| From | Message |
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
13:12:49
|
 Subject: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
For those of you that enjoy a puzzle, this one is getting pretty frustrating. I could use some guidance really bad.
1995 Dakota 4x4 with 3.9L and auto transmission was cutting out when fuel reached an 1/8th of a tank. One morning with a half tank it wouldn't start but did with a prime. Replaced fuel pump and it seemed fine for 2 days and then lost power while driving down the street. I put it in neutral and revved it and it seemed to be okay as I continued down the road. This happened again and I figured I had gotten moisture in the fuel when I replaced the pump so I added some fuel treatment. If it was moisture it would have been minimal (condensation). Took it to a friends shop where he put a diagnostic handheld computer to it and it was inconclusive. Fuel pressure was 40 lbs, injectors were pulsing and found arc at the ignition coil.
I replaced the coil and the pickup drove fine all afternoon as I took care of chores around town. The next time I got in the truck it made it two blocks then died. Managed to get it started and home. The next day it started fine and I went two blocks and it died and would not start again. Towed it home and replaced plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. It still wouldn't start so replaced the pickup coil.
Still not starting, it seems the coil is not getting power with the key on but not cranking (don't know if it should be hot or not). From the schematics it seems the coil is powered through the automatic shutdown and fuel pump relays. They both test fine. The engine light diagnostic test is giving a 1-2 and 5-5 response.
I am so frustrated nothing is making sense and suspect I keep replacing parts that may not be bad and can't afford this. Can anyone help? Thanks.
|
little jer
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
15:38:48
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
gas guages are't always as accurate as we would like. When it gets down low you may be picking up the dregs of sludge or even water that may have built up. I take it you also replaced the fuel filter with the fuel pump as it may have gotten clogged. Although I don't think it sounds like a filter problem. A clogged filter may let enough fuel by for normal driving but when you place demand on the engine, like acceleration, the engine craps out for lack of enough fuel getting by. I still think it might be one of the sensors as you've just about covered everything else. A leaking carbon cannister in a jeep that I had leaked carbon particles into my carb and it ran like crap. Couldn' figure it out until we noticed black residue in the carb. It was plugging the jets. Just another thought. Sounds like u may have to bite the bullet and take it to the dealer. Mine charges a $50 diagnostic fee, but it beats spending a bunch of money replacing parts. But then again, that's what the dealer does sometimes too when they can't figure it out.
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
16:30:48
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Anyone think the ignition switch could be worn out and contribute to this problem? I just took negative battery cable off for a minute and put it back on and it started right up. It idled in the driveway for 15 minutes and I took off to road test and it dies in exactly the same spot as last time. Towed it home, removed the battery cable for a minute and tried to start with no luck. Checked spark at the coil while turning over and had power for 3 seconds then the ASD kicked in. ??????
|
OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
18:35:03
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
I see nothing where you determined if the problem is fuel or ignition. I use one of those cheap timing lights that only connect between the plug and plug wire. Don't matter which one. I run it up between the hood and firewall and hold it against the windshield with the wiper. When it acts up just watch the timing light. If it goes off of flickers on and off you know it is electrical. If it shows no indication of an electric problem, it is fuel. Now you have a reasonable idea where to start looking. Going with all the things you sai were replaced, it may well be faulty contacts in your ignition. Did you check for play in your distributer shaft? Also your battery cables are important. remove them from the battery posts and clean both the inside of cables and the posts. Remove the cables at the other ends and clean them good. the ground is the one most likely to be corroded. Last but not least check the modulator. As a rule they just stop working but at times they can be intermittent. One more just come to mind. Your coil can be working intermediately via internal shorting.
|
GB2000
GenIII
4/08/2007
18:51:49
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
What about that nasty corroded splice...can't remember, but aren't some of these symptoms of it? Someone who knows what I'm talking about, please chime in...
|
little jer
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
19:31:59
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
pick, are you one of those guys that has a couple of pounds of keys on his key ring hanging from your ignition? They say that's not good for the igntionand can wear it out.
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
19:51:13
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
No. In fact the only key in the ignition is the ignition key. And I never remove it.
|
OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/08/2007
22:14:24
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
The splice is located under the battery and has many wires rapped together. Could be the problem also.
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/09/2007
00:27:27
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Oh! We checked a splice where the coil and the injectors meet. I wasn't aware of the splice under the battery. Which elements are relevant to the problem in that splice?
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/09/2007
19:40:23
|  RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Well the splice under the fuse box was in perfect condition so that is not the problem. I was really hoping it was. What am I missing here?
