the MAP sensor was replaced however.  
you forgot to mention re-route the ignition / spark plug wires - that i actually did last night as they were pretty messy. that might have helped, but i am currently parking today because i don't want to ruin this day with a breakdown. i'm actually afraid to drive it...lol

 

[29chico]

The ASR relay trick is a good diagnostic trick to try if it is applicable to your van.

But, before you try the ASR bit, try the following:

With the engine cool, and not having had the issue when it was shut off, turn the key to the on position but DO NOT turn it to the start position.  The fuel pump in the tank should run for 1-2 seconds and then shut off and you should be able to hear the slight whirring noise that it will make.  If you hear the fuel pump for the 1-2 seconds and then it its shuts off then go ahead and start the engine and verify that the engine is not acting up.

If you do not hear the pump run as above described, and the van will not start, jumping the fuel pump so it runs whenever the key is in the on position is a common diagnostic test.  Just make sure what the correct procedure is for you van.  Driving with the pump jumped as above long term is both unsafe and possibly could damage the fuel pump.

One of the things that I was going to suggest was doing the Caig DeOxit treatment after cleaning up the connections per sternwake's suggestions.  His suggestion of wiggling the PCM connector is a very good idea.  It may well be that you need a PCM repair/replacement before this drama is over.  Given sternwake's Dodge van experience and tech savvyness I am for sure not going to tell you to hold off at trying a different PCM in your rig.  At least you won't be paying a mechanic to do so.

 

[drewker]

I'm no mechanic but I get some good use out of the Internet. So far, this is the closest thing I've found to helping diagnose your symptoms:

http://www.salemboysauto.com/faqs/faq-51.htm

It seems mostly focused on determining whether the problem is fuel or spark. Knowing that will help narrow down the field of possible causes. In fact, clicking on the link at the bottom of that page, the one that says, "Back to FAQs Index" takes you here:

http://www.salemboysauto.com/faq.php

Scrolling down the questions & answers on that page may offer further insight to help you, or a trusted tech, to more quickly identify the cause.

Sorry to hear about your vehicle troubles. I hope this helps a bit, and hope that you'll let us know what you find out if/when it gets sorted out. Best wishes out there!

I just read the first article. Good one... That makes me think its the fuel pump. It does not start right away after stalling out and there is no black smoke... I have to pump the gas pedal many times while cranking to get it going again. But why would I get a cylinder misfire code I wonder? I think its either a pump or the pcm

 

[phil66]

Go get a free Alternator/Battery Check ,not enough juice can cause those symptons

 

[Goshawk]

Go get a free Alternator/Battery Check ,not enough juice can cause those symptoms

have had two cars do weird things if the battery starts getting low.  false codes everywhere, and runs real bad.  always check that first.

 

[SternWake]

Does the CEL come on when it stalls? ( check engine light)

A failing fuel pump can be kick started for a while with a large bump on the bottom of the tank.

If you can cause the van to stall out by pushing on the ECM connector, i would look no further. it is likely the solder contacts on the connector pins on the circuit board are broken and at random will open up can cause the stall/ no restart until it has cooled down and the wires exert slightly different pressure on the broken solder to reengage.

Whether the connector itself needs to be replaced can only be visually identified. look for small pin holes in the wires right by the connector. If you see one it is likely that 6 of the 7 copper strands are compromised and corrosion is creeping up the insulation.

The Zip tie is a temporary 'get me home' type fix. It will just keep getting worse and less responsive to the Zip ties.

At one point I had about 20 different zip ties that could pull the wire bundle in every possible direction and clicked each zip tie one click until I heard the idle speed motor actuate, AND the relays click, and when started to see tthat is was also charging the battery. Trial and error and many a curse.

Bridging the big wires on the ASD relay is a temporary and diagnostic fix.

Oreilleys can get cardone remanufactures PCMs for about 250, but if the connector is compromised and the bad connector compromised the previous ECM, well you could start the wild goose chase all over again.

Splicing in a new connector is kind of tedious. Mine had only 14 wires. After it still stalled with a nerw connector is when I opened up the ECM, removed the potting material from the circuit board, cleaned it sterile, and remelted and added solder to the pins. And not a single stall since.

The Caig Deoxit d5 is electrical connector gold but it is not going to fix a broken solder joint under potting.

The more these connectors are removed and returned, the worse the connections get, requiring the little internal arm claspers inside the sockets be pushed back inward. The mpre this connector is twiddled with, the more likely other solder joints break.

I'd not order a new PCM unless i was happy the connector itself is not compromised and not oxidized.

The misfiring code will happen because it starts running like crap not firing all the fuel inkjectors. the misfire code is a symptom, of the failing ECM not a cause of the stalling.

Same with a Map sensor code.

