Car help......

[Rubber314Chicken]

Okay, so my minivan is getting 12 miles to the gallon. Thats right, 12. I keep the Tach around 2200 accelerating. I get better mileage with out truck. Used to be getting 17. I looked at the plugs, and they are new. Basically no dirt on them (though the plug wires are another story). Tires are fully inflated (much moreso than when my sister had the car). Air filter is clean. Probably 5K on the filter. Oil is recently changed.

The only things I can think of (thanks to google) is the PCV valve, fuel fitler and O2 sensor, and possibly plugs (who knows, someone may have cleaned them)

Also, the engine sounds like there is a blower on it. At first it was only when I gave it a lot of gas, but now even when I'm accelerating normally I can hear a bit of a whine and what sounds like a fan going. This is coming from the passenger's side of the engine compartment...... where the accessory belt is... Could this have anything to do with it?

Oh yea, car is a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.3L V-6 and a 4 speed. Should I just search for a I-4 stick shift wrangler on craigslist or something? I like my van, because I can fit music gear and people in it, and the mileage SHOULD be fairly good, but I might as well have a big block V-8 in it.

Oh, and the brakes sometimes vary from normal feeling to very very very firm feeling. What's up with that?


Last tank I got 16. While not terribly awesome, I'm satisfied with it, considering the car is like 8 years old. Now I'm getting 12. Same driving, same gas from the same gas station.

 

[cboucher]

Fuel injectors or Throttle body? Either way, try cleaning them.

 

[superman22x]

Most likely a bad O2 sensor. Get some codes pulled at advance auto or something. If it's an O2 sensor, it will show up. Might be time for a reg tune up.

 

[AmericanSensei]

My old truck had similar symptoms, However it also surged and idled extremely low. With the new technology and computer controlled vehicles I purchased an OBD Scanner so I can diagnose and fix my own vehicles. The Scanner and software ran me close to $500, However it's ALOT cheaper than the $150 most dealers charge to just "plug in". Most of the scanners you buy at Kragen, Autozone, etc only give you codes as opposed to telling you which component is failing, which is why I spent a little more on a higher end scanner.

Anyhow, It turned out it was my PCV (Positive Crankcase Valve), which only ran me 30 bucks in parts. All symptoms went away and I got much better MPG.

 

[superman22x]

My old truck had similar symptoms, However it also surged and idled extremely low. With the new technology and computer controlled vehicles I purchased an OBD Scanner so I can diagnose and fix my own vehicles. The Scanner and software ran me close to $500, However it's ALOT cheaper than the $150 most dealers charge to just "plug in". Most of the scanners you buy at Kragen, Autozone, etc only give you codes as opposed to telling you which component is failing, which is why I spent a little more on a higher end scanner.

Anyhow, It turned out it was my PCV (Positive Crankcase Valve), which only ran me 30 bucks in parts. All symptoms went away and I got much better MPG.

That is true, but if it's an O2 senser, the advance guys will get it. Otherwise, google the code they give you. Usually you can narrow it down to a common problem related to that code.

 

[Rubber314Chicken]

I'm gonna replace the PCV this weekend. I looked at the manual, and its due soon, and seeing as this was my sister's car, it was not taken care of at all, meaning the oil got changed 4 months too late, so I'm assuming that did some damage.

 

[superman22x]

I'm gonna replace the PCV this weekend. I looked at the manual, and its due soon, and seeing as this was my sister's car, it was not taken care of at all, meaning the oil got changed 4 months too late, so I'm assuming that did some damage.

Don't DO anything until you get the codes pulled. It's free and takes 5 minutes. Do it now.

 

[Rubber314Chicken]

Don't DO anything until you get the codes pulled. It's free and takes 5 minutes. Do it now.

Yea, I'll get them to do that. They can at Auto Zone, right?

 

[superman22x]

Yep

 

[AmericanSensei]

The difficult thing with that is it doesn't narrow it down much. I at one time relied on Autozone, Kragen for just codes..For example, The guy gave me Code P0171, PO174...<System too lean- Bank 1>.. While that did narrow it down, It still could of been a dozen things. A bad MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor) could cause that symptom. A MAF will run you a few hundred dollars. A bad O2 Sensor could cause it...But which one...A bad PCV valve could cause it, etc, etc. It was this reason I went out and bought a good OBD scanner, Especially if you or your families computer controlled vehicles run into many Check engine light or vehicle problems out of warranty.

Good Luck to you though!