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Doug
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2005
14:55:26
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 Subject: Cold start problems
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This will be the second time i've posted. When my truck ('97, 3.9L, 2X4, Stick) sits for a while, it is very very hard to start. The engine will crank over alot of times before it starts. Sometimes after it (first 45-90 seconds) has started up, and i start driving it will "miss" a little, and on rare occurances back-fire. Here is what i've done: New plugs, plug wires, cap, rotor, air cleaner, cleaned injectors, new PCV valve, verified battery connections, and changed post cat o2 sensor. Does anyone have any ideas?
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2005
15:58:40
|  RE: Cold start problems
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how old is the battery?
have you load tested it?
sometimes they will crank and run goofy for a little while because of a weak battery.
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Doug
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2005
17:47:52
| RE: Cold start problems
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Battery only 2 years old
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2005
18:27:35
| RE: Cold start problems
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Doug, does your truck have a built-in tachometer? If so, that may be your grief. Is it a little slow to crank after sitting for 2+ weeks?
I bought my 92 Dak off my brother, who had it since new. He said he had a constant battery drain that the dealer could never figure out. He went through several batteries.
What I found is that, despite the service manual claim that under 20 milliamps is the normal standby drain, I found that the tachometer circuit board that plugs into the instrument panel board, draws 105 mA *by design*! I traced out the circuit, did the math, and found it is designed to draw that much current! I found it by pulling fuses one at a time with an ammeter inline between negative battery cable and ground.
So test your battery voltage right after use, then test it in 3 days. If it's down to 11.8 volts or less, this could be your problem.
Temporarily, I pull the horn/tach fuse. In the long run, I'm going to cut the circuit trace that supplies battery power and connect it to the ignition.
I've posted this before, it should go in a FAQ section, since no one else seems to have discovered this.
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Doug
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2005
19:14:04
| RE: Cold start problems
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Thank everyone. It came to me that my wife had put my truck in the ditch last year (cosmetic damage), and while in that ditch it was pretty much on it's side, and that might have dislodged sediment or a plate and slightly shorted out the battery, and along with the instrument panel drain that Bob was talking about that 2 year old battery is now on its' way out!!! (I thought this was pretty far fetched) I tested the battery...my meter said 11.97 Volts, which is only about a 25% state of charge...leave it to an electrician to overlook the obvious fix!!!!! Thanks again!
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2005
19:19:34
| RE: Cold start problems
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Great! Check your owner's manual to see which fuse disables the tach. On my truck, it's fuse #6, a 10 amp, "horn/tach".
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fuel fool
Dodge Dakota
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2/12/2005
10:42:49
| RE: Cold start problems
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I'm guessing you've checked for proper static fuel pressure before you try starting the vehicle.......long crank time is consistent with failing fuel pressure regulator in the pump assy.
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