Closely inspect the connector which when pressed can stall the motor. This requires cleaning it, strong light, and magnification.

Grasp the pins inside the ECM with plastic tweezers. Do they wiggle more than 1 to 1.5 MM? If so the solder contacts are compromised. Do not bother doing anything else until this connector/ecm is addressed.

 

[drewker]

I'm no mechanic but I get some good use out of the Internet. So far, this is the closest thing I've found to helping diagnose your symptoms:

http://www.salemboysauto.com/faqs/faq-51.htm

It seems mostly focused on determining whether the problem is fuel or spark. Knowing that will help narrow down the field of possible causes. In fact, clicking on the link at the bottom of that page, the one that says, "Back to FAQs Index" takes you here:

http://www.salemboysauto.com/faq.php

Scrolling down the questions & answers on that page may offer further insight to help you, or a trusted tech, to more quickly identify the cause.

Sorry to hear about your vehicle troubles. I hope this helps a bit, and hope that you'll let us know what you find out if/when it gets sorted out. Best wishes out there!

on the other hand, kinda think it could be a head gasket issue - i do get white smoke on a regular basis although i only notice it when the car starts up...usually subsides after a few minutes of driving. and i definitely have a coolant leak, but i cannot see where it is coming from. also i read that you can get a misfire code from a head gasket issue.

 

[drewker]

Go get a free Alternator/Battery Check ,not enough juice can cause those symptons

got a brand new alternator and the battery date says 2014. but the battery gauge is always at half mast - it never has gone all the way to the right.

 

[drewker]

Does the CEL come on when it stalls? ( check engine light)

A failing fuel pump can be kick started for a while with a large bump on the bottom of the tank.

If you can cause the van to stall out by pushing on the ECM connector, i would look no further.  it is likely the solder contacts on the connector pins on the circuit board are broken and at random will open up can cause the stall/ no restart until it has cooled down and the wires exert slightly different pressure on the broken solder to reengage.

Whether the connector itself needs to be replaced can only be visually identified.  look for small pin holes in the wires right by the connector.  If you see one it is likely that 6 of the 7 copper strands are compromised and corrosion is creeping up the insulation.

The Zip tie is a temporary 'get me home' type fix.  It will just keep getting worse and less responsive to the Zip ties.

At one point I had about 20 different zip ties that could pull the wire bundle in every possible direction and clicked each zip tie one click until I heard the idle speed motor actuate, AND the relays click, and when started to see tthat is was also charging the battery.  Trial and error and many a curse.

Bridging the big wires on the ASD relay is a temporary and diagnostic fix.

Oreilleys can get cardone remanufactures PCMs for about 250, but if the connector is compromised and the bad connector compromised the previous ECM, well you could start the wild goose chase all over again.

Splicing in a new connector is kind of tedious.  Mine had only 14 wires.  After it still stalled with a nerw connector is when I opened up the ECM, removed the potting material from the circuit board, cleaned it sterile, and remelted and added solder to the pins.  And not a single stall since.

The Caig Deoxit d5 is electrical connector gold but it is not going to fix a broken solder joint under potting.

The more these connectors are removed and returned, the worse the connections get, requiring the little internal arm claspers inside the sockets be pushed back inward.  The mpre this connector is twiddled with, the more likely other solder joints break.

I'd not order a new PCM unless i was happy the connector itself is not compromised and not oxidized.

The misfiring code will happen because it starts running like crap not firing all the fuel inkjectors.  the misfire code is a symptom,  of the failing ECM not a cause of the stalling.

Same with a Map sensor code.

Closely inspect the connector which when pressed can stall the motor.  This requires cleaning it, strong light, and magnification.

Grasp the pins inside the ECM with plastic tweezers.  Do they wiggle more than 1 to 1.5 MM?  If so the solder contacts are compromised.  Do not bother doing anything else until this connector/ecm is addressed.

someone else here mentioned you have a dodge van and know your stuff...thanks again for taking the time to help with my issue... see attached pic - i just went to home depot and got these rubber tie thingies ... the connector in question is the one on the far left. i cannot move it down and get the car to stall unless i press really hard. it hesitates a little if i push on it but no stall out. its the bottom part of the connector - when you push there, that is the vulnerability point... i inspected all the pins - they all look good, none are bent in other words...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1CgCBidpfUaMHdXd25CM2JhMGc

i had the same thought that you mentioned above - if its a bad connector a new pcm isn't going to solve the problem. i bought the chiltons diy manual for this rig - it says it is very rare for a fuel pump to go out, so i am thinking its either the pcm or possibly a head gasket issue - i get white smoke on startup usually but not always, (but thankfully it is not constant) it usually goes away after a few minutes. i also have a coolant leak and apparently a head gasket issue can throw misfire codes.  

on the other hand, when i turn the key without cranking, i cannot hear the fuel pump activate, not that i know what that sounds like.

