Dodge Caravan & Chevy Caprice

Repair advice on a minivan losing its cool & a shiftless Chevrolet.

Jun 28, 2007

Your questions answered about a 1996 Dodge Caravan with engine cooling fans that always run and a 1990 Chevy Caprice with a transmission problem.

This weekly Q&A session answers your questions about cars and trucks. This week explores a 1996 Dodge Caravan with tireless engine cooling fans and a 1990 Chevy Caprice with a transmission problem.

Question: 1996 Dodge Caravan

I live in Belize, Central America. I own a 1996 Dodge Caravan Sports Edition. One day it started and then suddenly the radiator fans came on and my temperature gauge started reading COLD also. When I turn the engine off the fans stop, when I turn the engine on they come on and don't turn off until I cut the engine off.

Answer:

There was a recall on this vehicle due to defective radiator fan relays. Call your Dodge Dealer and check with them about it.

The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) controls cooling fan operation based on temperature readings provided by the Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS). So you may have a bad CTS (more likely) or a bad PCM (less likely).

Question: 1990 Chevy Caprice Wagon

Vincent: I have 1990 Chevy Caprice Wagon 307 Y 4bb, 2004r, and 151,000 miles. Doesn't move, engine starts fine, carburetor is clean and checked the Throttle Valve (TV) cable (which is good). When this started I heard a grinding noise in the rear.

Checked the U-joints but couldn't determine the cause. Then it was hard to take off in drive. Wait for a few minutes, give it some gas and it would go. Then it wouldn't go into any forward gears only reverse. Now it won't go anywhere. Checked the transmission fluid. It is nice and red, not burned or smelly. Changed the fluid (maybe a blockage), nothing.

I remember my father (a mechanic had told me 2004r's had some spline wear problems. We had a 1972 Chevy Caprice that did much the same thing this one did and it was the differential locked up (he rebuilt it). Before I jump to a transmission rebuild (and eliminate the differential) I was wondering if there was a simple way to pinpoint the problem without a lift (I have a gravel drive, kind of hard to stabilize after jacking).

Answer:

Sounds fairly certain that your transmission is gone to the Great Junkyard in the Sky. A bad differential would be bad in all gears, not just forward. Getting underneath it on a gravel driveway sounds dangerous, even supported by good jack stands. What does work in that situation is to get a couple of pieces of 1"x2'x2' plywood and place one under each jack stand. ¾" is iffy and 1¼" is even better. That will make a good base to support the vehicle while working on It.

If you keep a piece of plywood like that on top of your spare tire, you can still safely jack up your car and change the tire if you get a flat somewhere and can't get to solid ground.

With the vehicle safely supported, you can take the cover off the differential and look inside. By spinning the tires, it should be evident if the differential is good or bad. If it's good, then you're looking at a bad transmission.

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