I have a 1993 Dodge DakotaLE 4 x 4 Extended Cab 3.9L V6, Automatic Trans,with 189,900 miles on it, up till a couple weeks ago it was running fine. Then it started skipping and losing power... especially on the highway or when down shifting on hills. I first thought it was a gas problem since it seemed to start when I let the tank get low. I tried putting additives into the tank but no help.

I have since changed the plugs, wires and distributor cap, rotor button, O2 Sensor, oil, oil filter, andair filter, ithas a new Cat, muffler, PCV and fuel filter. The fuel pump was changed about 30k miles ago. I am getting no codes. Looked down the Throttle body to see if there may be oil (indicating a plenum gasket leak) but it was clean. It still backfires when the rpm gets over 2500 or it down shifts.

Could this be timing, the EGR, crossed wires, vacuum leak in the intake, timing chain or something else????

I hope someone can help me... since I have a friend who told me his 95 has the same problem.

Thanks
Paul

 

hmmmm..... my timing chain is shot and I have no power till over 2000rpm. anything underthat and it just boggs down. you can tell a timing chain by if your motor rattles like hell.

I'm guessing it has something to do with timing though

 

I have no engine noise that is really noticable... I have the opposite problem I lose power when I step on it and itgets over 2500 rpm.

I really need to find out whats going on here... its driving me crazy... I'm going to check the timing this weekend.... and it thats not it I'm thinking about changing the cam sensor or throttle position sensor....

 

the haynes dakota manual says to check your coil, timing and vacum system. It also says to check your egr system

 

Checked vaccum lines, coil, wire routing, egr, egr canister, map sensor, tps. iac, everything is good. still having problem.

Have heard others have had the same problem... and found the distributor ring, or sensor is the problem, has anyone heard of this???

How do you re-index a distributor. does anyone have the manualproceedure?

 

my 1993 dodge dakota has the EXACT same problems as paul morneau!! I have replaced almost all he has including map sensor. It is driving me CRAZY also! I love my little truck and am on a mission to fix this problem, does anyone know ? Sometimes my truck will drive like a dream, like it is haunted or something. When I punch it he will fly like the wind and has plenty of power. It feels like something is blocked. Fuel problem? replaced filter and pump. Timing problem? The truck will chug at idle and wants to stall but does not always. sometimes idles perfectly and needs a good warmup before he wants to go anywhere. After map sensor replaced check engine light came on for the very first time. Nobody seems to know what is wrong with it. I cannot work on my own truck, I am a female who brings to mechanics, I have put over $1500 in trying to find problem! Is this common in these trucks and if so, why does'nt anyone know yet what is wrong? also lose power when I step on gas. Disconnecting map sensor helps somewhat.

 

ok Have you checked the cam angle sensor in the distribtor cap. If it is acting like a timing problem and you have not messed with the timing or the distribtor that may be the issue. When was the truck last tuned up because it sounds like a bad plug wire. Is the truck idling smooth. If you have change out the plug wire make sure you have got the wires on the right plug. The fireing order will be listed on top of the distrubtor. check the Number 1 wire & the number six wire. If it has somthing to do with timing the firing order would be the first thing. If you beleive its with the fuel check to make sure the plugs are not flowing out. Look to see what kind of plugs you have champions are bad the autolite plugs have worked great for me. If you beleive all is well with the plugs you have a injector going bad. If the truck seems to back fire that would indicate a timing problem. The control module may be be getting ready to go which would be the the reason the chip has lost its programing.

 

My 92 d150 magnum 5.2 has teh exact same problem somtimes runs like a dream sometimes misses, backifres, if it let it idle till its done its tantrum it runs 100% fine I have $2000 into this trcuk replaced all sesors and nothing, I hate these trucks, everyone seems to have these problems but no one has a solution?

 

Had these symptoms. Others pointed me to the PCM. (Computer)

Power Control Module. Small plastic box on top of the passenger side fender. Easily accessible under the hood. While not the cheapest ($200.00-$300.00) I find it is the one of the easiest items a person can replace.

Mine has three 5/16" bolt/body screws holding it on and one 5/16" bolt holding the wiring harness to the PCM. It's there in the middle of the wires. FIRST STEP is to remove the Negative battery cable before doing anything though.

I'm told there is NO test a person can do without the factory OBDII scan machine to test if the PCM is bad.

The unfortunate thing about these trucks (at least 1st generation) is that it appears many things are dependent on each other to make them run properly. If one of them goes "bad", it's hard to pinpoint which one is screwy in the chain.

So you end up trying this, replacing that, pull hair.

I replaced the Crank Position Sensor and ripped all of that fabric tape off the wires at the fuse box under the hood chasing these symptoms.

Symptoms for mine (1992 Dodge Dakota, V6, AT) were a little erratic. Ran smooth up to about 35% throttle, then skip and cut out. Ran great at wide open throttle. Sometimes wouldn't crank/run. Didn't make sense as timing, fuel problems, and traditional spark problems are more consistent in my little experience.

Anyway, similar symptoms, I chased it too, ended up being the PCM. At least so far. Just replaced it. I'll post back if something else goes wrong. Running smooth as it ever has right now though.

Thanks DodgeForum!

 

1992dakotadead.
that is a common issue with the older sbec (single board electronic controller) modules.
thing is i work in a dealer and ill tell you right now that there is no way for us to test it here either. it has to go back to the factory.

sadly that leaves diag for this to be a shot in the dark and a educated geuss. im currently having this issue with myne and i know i need a pcm aswell. good news is that it is so easy to do.
all i do is unhook the batt
unplug the harness from the pcm (right side fender well) and remove the three bolts. bolt in the new one and plug it up hook up the bat and you should be ready.

when you get a pcm for an older vehicle like these it will most likely already be programmed and ready. that's because they aren't changing software again.
new models have old software if any for that reason.

hmm geuss you know you have a dead pcm when you cut the cat out and still no light on. lol