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Comments
Well that depends. I wouldnt consider it a consistent cold weather part of the country. I live in New Jersey. And lately it's been cold. We had less than 10 degrees F 2 months ago. Now were in the high teens to low 50's. F.
Is your question related to my problem possibly being poor performance of the IAC during cold weather?
FYI, I bought my Dakota in October 2008. It had 105,000 and now has 108,000. I believe I noticed the stalling way back in October, but assumed it needed a tune-up or something else.
It wasnt until recently, I started looking into other causes. Of course I always find a wealth of information here ( especially from you ) , and thats why I did a little research here and found what I needed.
Regards,
Dusty
Other than that it has been a good and enjoyable truck.
Crankshaft Position Sensors were of irratic quality in your vintage Mopar motor. Fortunately, after the initial replacements you don't hear of too many failing a second time.
Still see a number of old Daks on the road. There are two of your vintage in my neighborhood, both have over 180,000 miles on them. A little rusty in spots, but looking a heck of a lot better than any eight-year-old S10!!
Best regards,
Dusty
off-idle hesitation
hesitation at speed
rough engine idle
intermittent rough engine idle
rough idle then stalls
engine RPM fluctuates at idle
engine RPM flairs after start, then stalls
engine stalls when placed into any gear
engine stalls after start unless throttle pedal used
engine stalls when throttle opened
engine surges at speed
engine performance poor: engine misfires under load/acelleration
irratic shifts
irratic torque converter unlocking
irratic or over sensitive 6-5 downshifts at speed (68RFE)
irratic or over sensitive 5-4 downshifts at speed (545RFE)
irratic or over sensitive 4-3 downshifts at speed (RE, RLE)
3-4 driveline clunk
delayed 1-2 shift
delayed 3-4 upshift
3-4 upshifts occurs abruptly after 2-3 shift
no 3-4 upshift
no 4-3 downshift
no kickdown at speed
no or irratic torque converter lock up
no or irratic overdrive shift
Regards,
Dusty
Anyway - after the 2nd tranny failure, I got the truck back and it immediately began stalling shortly after morning start up - well within the first mile or so of driving, but only after the truck had been sitting a long while - like overnight.
Here are the exact symptoms.
Starts normally in the morning (I do not let the engine warm up - start and go, but I tried letting the engine come to temp before go doesn't have an impact on this problem). Drive to the first stop (uphill less than 1/4 mile away) as the truck comes to a full stop, the RPM's drop out and the truck stalls. Truck restarts immediately and does not stall again for the rest of the day.
Cold engine stalling is intermittent (roughly 50% of the time or less) in temps greater than 65 degrees, and almost always as temps dip below, with coldest winter temps causing multiple stalls, as opposed to just once in the morning, but again, will not continue to stall once warmed up). So the colder it gets, the more consistent and more frequent the cold engine stalling is until the engine warms up and then the engine will not stall for the rest of the day. I can prevent the stalling if I force the rpms to stay up by braking and tapping the gas simultaneously.
If I take a different route in the morning so I don't hit stop/go traffic while the engine is cold, I don't have a stalling problem (but it's a much longer route, and that's no solution)
Over the months, the dealer has had the truck back 5 times without success. They reset the computer on the first try, then replaced one of them (can't find the paperwork). Replaced the Oxygen sensor. Beat the engine with a hammer, had a Shaman do a pagan blessing, and then shrugged. I suggested the problem is tranny related because that's where all the troubles started, but the dealer says the tranny is fine.
Lawyers are expensive, and I just want my truck fixed.
Suggestions would be enormously appreciated.
Researched threads for solutions:
1.Clogged filter/lines
2. Rear band misadjusted
3. Broken Clutch spring (no evidence in pan or filter)
4. bad front clutch (how do I check)
5. stuck servo (how do I check?)
6. valve body problem
7. broken Planetary Gearset (no evidence in Pan)
8. locked torque convertor clutch
Planning on making band adjustments, replacing filter and running to check. Or should I just go ahead and disassemble the thing?
Could this be a band adjustment issue or do I have a failed (locked)torque convertor? Since there's no codes I'm thinking the electronics are o.k. I heard valve body check balls shrink and fail?
