[AT] Off Topic. Need help with Dodge caravan computer maybe?

[Cecil Bearden]

I know a lot of you guys have more experience with the computer systems 
than I have.  I have suffered through Youtube videos of nearly every 
self described ëxpert"in diagnosing a no start condition.  Here's the 
timeline of what has been replaced and what happened.  Wife's 2003 Grand 
Caravan w/ 3.8L V6 130000 miles.  Sat Morning, alternator making loud 
whine heard 40 yds away.  Alternator would burn your fingers after 
running only 4 minutes.  Dropped Alternator and found noisy water pump 
also leaking when inspecting other pulleys.  Replaced alternator and 
water pump after bolt broke off on water pump.  Drilled it out Sat night 
with cordless screwdriver and hex chuck style bits.  Had partial threads 
so used a longer bolt and put a nut on back side.   Got it back together 
on Sunday and had to wait until Mon morning to get some Christmas tree 
fasteners to hold the belt shield.  Tuesday my wife drove it nearly 150 
miles in OKC and made at least 15 stops running errands with no 
problems.  Arrived at front gate and engine died.  Would not start when 
cranking.  It is possible she stopped and backed up when it died, ( just 
info for later )  but I cannot confirm.  Found battery ground cable 
loose after engine would not crank.  Tightened cable and cranked 
engine.  After several tries the starter would just spin and not engage 
the flywheel.   Wednesday got reman starter and spent 3 hours removing 
the old one.  I installed the new starter this morning, and it would 
crank but not start.  The new starter really grinds, sounds like it is 
coming apart.  Removed spark plug and cranked with spark plug 
grounded.   No spark.  Changed ignition coil and still no spark.

I don't know where or how to start looking.  Since the battery cable was 
loose and I took off the ground to install the starter, the codes are 
not in the computer.  I don't find any method for testing the ECM.  
There are some forum discussions on the flex plate cracking around  the 
crankshaft in an octagon pattern and the flex plate shifting.  When this 
happens, the crank position sensor works on the flex plate, and is then 
out of time with the cam position sensor.   I cannot find an inspection 
plate to look at the flex plate.  It would be a 2 day job for me to 
remove the transmission to look at the plate.  However, I wonder about 
the original starter just spinning and then the replacement sounding 
like it is about to fly apart.  If the flex plate is not right, the old 
starter might have not been able to mesh and the new one is meshing but 
in a bind.  The old starter had to be pried out of the housing as the 
nose of the starter was nearly pressed into the bell housing.  The new 
one was easily pushed into the housing.   So far I have lost over 3 days 
and nearly $500 working on this when I need to be working on the swather 
and the water pump on the 1270 Case to pull the swather.  An ECM is 
another $400, and replacing the flex plate will be at least $600 because 
I need to send it out.
Has anyone had any experience like this?   I know if I take it to the 
stealership, I will be out $1000 by the time they get done.  I don't 
have an independent mechanic here I can trust, and if I have to spend a 
bundle on this car, I am about ready to buy a new one and try to get a 
20 year extended warranty!!!  Then maybe I can get some work done.

Cecil in OKla
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