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D Hopkins
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
15:36:22
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 Subject: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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Sorry about the long post, but good info. I've just found the problem that was causing my bad gas milage, stalling, engine cut-out, and backfiring on my '92 Dakota: the pulse ring in the distributor. I read many of the archived messages here and at other sites, and never saw this mentioned. I checked all of the other causes mentioned, such as sensors, pickups, EGR valve, and even the sync signal generator in the distributor. I did not check the ring itself. No troubleshooting tips, hints, or charts lead to this. So as a last resort I took the truck in to a service center, Auto Pros, in Lancaster, CA. I was told to avoid the Dodge dealer there due to poor service record. Immediately upon hearing the symptoms, he told me he thought it was the timing ring in the distributor. He stated that it is a common problem, because the metal ring is held in place with platic studs and these studs get worn, then the ring starts to move. A $60 diagnosis confirmed this. This problem causes erratic timing, and a slew of symptoms as the computer tries to compensate. In my case, the ring slid back and forth, and on deceleration the timing would shift beyound the computers' ability to compensate for. The sync signal generator could potentially be destroyed if there is enough lateral movement. BTW, the newer models have screws holding the pulse ring in place. I did a temp fix on mine until the new distributor arrives, I glued the plate in place, then adjusted the timing by the adjust-and-test method. I did not have a way to disable the computer control to set the "true" mechanical timing. I used the amount of movement that the ring had to guestimate the initial setting. Some minor tweeking, and the truck now runs like it has not in years. Hope others find this useful.
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Simpleman96
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
08:21:18
|  RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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What year is your Dak. I have a 96 3.9 with these symptoms and am at the end of my patience rope.Replaced everything with the exception of the injectors and Map sensor.
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majorminor21
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
10:13:03
|  RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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i have all the same symptoms minus the stalling and no mechanic has been able to tell me whats wrong. they have checked the timing, plugs, wires, cap and rotor. my next bet was to replace the injectors. how would be able to tell if i have the same problem as you. help is appreciated.
thank you
james
1994 3.9L 4x4
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93 dak
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
11:06:04
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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i have a 93 does your truck also surge at ideal from around idle (700-800 rpm) to like 1500 rpm. also did it seem like it was running rough. i sometimes experiance these problems. i tried to replace the idle air control valve for the surging prob but no luck.
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Simpleman96
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
12:29:51
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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Mine doesn't surge at idle, it just runs like it has a larger cam. when I increase the rpm in park or drive it will shake heavily until around 2700 rpm. Then the engine seemes to be running to fast to bother shaking. All of my vacuum lines are good too.
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majorminor21
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
12:48:47
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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the only time i hear the backfire is after i give it gas and release the pedal it backfires. its on the release when i hear it. i bought it used so i dont know how it was supposed to run before. and i was getting bad mileage since i bought it. open to ideas
-james
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scot
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
20:00:51
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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have the same problem with my 93 sport also keep blowing the striker plate off the rotor loosing my mind should i change out the distributor whats best factory or aftermarket?
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dak
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
22:46:05
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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The idle surge might be a idle speed control, I know it cost me like 600 bucks on my mitsu eclipse, most other cars and trucks have the ISC.
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D Hopkins
Dodge Dakota
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2/14/2002
23:18:39
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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If you remove the distributor cap, then remove the pickup, you can check the pulse ring to see if it is loose. It is the large metal curved ring. It should not move on the plate it is mounted to at all. I superglued mine in place, as a temp fix, and it has been running great for over a month. I'll replace the distributor if I have to, but I'm hoping to find just the ring and plate. They are held in place by a pin.
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majorminor21
Dodge Dakota
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2/15/2002
11:17:12
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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what would be the best aftermarket distributor for the '94 3.9L. this way i can get away from this problem all together.
-james
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scot
Dodge Dakota
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2/16/2002
21:03:50
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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Replaced the distributor today worked great thanks for the info. Don't know about the gas mileage yet will post it next week. one thing though am smellig a strong fuel odor while the engine is cold like a choke being stuck or something but the truck runs great no more backfiringstalling or cutting out thanks man.