 

[drewker]

duplicate post

 

[SternWake]

Failing fuel pumps tend to get loud. When it refuses to start, wrap the bottom of the tank with your closed fist, you can definitely hear it fire up when below.

The original fuel pumps seem to last well, but the aftermarket ones, especially on 94 or newer models have reported longevity issues. The whole unit supposedly must be replaced on 94 or newer where on mine I just replace the pump itself, on the side of the road, in Baja, with help from a local farmer.

haynes of chiltons are OK, but nothing compared to the factory service manual for your specific year.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-Dodge-...m5d35ec8aac:m:mIsrvusWH1sp92r9gpd07pA&vxp=mtr

Thanks for the pic of your ECM. The connector design in much upgraded from my '89, but Chrysler ECM connector issues are prevalent up through the 2000's.

Pressing on the connector and being able to make it stall is a huge red flag. the solder pins can still be compromised even if they do not wobble the 1.5 mm. Really, you need to eliminate these connectors first as culprits, and the starting point is flushing out the old dielectric grease with a cheaper electronics spray cleaner, then using the deoxit to clean the conductive surfaces, and rebending the little claspers inside the sockets inward to exert mroe pressure on the pins.

You could have other issues with the head gasket/coolant loss and misfiring, but the fact that you can cause the stalling or a different smoothness by pressing the ECM connector is a huge red flag. The zip ties/ other methods of securing the connector is not a fix, it is a diagnosis, and all it will take to reopen the failing electrical connection is the right combination of heat and wire bundle flexibility, and perhaps bungee or Zip tie flexibility.

but I did get away with it for years. But foolishly I have to add, as when it got really bad, I was travelling and it was stressful waiting for the butt clinching stall at the worst possible time.



Burning coolant smells kind of like maple bacon, where normal condensation on startup does not smell sweet. The difference should be obvious.

 

[drewker]

Failing fuel pumps tend to get loud.  When it refuses to start, wrap the bottom of the tank with your closed fist, you can definitely hear it fire up when below.

The original fuel pumps seem to last well, but the aftermarket ones, especially on 94 or newer models have reported longevity issues.  The whole unit supposedly must be replaced on 94 or newer where on mine I just replace the pump itself, on the side of the road, in Baja, with help from a local farmer.

haynes of chiltons are OK, but nothing compared to the factory service manual for your specific year.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-Dodge-...m5d35ec8aac:m:mIsrvusWH1sp92r9gpd07pA&vxp=mtr

Thanks for the pic of your ECM.  The connector design in  much upgraded from my '89, but Chrysler ECM connector issues are prevalent up through the 2000's.

Pressing on the connector and being able to make it stall is a huge red flag.  the solder pins can still be compromised even if they do not wobble the 1.5 mm.  Really, you need to eliminate these connectors first as culprits, and the starting point is flushing out the old dielectric grease with a cheaper electronics spray cleaner, then using the deoxit to clean the conductive surfaces, and rebending the little claspers inside the sockets inward to exert mroe pressure on the pins.

You could have other issues with the head gasket/coolant loss and misfiring, but the fact that you can cause the stalling or a different smoothness by pressing the ECM connector is a huge red flag.  The zip ties/ other methods of securing the connector is not a fix, it is a diagnosis, and all it will take to reopen the failing electrical connection is the right combination of heat and wire bundle flexibility, and perhaps bungee or Zip tie flexibility.

but I did get away with it for years. But foolishly I have to add, as when it got really bad, I was travelling and it was stressful waiting for the butt clinching stall at the worst possible time.



Burning coolant smells kind of like maple bacon, where normal condensation on startup does not smell sweet. The difference should be obvious.

Ok ... wind is officially is out of my sails again. A couple of hours ago I took it for a 45 minute drive down hwy 101...started right up, no check engine light... i counted 4 minor hesitations while driving but no stalling out and no backfires. pulled into walmart, walked to the beach, watched the sunset then came back to walmart, cranked it up and went to starbucks about 10 miles north of monterrey. was doing about 10 miles an hour thru town, then all of a sudden the headlights started flickering and check engine light came on but no hesitation. got to the starbucks parking lot and did not even make it to a parking space...van just cut off, dead as a doornail but the battery still worked. tried to crank it up, starter turned fine but she would not budge. keep trying to start it up again for a couple a minutes while pressing the gas pedal. eventually started and then cut off again, made it about two feet. kept trying, eventually got properly parked, although I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to park here overnight, i'm currently stranded in the starbucks parking lot. it almost seem electrical the way it cut out. so tomorrow i'm going to autozone or oreillys which is right around the corner. i have a full tank of gas, so dropping the tank would be insane. what would you suggest? i'm guessing the pcm connector? i read what you said above, but i'm not sure i can pull it off. will definitely make an attempt tho.   what about the ground wires? i have the diagrams but i cant make any sense of it.