OB103, it is electrical as far as I can tell. The ASD is apparently shutting down but I don't know why.
|
STS
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/09/2007
20:37:42
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Mine charges no diagnostic fee. My dakotas has about the same problem (starting to back fire) but I think the problem could be some bad 02 sensors.
|
99dakr/t
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/09/2007
21:58:51
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
I has a similar problem with another truck. Turned out it to be a dirty connection from the battary to somewhere else I cant remember where. THe problem was fixed by cleaning the contact point and tightening it up. Kind of a long shot but worth trying. So all I can say is Check your battary connections both at the battary and follow them to where ever they go.
~Rob
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/09/2007
22:27:15
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Okay Rob, you are apparently the winner, so far. When I checked the splice and put everything there back in order we decided to put a meter on the battery, just for the helluvit. It read a little under 11 volts so we took a newer battery out of my brothers van and the Dakota started right up. I've driven a couple of times with no problems this evening. Hopefully this was it. Maybe we should have started there. That would have been a lot cheaper and less time consuming.
Thanks to everyone who has chimed in with advice. I'll let you know if this ends up not working, but so far the weak battery seems to be the gremlin.
|
little jer
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/10/2007
01:26:07
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
When my battery went bad I just had problems in keeping it running without keeping my foot on the gas pedal. If I took my foot off the gas it died. but once it got going and after a mile or two it never died while just driving. Your posting never indicated a battery problem. Weird. I know low battery voltage messes with the computer on starting, but the alternator should cover for it while driving, unless the alternator is bad. That in turn would cause the battery to be drained. Putting a new battery in would cure for a short time until it drained too. Hope your problems are over.
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/10/2007
03:16:53
|  RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Right after I bought this in 2000 as the 2nd owner and at 60k miles, I was doing fiber optic network construction and in the pickup alot driving up and down the job line. One day, without warning, after I stopped for a few minutes and got back in the battery was DEAD. It was so dead it wouldn't even take a jump. The guy at the parts store said that was common and sold me a new battery. I ran that for 50k miles and this has been in for between 50 and 60k. I can't really expect more than that out of the battery I don't think. I've never had it just quit on me before and the alternator hasn't signaled anything through the computer so hopefully it was just a tired battery causing the automatic shutoff relay to shut down the system.
Thanks for your input little jer. BTW, any relation to Little Joe?
|
little jerL
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/10/2007
18:32:40
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Little Joe from Bonanza or Litttle Joe and the Thrillers music group? lol Actually, there was another Jerry here so I took jerry jr. or little Jer
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/10/2007
22:11:36
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Well.... Still screwed. Rob, I'll need the prize back as today I got in it and made it the familiar two blocks before losing it's power. Only this time I was quick enough to shift into neutral and hit the gas which brought it back to life. I did this twice before getting back to the house under my own power and parking.
I really don't know where to go from here. It acts like something is causing the ASD to shut everything down. Any more suggestions.?
|
99dakrt
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/10/2007
22:43:35
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Well in my post I was refering to the connections from the battary to where ever they go. When you said that I was the winner it sounded like you just checked the connections on the battary. I think you should check the positive battary cable which goes from the battary to the starter then to a bus somewhere or it might go directly to a bus from the battary. Also the nevative battary cable which goes to ground somewhere either the engine block or somewhere else. If either those are loose or dirty you will loose power to the computer which will cause your truck to die. Basically what im saying is that you are not getting good contact somewhere which is not allowing current to flow. When you drive over a bump the connection might be so loose you are loosing all contact at that point which is causing your engine to die.
Another theory is that maybe you have something drawing current when the car is off and now the battary you put in is drawn so low that it does not have enough power to power the computer. When my battary went bad in my R/T my truck would start fine and then slowly idle down till it died unless I reved it up.
~Rob
|
little jer
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/11/2007
01:20:17
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
The same with me. Have you by chance checked your alternator?
|
pickumber
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/11/2007
01:52:19
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
Yes Rob, you may very well end up being the winner yet. I'll replace cables and test alternator tomorrow. As you suggested the other battery was run down after sitting all night. Don't know what could be drawing on it so much though.
|
daddio
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/11/2007
08:40:59
| RE: Intermittent Slow Death
IP: Logged
Message:
pick, there are some post on here about the earlier year dak's having a current draw from the circuit board for the tachometer. not sure what years they were but they claimed it could draw a good battery down inside a few days if the truck was parked that long without running.
|
| | P 1 Next Page>> |
