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chris
Dodge Dakota
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11/16/2003
16:05:55

Subject: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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hey ppl, quick question. i have a 97 dodge dakota 318. this morning i went to crank it up and it started fine but as soon as i let go of the key it cut off. i thought that moisture had gotten on some contacts so i left it until this afternoon, same problem. i smell a strong gas smell, but the check engine light does not come on. any suggestions? besides the obvious of take it to the dealership.



vipergg
Dodge Dakota
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11/16/2003
19:06:11

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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Did you lose battery power ? Sounds like you lost battery power to the computer and it's now running on the defaults which is exactly what you are describing . Start the vehicle and keep you foot on the gas 10-15 minutes and it will relearn the parameters and not stall . Try this before taking this to the dealer . this can happen if the battery is older even though it does start .



vykanos
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
03:09:52

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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I have a 1997 5.2L five-speed with the same problem, intermittently so. I've gotten good at three-footed driving to keep it running -- sometimes it's fine. EGR? IAC? ANybody?

Steve



rt13
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
12:58:45

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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it sounds like a fuel related problem. i would say fuel filter, but they are virtually irreplacable on genIII's. maybe try running a bottle or two of fuel injector cleaner through and see if it helps any, that may give you some ideas.



99Dak5.2L4x4
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
14:17:42

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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This exact thing happened to me about 2-3 months ago. I don't have the solution...sorry.

I had it towed to the dealership because the moment I would let off the gas it would die. It was weired because the truck had been running fine and everything but that morning it just freaked out or something and would stay running.

Long story short the dealership had it all day and the guy called me back at 5pm to pick it saying it was ready. When I got there he tossed me the keys and said they couldn't find anything mechanically wrong with it so there was no charge. I mean they didn't even charge me to look at it, but miracously it started right up and has worked fine ever since. I didn't pester the guy to ask exactly why they did since he was busy nor did I want to annoy him and then he might have decided to charge me so I took my keys quickly and drove off. But I'm sure as dirt they did something.

I do remember him mentioning that they cleaned something near the carb. but that's all.

Bill
Austin, TX



vykanos
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
14:52:56

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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I certainly hope you don't have a carb.. Anyhow, it may have been the EGR passage you're thinking of.

Regardless, it's not a fuel issue, since the engine runs fine at higher RPMs, but will not hold an idle. There is also a strong odor of unburned fuel after it stalls, so that is pretty much ruled out. We're looking at a spark or an air problem here I think. Mine shows up about once a day, and stops after I've driven for 5-6 miles.



Rob C
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
16:26:40

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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Sounds like a dirty throttlebody to me. Have you cleaned the throttlebody included the idle air port lately? You should do this once in a while. It'll also help your engine idle smoother.



carmen
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
16:43:42

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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you need to clean the idle air control motor and passages in the throttle body.

since there is no fuel in the TB the oil vapor from the pcv swirls in the plenum and hits the bottom of the TB. mine was very dirty, since you need to take the TB off make sure you have a gasket as they seem hard to find.



Vykanos
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2003
16:45:09

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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I'll check the condition of the idle air port. I;ve got about 115K on mine with no problems besides the usual laundry list, IE:

Steering Shaft
Rear ABS Sensor
Balljoints

How's that for typical?

4k#Fe



teamfast
Dodge Dakota
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12/06/2003
15:09:17

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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What about the choke? if its not opening properley your starving the engine for air



vykanos
Dodge Dakota
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12/06/2003
16:00:12

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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I'm going to ignore any more comments I hear about chokes, carbs, points, muffler bearings, blinker fluid, or anything else a Dakota doesn't have.

This ain't 1967. ;)

4k#Fe



Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
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12/06/2003
17:02:19

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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Did you follw up on carmen's suggestion ?



chief08087
Dodge Dakota
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12/06/2003
17:12:56

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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heres ur problem. clean the throttle body. make sure u take the idle air control motor off and clean inside there. also clean the tip of the motor. i work at a dealership



Robert
Dodge Dakota
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12/06/2003
18:26:58

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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well i had a problem like it but what my truck would do was it would idle to low then die but the whole time the truck was driving terrible it would shake and crap like that it felt like it had a hemi but for my truck to act like that it meant trouble so i disconnected the battery cable(overnight)and cleaned them. well it acted normal for a while then it started acting up again so i took it in and my O2 sensor went out.......maybe it could be one of those stupid sensors cause if one of them is going out the stupid computer will start jacking around trying to fix the problem and make the whole thing worse.




teamfast
Dodge Dakota
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12/08/2003
12:53:41

RE: engine starts but shuts off unless gas
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LOL I meant TB operation at startup.



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