 

[drewker]

Ok ... wind is officially is out of my sails again. A couple of hours ago I took it for a 45 minute drive down hwy 101...started right up, no check engine light... i counted 4 minor hesitations while driving but no stalling out and no backfires. pulled into walmart, walked to the beach, watched the sunset then came back to walmart, cranked it up and went to starbucks about 10 miles north of monterrey. was doing about 10 miles an hour thru town, then all of a sudden the headlights started flickering and check engine light came on but no hesitation. got to the starbucks parking lot and did not even make it to a parking space...van just cut off, dead as a doornail but the battery still worked. tried to crank it up, starter turned fine but she would not budge. keep trying to start it up again for a couple a minutes while pressing the gas pedal. eventually started and then cut off again, made it about two feet. kept trying, eventually got properly parked, although I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to park here overnight, i'm currently stranded in the starbucks parking lot. it almost seem electrical the way it cut out. so tomorrow i'm going to autozone or oreillys which is right around the corner. i have a full tank of gas, so dropping the tank would be insane. what would you suggest? i'm guessing the pcm connector? i read what you said above, but i'm not sure i can pull it off. will definitely make an attempt tho.   what about the ground wires? i have the diagrams but i cant make any sense of it.

i do have a rubber mallet as i read about that technique before. will try that too.

 

[drewker]

Ok ... wind is officially is out of my sails again. A couple of hours ago I took it for a 45 minute drive down hwy 101...started right up, no check engine light... i counted 4 minor hesitations while driving but no stalling out and no backfires. pulled into walmart, walked to the beach, watched the sunset then came back to walmart, cranked it up and went to starbucks about 10 miles north of monterrey. was doing about 10 miles an hour thru town, then all of a sudden the headlights started flickering and check engine light came on but no hesitation. got to the starbucks parking lot and did not even make it to a parking space...van just cut off, dead as a doornail but the battery still worked. tried to crank it up, starter turned fine but she would not budge. keep trying to start it up again for a couple a minutes while pressing the gas pedal. eventually started and then cut off again, made it about two feet. kept trying, eventually got properly parked, although I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to park here overnight, i'm currently stranded in the starbucks parking lot. it almost seem electrical the way it cut out. so tomorrow i'm going to autozone or oreillys which is right around the corner. i have a full tank of gas, so dropping the tank would be insane. what would you suggest? i'm guessing the pcm connector? i read what you said above, but i'm not sure i can pull it off. will definitely make an attempt tho.   what about the ground wires? i have the diagrams but i cant make any sense of it.

btw, i have read everything you said, will follow instructions closely tomorrow. another poster mentioned something about the battery - any thoughts on that? the date on it is 2014. i'm just trying to cover all my bases before going to battle with this thing again tomorrow. i failed to mention that last night i rerouted the spark plug wires bc they were kind of messy. bought plenty of separators to ensure that none of the spark plug wires were crossing each other, but hell, i'm not a mechanic so i might have done something wrong.

 

[SternWake]

The headlights flickering, is this just dimming and brightening with the engine rpms, or On and off like they are losing power?

If the latter You need to find the battery to firewall ground, usually right behind the battery and make sure it is clean and tight.

I am not sure where the ECM grounds on a 99. My 89 has a dedicated ECM ground that attaches to the base of the coil on the intake manifold.

Get some throttle body cleaner. Next time it stalls and will not start, see if it will start when you squirt the TB cleaner down the throat. If it does start, then it is fuel delivery related, like the fuel pump is failing or the in tank filter is clogged. Another sign of a failing fuel pump is it cuts out more often when the tank is lower on fuel, as a fuller tank keeps the pump cooler.

I still think it is your ECM. they do fail, just from the heat too, but I suspect the connector issues, their weight stressing the circuit board solder is a prime root of PCM evil on Chryslers.

I do not know if on your year Dodge, if the PCm needs to be reflashed at a dodge dealer.

RockAuto does not even list a remanufactured PCM for a 99 b1500

These seemingly random stalls where the engine acts like it is on and off a few times a second, these minor hesitations, are all the issues I dealt with when my original ECM failed, and when this replacement ECM's solder contacts on the circuit board broke.

Getting inside the ECM connectors to clean and inspect them is not difficult, but like everything one has no experience doing, seems difficult and imposing, afterwards one is often like' Why did I fear doing that so much?'

Getting CAIG Deoxit d5 spray in a local store could prove futile. I know Fry's electronics carries it, but I do not know how far that chain extends up the west coast.