Help
idle gets rough and will stall when throttle opens. When I can come off idle
in neutral, I can hold a fast but very erratic RPM. There are no trouble codes,
and fuel presure is good. exhaust cat. is not resticted, Ig. distributor is tight,
Complete tune-up, fuel filter, crank sensor, tps, charge air sensor, coolant temp
sensor and distributor switch plate have been replaced. Prior to this problem,
the truck was running great at 150,000 miles. It just acted up, now I don't know
my next act. ( 1992 5.2 4wd auto )
jfred2
Thanks
Not a dang thing!
Good luck to you!!!!
Hi, I need your advice on this please.
I Have a 2000 Dakota Quad Cab, 4.7L 4X4.
In my earlier post the advice I was given by the dealer and one transmission shop was that my torque converter was slipping during interlock. The problem was more noticeable after my tires got balanced. When truck in neutral or at any speed smooth, no tire balance problems. Now in an attempt to get a third opinion, one shop advised that I have a clogged fuel injector. They claimed computer showed, pass side bank was running a little rich. He concluded the torque converter was not bad after getting the truck to breakdown or sputter without the interlock engaged at any speed as long as motor rpms were below 2500. Now I can feel it too. He advised STP fuel injector cleaner at a high concentrate and blow it out on the freeway. After doing just that with no change in sputter (actually after a few passes on the freeway with a very heavy foot it sputtered worse). After that he felt a clogged injector or failing injector was the problem. I bought two injectors and he put them in, no change, he moved them and still no change.
**Please note that during all this I have no engine code.
He also replaced the TPS, no fix. Another mechanic felt that one of the coils might be breaking down. I bought one and put it in and test drove it in all 8 positions, no fix.
To date, the symptoms and attempted fixes have been as follows:
First felt vibration at 45 mph
Started feeling it more, went to dealer.
Drove a week and began to feel more noticeably.
After fuel injector cleaner, no fix, maybe worse.
The problem feels like a very week spark or misfire below 2500 rpms, also slight sputter or hesitation during hard acceleration.
First Diagnostic:
Transmission fluids slightly dirty, had them change it.
Old worn plugs, changed myself with exact replacements and proper gap settings (0.40).
Tires out of balance, Balanced them.
Flash Updates for ECM and TCM, updated them.
Went home $450 lighter, still not fixed.
Second Diagnostic:
Torque Converter slipping during interlock. Both stated by dealer and first tranny shop.
or possible bad TCM (no codes)
Third Diagnostic:
Got engine to "misfire or sputter" without interlock engaged, not torque converter.
Clogged injector, ran truck hard with double dose of STP, no fix.
Bought 2 injectors and moved them around, no fix.
Fourth Diagnostic:
Possible bad or faulty coil, bought one and played ring around the motor, no fix.
Please help!!
Currently I'm out over $600 and fells worst than when I started.
No OBD codes.
Thanks for your help,
Jason
I have 98 Dodge Dakota 4 X 4. For the last 12-18 months I have had problems with the motor cutting off as I am driving. I have had new plug wires, new PCM, new Cat convertor. Had numerous mechanics look at it, including dealership who replaced the PCM for $700.00. Still same problem. It cuts off at different intervals, hot cold, freshly started or after running for a while. Besides being irritating, it is very dangerous. Had a couple of close calls because of this. If can't find an answer here, will junk it.
Hope someone can help.
Thanks in advance,
I am with you on this one. Never own another Chrysler product again. So wish I had traded when they had the cash for clunkers deal. Now guess I will sell it to the junk yard. Sorry about yours, I certainly know how frustrating it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a dodge dakota with a world of hurt. Let me tell ya'll a story...
I've just had (2 weeks ago) a "quieter" muffler put on my 'Kota so as not to wake up my neighbors any more. I was also told that my rear end was going out and that I should use it until it just starts acting plain silly. Also, I told the mechanic that I was having surging issues in the morning pulling out of the driveway. He told me it was the IAC solenoid (motor) (located behind and on the throttle body by the distributor cap). I have somewhat above average mechanic skills (I have owned a Dakota for 10 years, I think that would make anybody and above average mechanic, ya'll agree? :P ) and I bought one at the local parts place and installed it after giving the throttle body a complete cleaning. (Used only throttle body cleaner and did not spray the MAP sensor, TPS sensor, or the IAC solenoid to clean them).
The surging kind of went away but was not perfect. But, what the hey, it's running and I got to get to work to pay the bills.
Welp, work sent me out to Jasper last Tuesday (from Houston) and I really didn't want to go, but they pay drive time, so I went anyways. BIG MISTAKE.
