Dodge Caravan Fuel Pumps
The fuel pump in your Dodge Caravan is an important component that is required for operating and driving your vehicle. When this pump is in need of repair or replacement, your Caravan will not have an adequate flow of fuel and may have lagging performance and poor fuel economy while driving. Replacing your Dodge Caravan fuel pumps can revitalize your ride and ensure that your Caravan will continue to be reliable.
Where is the fuel pump located on a Caravan?As with most manufactured minivans, cars, trucks, and SUVs, this pump is located in the gas tank itself. This allows the pump to obtain gas from the tank when the ignition is started keyed as well as a steady flow of gas from the tank to your engine while driving. The location within the tank also allows the fuel pump to monitor the level or amount of gas within the tank by using a float arm that can signal via sensor to the fuel gauge how much gas is in the tank.
How do you replace a Dodge fuel pump?Because the pump is located within the tank itself, you will need to remove the tank from the Dodge Caravan and then remove and replace the pump from the tank. This is a job that requires several specialized tools, including but not limited to, scissors, jacks to raise the rear of the van, ramps, and blocks to keep the rear of the Dodge Caravan elevated, socket wrenches, gloves made for handling fuel tanks and gasoline, and a siphon kit.
Additionally, this job requires a great deal of space for the minivan and for you to move in and around the minivan while doing the work. Given that the fuel tank contains gas, work must be done in a well-ventilated area with no danger of exposure to fire, sparks, or anything else that could cause the gasoline or vapors to catch on fire.
What are signs that the pump is failing?The most obvious sign that the pump on your Dodge Caravan is failing is a failure to start when keyed at the ignition. If the ignition and starter are good, and if it does start when keyed while gas is manually poured into the intake in the engine, the pump is likely in need of full replacement.
Signs that the pump is failing while the Caravan is still operational and on the road would include instances where the engine begins to stall on a turn. The shift in power to the electric pump as you turn may cause a failing pump to cut off and the van to stall.