Heres the story...

I was driving my van around from picking up some parts. I stopped somewhere & came back in about 10min. I started the car & drove off, but the van would shift hard, like it would jolt. So since I cant do anything & its raining I continued to drive home. I get about a block away from my house & bam the engine like stutters? or jolts & the check engine light comes on. So I coast it my house & park it.

It has engine & transmission fluid. My van has about ~70k miles. Its a 2000.

I was wondering what could be the problem? Should I try unhooking the battery to see if it goes away?

Thanks
George

do not unhook battery. you need to have it scanned to find out the codes. either limp it to autozone(get the codes, don't let them sell you a bunch of crap saying this is what you need, get the codes), or get it to a shop. unhooking the battery can clear these codes and make the diagnostic fee go higher to duplicate issue. get codes and post them here, or take to shop if you have a good one in mind.

Well I checked over everything.....& it looks like my gas cap wasnt on tight. Because that morning I filled it up. So could have the gas cap being not on tight cause the engine light to come on?

Now when I tighten the gas cap the van drives normal, but still has the light on.

The CEL should go out after a while if it doesn't see the fault (loose gas cap) any longer.

Well I checked over everything.....& it looks like my gas cap wasnt on tight. Because that morning I filled it up. So could have the gas cap being not on tight cause the engine light to come on?

Yes, it will set a code PO440, and like the previous poster said will eventually go out once it has been re-tightened and driven for awhile.

Well the engine light, has went away....so its been fixed now.

never heard of loose gas cap causing the van to stutter and jerk but on these i guess anything is possible

never heard of loose gas cap causing the van to stutter and jerk but on these i guess anything is possible


seen ford exploders do that. used to do state inspections and when taking gas cap off with vehicle running would make it stumble for about 10-20 seconds.

knew it would make the ses light come on .but i guess it does somthing to the fuel pressure with the cap loose or off.

knew it would make the ses light come on .but i guess it does somthing to the fuel pressure with the cap loose or off.

that and the EVAP system in general operates "through" the gas tank.