This is where the story gets good...
So I'm driving up whatever road from I 59 to Jasper and my truck starts making a rusty bits and pieces noise (kind of like those old little kid marble pop up vacuum cleaners) under my rear passenger seat and it's hesitating and bogging down really bad. So much so that at it times it stalls and I have to pull over to the shoulder and let it rest a minute or two before it reluctantly starts up. I have an almost year old alternator from Azone installed so I'm starting to think a bad fuel pump (3 years old) or plugged up cat or muffler. But no back fires as of yet.
I make it to my job, finish it and work now has me going to Dallas. I take my truck to O'Reily's for a check engine code (they don't scan vehicles BTW, they said go to Autozone) I was going to warranty out my plugs, caps, and rotors when the lady behind the counter had asked if I had even checked the wires for continuity. I said no, and went back out to my truck, got my volt/ohm meter and started playing with the plug wires. Plug wires will not give continuity, but they will give resisitance and as all wires are various lengths, not one will be the same as the other. So, the only thing I could check was for breaks in the wire. I stuck the red lead in one end of one plug wire and stuck the black lead in the other end of the same plug wire. I started making waves and circles and various other shapes and angles one could make with a plug wire. None of them, including the coil wire brought the resistance up to an open circuit. I went back in, bought another can of throttle body cleaner (as I had bought one 2 days prior to do the throttle body cleaning as mentioned above) and emptied the entire can into the intake manifold (airhat off of course and straight down both barrels with the truck manually revved by hand (looking from front, left side accelerator cable) naturally I didn't stand in front of the truck while doing this ) That lasted for awhile (30 minutes of driving) but it started acting up like before.
Note: I have had an occasional misfire in cylinder 3 and 4 and it's brought up a trouble code. But it was very infrequent and once I let the truck rest it never happened again for like another month. Just some extra information in case this story might be similar to yours. Also, pulling out of my work's warehouse, I would on rare occasions, get that bogged down engine symptom.
Now I'm driving to Dallas and it's really acting up. I'm getting more frequent missing and bogging down and it's trying to stall on me. I can step on the gas pedal with little change to what's going on. It eventually gets itself out of what it was doing or it stalls. Which by now, I've found out I can put the thing in neutral and start it all the while I'm coasting down the freeway with no steering assistance from the steering pump. I pull into the Azone along the highway and they pull up the codes and they read "primary, secondary coil failure; random misfire; misfires in 2,3,4,6". Azone guy bets bottom dollar the coil is bad and this is the problem. I can't help but agree.
So I buy the coil, run over to the Wal-mart next door, park the truck under a lamp (it's about 8 p.m. now) and run inside to get myself some tasty beverages and snacks for the chore ahead. I also buy one of those fits all 3/8 socket wrench and socket things, has the alligator on the top of the package.
NOTE: I have to say that the wrench actually worked. I used it on the belt tensioner to take the belt off and it didn't mess up the socket. I used it all over and as far as I can say, the thing works. It wouldn't work on say some of the smaller nuts from like a 9 or 8 mm on down. But I think they make a smaller one with smaller bits for those jobs. The only thing that would be a con on such a product is where the diameter over all or length to clearance would be a factor. This one is about an inch total wide and about a deep socket depth long.
After about an hour and a half of fighting rusted out bolts on the coil and coil bracket, I finally get it all back together only to realize I bought the wrong coil. I previously installed a MSD ignition system but for the longest time I'd been getting crappy gas mileage ( I personally think there was a problem way back then too though (4 years ago)) so I took it off but put an older model Dakota coil and coil harness (because you have to cut the one off when you put in the MSD ignition) on because that's just what the junk yard had available. I went back over to the Azone and luckily they were still open. Bought the right coil, replaced it and low and behold (after resetting the computer .. negative battery cable off, iginition turned on for 30 seconds, negative battery cable on) everything was running great. Still had a little miss once and again, but everything was A okay.
