hey all, I just bought this dakota pickup and it doesn't run. now i,m mechanically inclined and am pretty good at replacing parts that are bad when I find the problems. this one has me stumped, because it is fuel injected and I don't have any power to my coil going to the primary side of my coil. this truck has a 3.9 v-6 with a pcm. I've looked all over the hogs head looking for the crankshaft sensor and this one doesn't have one or there ain't a place there for it. my question is if my engine doesn't have that sensor, what feeds the voltage to my coil. and, if there ain't any control boxes that feeds my coil, where does the power come from?

 

I forgot to tell y'all thanks in advance. you can't beat the way engines run when they're right and nothing's wrong with them. If I had the money to do it I would put a carbed. 318 in it and do away with all the wiring except for what it needed to make legal on the street. if not the 318 I would go for the 225 slant six instead. at least then if something goes wrong which it always does then even I could fix it or junk it as I pleased. the latter part of this post is just my opinion and I don't intend to insult any one.

 

There isn't a crankshaft sensor per se, but there's a hall effect sensor (normally called a "Distributor Pickup Coil") in the distributor.

But before I checked that, I'd be looking at the ASD (Auto Shut Down) relay, driver's side, standard Bosch 12V relay pinout (can drop one in for a quick test).

Also, I highly Highly HIGHLY recommend either the factory service manual, or an AllDATADIY account.

Also, there IS a control box - it's that lump on the passenger inner fender with the two connectors and an air tube to it, it's the car's ECU (aka a SMEC, or Single Module Electronic Controller, in Mopar-ese.)

Now, for 12V - again, it's toggled through the ASD relay so that the ECU/PCM can kill the power to the fuel pump, the coil, and the injectors in one fell swoop.

RwP

 

well I just changed the pickup coil in the dist. and no luck old thing still won't fire up. those relays are too expensive for me to go and buy one just to see if that is the problem. If I knew how to bypass it I would do that instead but I know that if I did that there would be a real good chance of blowing up that computer that I just replaced. I don't know if the fuel pump is to run at all times or if it stops after 3 seconds to prime the engine for it start because, I'm getting power everywhere else but not the coil

 

my wife wants to drive this p.o.s. if I can get it to run,but, I'm getting really tired of throwing money at the parts houses just to have it let me down. I let it be known that I really can't stand fuel injection engines of any make unless they run when I need them to. I need this truck to help me make ends meet and all it's doing right now is being a money pit and some yard art

 

well it's running now. sounds really well doesn't knock runs fairly smooth, shifts out good. will run better after I install a brake booster. it doesn't work and it leaks on the vaccume causing the engine to miss

 

Well, I use enough of the Bosch relays, I buy'em for about $1.50 (yes, one dollar fifty cents) each mail order - they're cheap, and if you ever redo the lights at all, you'll want a few to move the current all up front.

Bypassing is easy enough - take the two switched contacts, and short them together.

But sounds like you've got it up and running now. What did you change?

RwP

 

I changed out the pickup coil and the ignition coil after I tested to see if I had power going to my ignition coil or not. after that I replaced the coil and it started up I had to adjust the timing a little cause I didn't set the dist. just right it must be a tooth off but it runs like a it should. I can hear a vac. leak coming from the brake booster and my brake pedal is really stiff like it's not assisting me when I put on the brakes. so the next thing that gets replaced is the booster. I believe that will knock out two birds with one stone. giving me the assistance while braking and getting rid of the vac. leak at the same time. it should run then without missing. as I said before in my first post that I'm mechanically inclined and that I'm fairly good at replacing the parts when I know it has a problem. thanks for the replies and giving me the details that I needed to get the job done

 

well I am back with another question. this time I need to know if the upper and lower ball joints are really hard to replace. what tools do I need or would it be better to send it to a front end shop and have them do it?

 

With a good press and a BF Impact Wrench, along with the proper socket if the ball joints are threaded, it's not too bad.

You can rent a ball joint press from most of the big lot stores (AutoZone, Advance, O'Reilly, Princess, et al) or buy one from Big Lots. That choice will depend on you - I bought my set, but then, I've got a 1988 Dakota, a 1991 Cougar, the stepson has a 1992 Astro and a 2003 F150, the youngest nephew has a 1994 S10 Jimmy and his mom, my older sister, lets him drive the 1993 S10 - ALL of which either do need, or will need, ball joints soon. Made more sense for me to own it. Makes more sense for most to rent it.

I use a breaker tool like this one http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...tor-99849.html to separate the tie rod ends and the ball joints from the spindles.

I had to get my 1988's upper ball joints removed at a front end shop, because I didn't have quite enough oomph in my Harbor Freight electric (or the Ingersol Rand air!) impact wrench, but then, there was a tight spot and it took two techs holding an Earthquake type 1,000 FT/LB impact wrench to get it loose.

Soaking it in enough PBlaster or Kroil or your choice for a replacement for either may make it easier.

I bought the socket, like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/151191018575?lpid=82 . I won't need it again for a few years, PM me if you want to buy mine for a small bit less than the Ebay price.

While doing the ball joints, get the control arm bushings done also.

Plus, find a front end shop that still has the alignment tool. Here's one example: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sp...-_jBoCsFXw_wcB

I'd also consider redoing the spring seats (rubber insulators) while it's apart. I also had to helicoil the lower control arms for the lower shock mount - 3/8-16 IIRC, but use the helicoil and buy four new bolts with the big heads, Locktite blue them, and it won't matter what the old thread was *grins*

OH! New shocks while it's apart.

(It's just a ton easier to do the front end if you don't plan on leaving any of it in there.)

I used Energy Suspension poly bushings for my upper and lower control arms - I'm very happy with the ride, but the sway bar bushings (also ES poly, along with the sway bar end links) squeak if I don't keep them lubed.

Those are a few notes from having done mine earlier this year.

Oh - one more thing, a bit of advice. Stick with Moog or Raybestos Professional Grade parts. There's enough pain in doing this, it's not worth saving TOO much money. I bought mine from RockAuto.

RwP