HELP PLEASE! 03 Dodge Caravan SE 2.4 No Spark at Plug Dad broke down Dade City FL

[2003Joey]

Hello,
I need help Please! I am new to this site but I am broke done and the mechanic can not diagnose the problem because there are no codes.
I am hoping someone here can help or has had this experience.
This is what happened so far:
I have owned the car since new, always serviced and had worked like a top. Never failed me.
Last Saturday car battery was dead put in a new one and it worked fine.
I was driving down the road at 75 MPH car just shut off????? Felt like when you take it off cruise because the engine shut off, No idea why???
Towed to a mechanic who found no codes, so he checked the following:
all fuses and relays are good, has correct fuel pressure, has spark at coil pack, plug has fuel from injector.
Problem NO SPARK PLUG???

New parts so far:

1. new plug wires,
2. new plugs
3. new cam sensor
4. new crank sensor
5. new atuo shut down relay
6. new coil pack
7. New reprogrammed ecm/pcm for the car from AUTOCOMPUTEREXCHANGED IN DAVIE FL.

Mechanic thinks it is some kind of a ground problem?
I need some advice, the van is stranded and I have put a lot of parts on already! The mechanic is good and trying but does not have the Chrysler computers or software to find the exact problem. He thinks it is some kind of GROUND issue.
Can anyone help me?
I need help and I called the nearest Dodge dealer but they won't look at it until next Thursday and they start with a $200 diagnostic fee!
Do I have to go to the dealer to find the problem?
Forever Thankful,
Joey

[RattFink]

You have spark at the coil but not at the spark plug? That seems kind of odd... does it run over fast? Compression test? Timing belt broke?

[2003Joey]

Thanks,
After it just shut off on the highway it does not start, cranks over but it never fires??? Even after all those new parts were put on.

- - - Updated - - -

Mechanic doesn't think it is timing belt because it sound normal when cranking over.
yes current at the coil pack is 15 volt 1 0 and 15 volts at 2

[2003Joey]

If it was the timing belt would that cause no spark at the plug?

[RattFink]

How is spark being tested? Seems really odd to have spark at coil but not plugs. Just because there is voltage at coil primary doesn't mean there is spark at coil secondary.

[RattFink]

Doing a compression test is easy and will rule out timing belt. It "sounding normal" is not valid diagnostics IMO.

[tryingbe]

Try a different mechanic.

[Fox]

run a grounding wire from the body to engine and battery to engine. then check spark again if the coil is producing spark whn tested elsewhere the engine must not be grounded

[EaZyE426]

What mechanic has it in Dade city? It's about 5 miles north of me. There are some pretty incompetent people up there.

[A.J.]

It sounds like he has power to the coil but the coil is not firing. You need to check to see if the coil is getting a ground signal from the computer to fire the coil(s).

I second finding a new mechanic.

[2003Joey]

It is the timing belt. Does anyone have step by step instructions or a video for changing the timing belt on a 2003 Dodge Caravan 2.4? If some has a link I would be forever grateful!
Thanks

[83scamp]

If your mechanic needs you to find instructions to change a timing belt, you definitely need to find another mechanic... I'd be demanding a refund on the parts already installed. Obviously the guy has no clue what he's doing...

Doing a timing belt on a 2.4 is a lot tougher than a 2.2/2.5. Usual recommendation is to change the water pump while you're in there, becaue it's such a pain, and the water pump is drivien off the timing belt...

Also a consideration: while the engine is classified as a "non-interference" engine, a broken timing belt can lead to valve to valve interference... Hopefully you didn't bend a valve...

[2003Joey]

Thanks, I agree with getting it away from the original mechanic, so I cut my losses and towed it to a friends house house here in Dade City. We are going to try to do this ourselves and need some directions. Can anyone send me some directions? Tips ?
Thanks,

[RattFink]

Buy rent or borrow the proper harmonic balancer puller, it will make your job much easier.
http://www.amazon.com/OTC-6667-Harmo.../dp/B000P6UT2I

[RattFink]

Jack up car, remove all acc. Belts, remove RF wheel and splash shield, remove harmonic balancer, support engine, remove RH engine mount and outer timing belt cover should be 2 pieces I think upper and lower, remove timing belt, set timing, install new belt and tensioner, turn engine over 2 revolutions by hand to double check timing. At this point you may want to disable spark and fuel and do a compression test to see if you bent any valves. I think it'd be safe to do a compression test with the covers and engine mount off if the engine was supported properly.

[RattFink]

Don't hammer the harmonic balancer back on when installing as it could damage the thrust bearing, get a long enough bolt or installer. If you do a water pump it is a lot more in depth I've got a good trick for removing the cam pulleys if you get that far.

[EaZyE426]

[crusty shadow]

9 times out of 10 when the timing belt goes the valves crash on these engines. if you choose to attempt a new belt, get the belt on with the new water pump and tensioner- they come as a kit. once you get the belt on, before you put everything all back together , fill it up with coolant etc- try to start the engine. if you got lucky it should fire up and run if it does run, make sure its running on all 4 cylinders- you'll know if you have a dead hole. if it wont start or you have one or more dead cylinders you have bent several valves and you will need to either take the head to a machine shop and have new valves installed or you will need to buy another head.

[cordes]

9 times out of 10 when the timing belt goes the valves crash on these engines. if you choose to attempt a new belt, get the belt on with the new water pump and tensioner- they come as a kit. once you get the belt on, before you put everything all back together , fill it up with coolant etc- try to start the engine. if you got lucky it should fire up and run if it does run, make sure its running on all 4 cylinders- you'll know if you have a dead hole. if it wont start or you have one or more dead cylinders you have bent several valves and you will need to either take the head to a machine shop and have new valves installed or you will need to buy another head.

Do the 2.4s really bend valves that often when the belt breaks? I was under the impression that it was the exception rather than the rule.

[Dodge Aries K]

I've bought I think 3 different vehicles with the 2.4 and broken timing belts. New belt fixed all three with no issues. The 2.0 on the other hand... it doesn't fare so well.