I make it into Dallas and the hotel and I think to myself. I want some eggrolls and tacos from Jack in the Crack before I retire. I drove off to the Box only to have my truck stall in the Drive thru Lane. G***********D F***********CKING D**********MN ****************T!! I have to wave people behind me to get out of the way as my truck rolls back out of the drive thru and into a parking space. I've got people looking and laughing as I try to start my truck. No such luck. I'm thinking great. If I just would have been happy with my cookie and water waiting for me back at the hotel, I wouldn't have to be here. After about 3 or 4 more tries it starts and then the loudest backfire I've heard yet (there's still more story) launches out the [non-permissible content removed] end of my truck only to my amusement as I see the people in the drive thru sh*tting themselves. I wasn't in
The next day my fuel gauge just stops working yet other electrical devices are working. Weird. My truck stalls. I start it back up and now everything is okay again. I first goto Azone for a cam shaft sensor (the plastic ring that sits under the rotor and is held in place by the distributor cap) and they don't have an end that matches what I got in my truck. Great, it's off to the dealership. After a 300% mark up on a 30 dollar part and about 20 minutes of work. I rush out of the parking lot only to find that this was still not the cause of my problems. I goto my next job and finish it. Now work wants me to drive up to McKinney. Great. (I only have clothes for one day. My balls are pretty rank by now. Just a little FYI)
I make it up there and now it's too late to work because the job is closing for the day. I run by the autozone up there and they said my alternator was putting out no output. What? I removed the positive battery cable and my truck is still running. (apparently, with the new OBD II, that no longer is a good indicator that your alternator is good/bad). He said I need to clean all my battery terminals, check the connection on my alternator (the B+). Which I did to no avail. I drove down to O'Reillys and told them to check the alternator which they did and said it was putting out 76 amps ( I bought the more amperage alternator when I changed it out the last time) His thoughts on the matter was that my transmission was not dropping down and that if it continued it might just very well be the problem. I still don't know why one parts store had different readings than the other, unless of course Azone's alt checker was bad. That's another thing too people. People in the know, may sometimes not be in the know, know what I mean?
The next day I drive to the new job and my truck doesn't want to start ever. It's just a whole day of suck for me. At the end of the day we leave, and my coworker is following me back to the hotel. The truck started missing and backfiring so bad that he said he could see the sparks shoot out of the tail pipes. It eventually got bad along the way he said sh*t was flying out the rear end and the tone of my exhaust got a little more manly. I make it to the turn lane for the hotel and it dies. I've got my coworker behind me and my boss behind him. I can't get it to start. It just keeps turning over and then... BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.. ba BOOOOOOOOOMM POOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW It was the like the 4th of July was happening in the cab of my truck. It was awesome. It made both of those guys damn near piss themselves. I wish I had it for Youtube.
I make it into the parking lot and we all get out and look under the truck. The muffler had been blown in half. Now I'm thinking the cat did get plugged up or broken somehow when the muffler was put on.
I leave the truck there, goto work, come back and pray that I can make it back to Houston. NOPE. Pulled off to the Meineke downtown and they said I had a bad CAT code, a bad MUFFLER code (??really, a bad muffler code?? right) and a air/fuel mixture ratio code. I asked if I could make it back and they said sure, but it would be loud.
So now I'm off and I've got nothing but freeway ahead. It's missing and backfiring and I know there's no way I'm getting back. So I pull over and cut the tail pipe before the cat to provide a temporary fix so I can make it back to Houston. This STILL is not the problem. It hasn't been the IAC solenoid, the coil, the alternator, the rotor (which I replaced too) the cam shaft sensor, the cat or the muffler. GEEEEZUS
I sputter into Ennis and the local mechanic garage there finds the problem. They started just pulling on wires while the engine was running and it killed the engine. They followed the wires back to the ECM (or sometimes PCM as it's referred to) and found that the ECM probably had a broken circuit board. I saw it happen. They started the truck and with a very slight tap of a wrench on top of the ECM, the truck immediately died.
Unfortunately, you can't just pull a used ECM from the junk yard. I thought you could and those guys said you could too, but they said it would be used and there would be no warranty. I took it to the Dodge dealership there and they've got my truck until Tuesday when the ECM arrives. Am I overpaying? Probably. However, if you buy one online, Dodge still has to flash it with your VIN and I guess I could have looked one up online there and had it shipped.. (crap). Also, if you get a used one from a junk yard, if it doesn't have the same specs as your truck, you run the risk of wasting your money on something that won't work. It's also illegal to sell a truck with a different ECM VIN programmed in (whatever). It's a one shot deal on that, there is no reprogramming it. I thought I was getting hosed, but in the end, they install it, they flash it, it's all their problem if it goes bad.