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maddy
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2003
10:49:38
|  RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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My dokota dosnt have this problem but my lebaron GTS did, the plastic studs in the distributer were worn and alowing the ring to slip so i glued it with epoxy and it worked great i also had a circet braker clamp holding the turbos wastgate arm together.lol
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D Hopkins
Dodge Dakota
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1/26/2003
00:17:29
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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Update on the worn pulse ring. Turns out I had a worn drive gear on the cam shaft, which was causing the distributor shaft to slam back-and-forth during acceleration and deceleration. My new distributor went bad during a 2400 mile cross-country trip, and a dealer mechanic in TN found the problem. I saw the gear, and the teeth were wore down to a razor-edge. He said the camshaft had been installed wrong. I'm the original owner, so I know it was like that from the factory. I did notice that an annoying little tick or tap is now gone, that the truck had always had from the day I first test drove it.
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Scott
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
18:07:07
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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my truck seems to be hesitating violently while i am driving it. It runs fine in park and it does well when i let off the gas while on the road but when i accelerate or keep it at a speed while on the highway it jerks violently. At first i thought i overfilled my oil. Then i cleaned all vaccuums and air filter hoses including the pcv tube. I even went as far as to check for oil in all the spark plugs due to the overflow of oil. Nothing has changes. I recently did a tune up and oil change on my truck. I did not replace the distributor cap or the plug wired. Could this be a big problem with the distributor cap and rotor. Would failure of those items cause the truck to jerk violently as though it were misfiring. Please help. Im at the end of my line!
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nightslave
Dodge Dakota
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2/01/2004
03:04:57
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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I'm having basically the same trouble. My 96 kota
idle a little rough not much but when accelerating especially going up hill it backfires and spits and sputters violently. I replaced the MAP, coil, wires, cap, button, pickup, plugs, and idle speed sensor. I had it put on a computer the codes read # 5 cyl. misfire and random multiple misfire.
Could it be a timing chain jump, o2 sensor, fuel pump? I'm stumped Please help
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Darrin
Dodge Dakota
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7/19/2004
23:39:10
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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my truck is a 93 but my milage isn't bad and it don't stall to often but when I press my gas pedal to accelerate it boggs down if you have any info on this plz let me know ty
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darrin
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2004
20:42:35
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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Im just had a similar problem and it was my cat converter
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ozric
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2004
21:22:39
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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My truck was working great .. then I did a TB swap for a PP V6 47mm. I started having rough idle and my check engine lite came one, Always misfire #6. I chased that gremlin every where for about a week. I was about to pull my cap and check the timeing index, when I saw the coil wire touching #6 by the cap. So I recheck the reroute TSB and made sure I did it right, I readjusted the coil wire and bolted my FPIK back on, hoping it could be that easy, reconnected my battery and fired it up. Well its been 2 days now with no misfire and I am running great. Still waiting for a full learn om new my TB :).
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D. Tolman
Dodge Dakota
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9/03/2004
08:29:21
|  RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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Message:
Thanks for everyones suggestions on this subject. Like several have said, I've been at my wits end after multiple visits to the mechanic, yet the problem persists: violent random jerks, backfires, stalls, & bad exhaust smells. I've replaced the computer and o2 sensors. I'll look into the distributer ring next. Thanks! (V6 2WD)
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Darrin
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
03:33:00
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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hey I posted this and to let you all know that it was my cat converter I cut it off and put a pipe in it's place runs good now but ty all for the info
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john plasczyn
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2004
17:54:40
| RE: Bad milage, backfiring, stalling?
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I have a 1996 Dodge Dakota with a V6 3.9 engine. All works fine until I have driven approximately a hundred miles nonstop and the engine will die apparently from fuel starvation. If the engine light comed 9on it shows "lean fuel" A scan fails to show anything else. It may or may not start again in a short time. The next day it runs fine and will run fine in trips from 10 to 50 miles. Since it runs fine when I get it to the shop and the computer scans good Im lost.
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