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Ashley
Dodge Dakota
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10/14/2008
23:10:33
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 Subject: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Here we go….about 2 weeks ago I changed the valve cover gasket on my 95 Dakota Sport (4cyl). While doing so I ended up killing my battery and had to jump start the car. I got around the corner and the car just died, feeling like it ran out of gas or something. I tried to jump start it again but no luck. So I pushed the bastard about half mile back to my house up a hill, which really sucked. The next day I got a new battery, thinking this was the only prob, I put the new batt in and it did not start. I then went under the hood and moved some stuff around and looked for anything obvious to be displaced, got back in and then it fired up…..now 2 weeks later I was driving to school and the truck stalled coming out of a light. I pulled into a parking lot and had a hell of a time getting it started. I hit the gas tank and got back in and it would start working for a min. I thought at this time it must be the fuel pump. After stalling about 20 times to get 5 miles back home I started to look into the problem. Below is a list of things I have done.
-Checked the fuel filter inline to the tank and that was not clogged.
-found that the car would start after waiting a bit rather then hitting the gas tank (starting to not think its fuel pump)
-when I turn the car to the on position I can here the fuel pump engage
-inspected the throttle body and made sure all connections were good. (perhaps it could be a sensor)
After checking all this stuff on Monday and calling my friend over to work on it, the car seemed to be running great. We took it down to the auto parts store about 5 miles and it never stalled. Later that night I went to wal-mart and when I got back it stalled as I pulled into the driveway ( this happened earlier that morning as well.) So I tried to check this and about 50% of the time when I took a right turn into my drive way (second gear clutch down) bumping over the gutter it would stall. Perhaps something is loose. Maybe not. But for the most part the car still ran.
Today (Tuesday) I got into my truck around 6am (a lot of morning dew) and I got out of my driveway and half way down the street and the car stalled. This time it did not start again. I pushed it back to my house and then:
-replaced distributor cap
-replaced ignition wires
-replaced spark plugs
Car still wont start
I had my friend come over who is a mechanic at Hyundai so he knew a little bit and we tried everything we could to get the thing to turn over. We had the air cleaner cover off exposing the top of the throttle body. I sprayed some throttle body cleaner into the throttle body and was able to get the car to fire. It ran and sputtered for about 5 mins until I decided to kill it.
A few other things I have discovered while searching for this problem.
-under the hood in the fuse box the 5amp fuse was blown. I had a few more hand so I went to put another one in and it blew soon as I touched it to the terminal.
-inside my car the overhead lamp never worked. I took out the audio deck and this guy that I bought it from had a wire ran from the positive of the bat to the audio deck in order to get it to work. The dedicated line that should be used for the audio unit is not pulling any voltage nor is the acc. power on. But I had the door open and I touched the 12 volt line to the line that should be pulling the 12 volts to the audio deck and magically the damn cockpit light turned on….what the hell!! It must have completed to shorted circuit.
Thanks in advance for anything that can help on any of these issues.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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10/15/2008
09:20:27
|  RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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there is a splice of 3wires to 1 about 6 to 8 inches below the PDC on the drivers side inner fender. peel back the insulation and check the splice. if it looks the least bit dirty or corroded clean and preferably solder it and retape. i believe the wires are red w/white stripe.
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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10/15/2008
14:10:17
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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From what i remember on my old 95, I think the wires are red/white.
Mine was like a little block and just a little green (corroded). I cut the block out and resoldered and taped the wires, re-wrapped it. all good up until the day I traded it in on my 02.
- Dan M
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Ashley
Dodge Dakota
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10/15/2008
17:35:36
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
i have not been home yet to try this but thanks
alot for the advice. I really hope this thing is
corroded. But just to be clear...is the PDC the
fuse box under the hood?
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dakota49
Gen I
10/15/2008
20:10:47
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
Ashly, yes the PDC is the power dist. center under the hood.
Good Luck
Dakota49
dakota49
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Ashely
Dodge Dakota
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10/15/2008
20:12:02
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
ok i exposed all the wires under the fuse box
located under the hood on the driver side. and i
see one splice of 2 green wires to one green wire
and the other splice was a bunch of gray wires
coming out from under the box all spliced
togethor but going nowhere just connected together. could someone tell me what these wires
that i am looking for are running to. thanks.
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Ashley
Dodge Dakota
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10/16/2008
15:23:28
|  RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
going off the advice from another colleague i
hooked a 10amp fuse in place of the 5 amp and it
seems to be holding up just fine and all the
interior lights work now.
As for my car starting...nothing. I have
investigated nearly the entire line from the PDC
without finding any 3 to 1 wire splice. I went
out today to try and start the car and it starts
but just sputters and then dies and after a few
times of doing that it does nothing....I am
losing all hope here :(
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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10/16/2008
16:04:14
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
"going off the advice from another colleague i
hooked a 10amp fuse in place of the 5 amp"
NOT GOOD ADVICE! never put a higher rated fuse in a circuit like that. you're asking for trouble or worse a fire.
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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10/16/2008
16:10:39
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
CHECK FAULT CODES.
http://allpar.com/fix/80s-codes.html
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Ashley
Dodge Dakota
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10/16/2008
20:08:52
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
He warned me of the implications but said he had
the same problem and it was fine for years.
i have checked fault codes....and i get nothing
except 12 and 55 which are normal.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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10/16/2008
21:28:53
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
that splice should be there about 8 inches or so down below the fusebox/ PDC.
and i hope you're not driving the truck down the road if that circuit ever overloads and your truck starts on fire.
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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10/17/2008
14:06:43
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
The splice is there for V6 and V8 trucks. I don't recall anyone with 4 cyl having this issue, but that doesn't mean much of anything as not many people here post regularly with 4 cylinder model.
the wires we are talking about connect the ASD relay and injectors if i remember correctly.
It's a common problem with that gen of dakota.
- Dan M
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Ashley
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/09/2008
14:57:28
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
can anyone confirm that fireman is correct?
also i have checked the fuel pressure and it
seems to be fine. so i dont think its the fuel
pump.
i did replace the pickup coil when i put the new
rotor cap and spark plug wires on.
here is a link to a video i took of my truck
running like crap
http://www.hostiledesigns.com/car/CIMG3698.AVI
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Rick James
Dodge Dakota
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11/25/2008
19:19:12
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
Hey, I have the same problem. I just rebuilt the whole engine. I have good fuel pressure and spark. It fires right up then dies, but if I pump the pedal really fast I can keep it running. It back fires, but runs. I've about had it. All the sensors have been replaced and every terminal cleaned. I'm thinking of replacing the wiring harness, just to eliminate any bad wires. One thing u might want check is the relay in the fuse box (the auto shut off). I think that's where my problem is. Even though I've all ready replaced it. This is truly a mystery problem. I've never been stumped like this before. Let me know how u make out and I'll do the same. Good Luck
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dakotajr
Dodge Dakota
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12/01/2008
20:52:26
| RE: Mystery Problem - 4cyl - 95 - Dakota
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Message:
check the ground that is on the back of head that goes from the valve cover to the firewall. If it is loose or disconnected it will not start sometimes.
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