SOOOOO, to close. Tap on your ECM (the thing with the three big plugs screwed to the passenger fender by the air intake box) once you have your truck running and see what happens. If your problem is everyonce and awhile. You might try just unscrewing your ECM from the truck and moving it around and possibly shaking it gently. Move them harness wires a bit too as I see sometimes problems arise from bad splices down the wires from the plug harness on other posts
NOTE: Here's some other things I did wrong that may have contributed to this break down. When I installed my MSD ignition, I wanted to have a super good ground. I was younger then and grabbed the B+ from the alternator and tried to tie it to this ground plug thing I made. ZAAAP blew the 140 amp fuse in the engine compartment fuse box. (about 8 years ago) Also, I tried those platinum plugs. On a work trip back from Alabama, I heard this crack sound and my truck never did have the greatest fuel mileage after that, even after I put the old copper plugs back in. That's also when I decided to stop using the MSD to see if that would help get the gas mileage back. (around 4 years ago). Which on rare occasions, it did get great gas mileage, but I think I've had a bad ECM for quite a long time. I also did just recently hose wash my engine, as I've done many times before. I can't see that causing a problem, as I stay clear for the most part from the ECM computer. Those things have to be at the least water resistant with rain getting in to the engine compartment. Also, very recently, I've sprayed WD-40 all over and around my rubbers and bushings (i see a joke there, but I can't place it) which helpe
The guy at the car rental place said he had a buddy that wanted to sell his 80's model Chevy for around what I'm going to spend on this ECM. I told him, let me get this straight. I'm going to spend 800 for a used 1980 Chevy?? WOO WOO, oh wait a sec. I could also spend 800 for a used 1998 Dodge Dakota. I told him I would get back to him on that.
Cheers ya'll,
Hope something here helped you,
just an average shmuck
In my earlier post the advice I was given by the dealer and one transmission shop was that my torque converter was slipping during interlock. The problem was more noticeable after my tires got balanced. When truck in neutral or at 35-50 mph, slight vibration. Now in an attempt to get a third opinion, one shop advised that I have a clogged fuel injector. They claimed computer showed, pass side bank was running a little rich. He concluded the torque converter was not bad after getting the truck to breakdown or sputter without the interlock engaged at any speed as long as motor rpms were below 2500. Now I can feel it too. He advised STP fuel injector cleaner at a high concentrate and blow it out on the freeway. After doing just that with no change in ride. After that he felt a clogged injector or failing injector was the problem. I bought two injectors and he put them in, no change, he moved them and still no change.
**Please note that during all this I have no engine code.
He also replaced the TPS, no fix. Another mechanic felt that one of the coils might be breaking down. I bought one and put it in and test drove it in all 8 positions, no fix.
To date, the symptoms and attempted fixes have been as follows:
First felt vibration at 35-45 mph
Started feeling it more, went to dealer.
Drove a week and began to feel more noticeably.
After fuel injector cleaner, no fix.
First Diagnostic:
Transmission fluids slightly dirty, had them change it.
Old worn plugs, changed myself with exact replacements and proper gap settings (0.40).
Tires out of balance, Balanced them.
Flash Updates for ECM and TCM, updated them.
Went home $450 lighter, still not fixed.
Second Diagnostic:
Torque Converter slipping during interlock. Both stated by dealer and first tranny shop.
or possible bad TCM (no codes)
Third Diagnostic:
not torque converter.
Clogged injector, ran truck hard with double dose of STP, no fix.
Bought 2 injectors and moved them around, no fix.
Fourth Diagnostic:
Possible bad or faulty coil, bought one and played ring around the motor, no fix.
Fifth Diagnostic:
Trustworthy Tranny shop states no way it can be torque converter, says it must be tires. With truck off ground and wheels dangling, truck shook on lift, just like on road??
Sixth Diagnostic:
New Shop can't find any problem, then suggest rear diff service.
Finds broken clutch plate and rebuilds. $850
Problem unchanged and now shop says it is the tires.
Buy new tires, $650, balance two times and road force balance one time and problems still there.
After all of the above (over $2000) and hours and hours (priceless) of driving and thinking it feels like an out of round tire. A 35-50mph feels like a slight wobble or hop (tires are good and true and no bent rims) in the rear of the truck.
Please help!!!!!
Currently I'm out over $2000 and slightly better than started but not completely gone.
No OBD codes.
Could this be a driveshaft bent? Feels to slow and wobbly, not high speed vibration.
Thanks for your help,
Jason