Trying to figure out what this is

[BUTCH1]

But, would that explain it barely idling with it in drive and at a stop (before ever going forward), but then, after clicking the ignition off and immediately restarting it, the problem vanishes?

Drove to work this morning, absolutely no issues with it. It accelerated just fine - 0 to 60 in just a few seconds. Maybe moving spark plug wires around while examining them resulted in one being displaced by a centimeter that was sufficient to stop arcing (that I didn't see any sign of while examining?) Maybe one was partially disconnected from the plug? I hate intermittent problems like this.

I would pull off all the boots and using a Q-tip apply a thin layer of dielectric grease on them, dollars for donuts your issue goes away...

 

[7window]

You might want to check the egr valve.

 

[KK]

I'm going with tranny issue. weird it doesn't happen in neutral,and from what it sounds like, going up a hill, what would that have to do with any fuel issue or engine related problem. Sounds like the tranny is slipping making the rpm go high, then it catches, making the rpms drop.

 

[brblx]

it's not EGR unless the valve is stuck open. easy way to test that is to feel the valve as the engine warms up- if it gets hot before the upper coolant hose, you've got EGR flow when you shouldn't. this will usually cause idle problems, though. it would be better under load, not worse.

doesn't sound like tranny to me, but trying to diagnose a problem from a description is about a thousand times more difficult than doing it in person. it just sounds like he's describing a misfiring engine to me.

and no, it would not neccessarily set a CEL. technically, it should be flashing it as the engine misfires, but that's not always the case. i've had cars with constant misfiring under load that never flash the CEL, and only finally store a non-pending code after a lot of (damaging) driving. find a chevy aveo with a bad coil pack, they like to do this. some are more sensitive, and i guess it just comes down to programming.

 

[styrafoam]

Saw pretty much this exact problem in a stratus with a 2.4, random hesitation under load. After a couple weeks the problem started happening consistanly and set a cylinder misfire code. Changed the plugs and wires and all was well.

 

[Doppel]

FWIW bad coils can create some bucking problems and not necessarily throw a code, though I'm not at all saying that's your issue here.

 

[7window]

But, would that explain it barely idling with it in drive and at a stop (before ever going forward), but then, after clicking the ignition off and immediately restarting it, the problem vanishes?

Drove to work this morning, absolutely no issues with it. It accelerated just fine - 0 to 60 in just a few seconds. Maybe moving spark plug wires around while examining them resulted in one being displaced by a centimeter that was sufficient to stop arcing (that I didn't see any sign of while examining?) Maybe one was partially disconnected from the plug? I hate intermittent problems like this.

You might want to put the wire back to where it was or the connection just to make sure that is the problem. Otherwise you will be dealing with ghost problem later on.

 

[hanoverphist]

But, would that explain it barely idling with it in drive and at a stop (before ever going forward), but then, after clicking the ignition off and immediately restarting it, the problem vanishes?

Drove to work this morning, absolutely no issues with it. It accelerated just fine - 0 to 60 in just a few seconds. Maybe moving spark plug wires around while examining them resulted in one being displaced by a centimeter that was sufficient to stop arcing (that I didn't see any sign of while examining?) Maybe one was partially disconnected from the plug? I hate intermittent problems like this.

if it was a plug wire arcing, youd be able to hear it. also, youd likely feel it if you checked the wires while it was running hehe.

 

[CrackRabbit]

I have heard of the electronic lockup on some Chrysler auto-tragic transmissions getting stuck on and causing similar symptoms.

 

[twinrider1]

How old is the battery?

 

[boomerang]

I have heard of the electronic lockup on some Chrysler auto-tragic transmissions getting stuck on and causing similar symptoms.

Trans or this. If Chrysler has a wiring connector at the trans to control the torque converter lockup, it could be easily disconnected to eliminate this as the problem.

GM cars of old always had a connector. Four wire connector IIRC. Now, with electronically controlled transmissions, the wires could be ganged into a larger connector where it would not be feasible to simply disconnect the wires for the torque converter.

This van may be old enough to still be done like it was in the "good old days".

With the wires disconnected, the only downside is that the torque converter will never lock up. You'll have slightly higher RPM's when at cruising speed and slightly lower gas mileage. In GM cars, it wouldn't even turn on the Check Engine light as there was no feedback to the ECM on that circuitry. The point is that if Chrysler did it the same way, it's easy to eliminate it as the problem by simply disconnecting the wire connector. If that takes care of the issue, you may not even need to have it fixed. You could drive it until the car dies with it disconnected. If you foresee ever getting it fixed you may want to weatherproof the connector to prevent corrosion though.

 

[brblx]

uh, you guys realize that if the TCC solenoid was bad, the car would die when he pulls up to lights, right? (assuming the the converter was staying locked up)

OP just needs to make a video or something so everyone will know what kind of issue they're chasing. also, again i say, CHECK CODES. even if the MIL isn't on.