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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
00:32:25
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 Subject: Bad Distributor?
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I have a '95 Dakota with a 318 in it. It runs good most of the time but other times when it's warm the engine will bog down for a couple minutes and then suddenly return to normal. It smells like unburnt fuel when this is happening, and is definately misfiring on at least a few cylinders. The previous owner replaced just about every sensor in the engine trying to track this problem down, and didn't really get anywhere. Also it's had a full tuneup (cap, wires, plugs, filters, etc). All this leads me to beleive that the distributor is probably going bad, am I on the right track?
Thanks guys,
Alex
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
00:34:12
|  RE: Bad Distributor?
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Also forgot to mention that it doesn't seem like it's getting too much fuel, because stepping on the gas while this is happening doesn't really make things any better.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
08:55:59
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Check for codes first. It could be a worn distributor or just worn gear and bushing. How many miles onm the truck? Could alos be a worn timing chain. Lots of variables here.
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well
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
08:57:07
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Take the dsit. cap off
Take the rotor and try to rotate left/right check
for play.
Then also move back & forth checking for play again.
2 noted problems on these motors
Worn Dist. Gear &/or worn dist. bushings.
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
12:35:31
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Ok thanks for the tips, guys. It's got almost 220k on it. Will check for play in the dizzy today.
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well
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
12:55:40
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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WOW with 220 on it good chance it's the chain
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
13:08:54
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Not arguing with you here, but just for my own education how would it be the timing chain and not run like crap all the time? It runs great until this happens, you let it sit for a few, and then it goes back to running great. Might not even happen again until you let the engine cool and then go for another drive.
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2010
13:21:03
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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OK, so I pulled off the cap, there's lots of play up/down, lots of play in the rotation, and a little side-to-side. I'll pick up another distributor tomorrow and see where that gets me. Thanks again, guys!
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/28/2010
10:17:53
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Replaced the distributor, there's still lots of play in the rotation. I didn't realize the drive gear was seperate from the distributor in these engines. Does that sound like the next place to look? I'm going to have the parts store order me one anyway, but just checking my thinking here. And would rotational play have anything to do with the bushings? I'd like to avoid that since they take special tools to remove and replace...
Thanks,
Alex
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fotodak
Dodge Dakota
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4/29/2010
09:57:07
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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The gear will take out any rotational slop. The bushing will remove any side to side slop.
When you pulled the dizzy you should have looked at the base of the dizzy shaft and checked for wear. That would have saved you the money on a new dizzy and you could have fixed the drive gear.
Check for play between the bushing and shaft before you replace the bushing.
Also at your mileage the timing chain is probably so stretched between the gear issue and the chain the valve and injector timing is way off.
The distributor does not control ignition timing, it controls injector timing. The ECU controls ignition timing.
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2010
00:41:32
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Replaced the drive gear today. Doesn't seem to be any play in the bushing and the gear was hardly worn. Took it for a drive and it seems to have improved but didn't fix the issue. I'll check the timing chain tomorrow. Any other possibilities while I'm at it?
Thanks for all the help so far guys,
Alex
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02dak4x4
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2010
20:34:01
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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I had a similar problem with my 93. Check your crank position sensor, its on the back of the block on the pass side basically just low and left of the distributor. i had a broken mounting tab and if it moves around at all it cuts the spark to the engine causing it to completely miss until the sensor picks up the signal again. this can happen even if the bolts are loose.
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ab0tj
Dodge Dakota
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5/02/2010
18:23:08
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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Just wanted to let you guys know what the fix was. I replaced the coil and the problem got better, but not completely fixed. I then decided to check the harness on the PCM, and there was corrosion on the pins like none other. Some carb cleaner and a toothbrush made short work of it, and now it's running great! I don't know why I didn't think to check that earlier. Thanks for the help!
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fotodak
Dodge Dakota
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5/03/2010
23:15:20
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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You did say there was rotational slop in the dizzy shaft, right?
It's not the gear itself that wears it is the slot in the top of the shaft that wears which causes the slop.
Don't forget to fix that chain. At your mileage it's a matter of time...
Glad you found the main problem!
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chris42
Dodge Dakota
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8/15/2013
00:19:24
| RE: Bad Distributor?
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I have to get in on this conversation as I reciently purchased a 2001 dodge 3.9
I bought it with the understanding that it needed head gaskets. got that done along with the belly pan gasket as well. kept getting a cylinder 3 and 5 misfire. found low compression on 5 and took back apart dropped pan, ball honed cylinder walls replaced rings and rod bearings. cleaned 1,3 and 5 fuel injectors new plugs, wires, cap, and rotor.
still have cylinder 3 misfire. have slight lifter noise on that side of engine don't think its a valve problem as I redid a comp test and they are all around 85 to 90 pretty sure just have a slight lifter noise. thinking maybe the distributor?. putting timing light on number 3 cylinder and rpm was ranging hanging around 700 and about every 2 minutes rpm would drop to 590 and right back up. running out of loot trying not to purchase any un-needed parts. is anyone familiar with this. truck runs great above an idle. just cant get inspection passed. truck shakes like crazy when I first start it backing up then seems to be ok. appreciate any help. I have a full size ram not a Dakota. cylinder 5 is ok now its just 3. pulled cap off and very little play side to side. like a millimeter.
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