My dakota died in traffic about 3 weeks ago and I am having trouble finding the problem. I know that it is not a fuel problem, but an electrical one. I have no power getting to the coil ( and actually did swap it out with a known good one just to be sure). All the fuses and relays check good and the fuse / relay box has power to each of the fuses. I have been told that if the crank sensor fails that it will prevent power from going to the coil. I plan to check it out, but aside from a pinched or burnt wire somewhere between the computer and the coil is there anything else I can check? ( I sincerely hope that the problem is not within the computer, and have been told that it is unlikely).

 

I agree with checking the crankshaft sensor.

Let us know what you find. I turn wrenchess on a '92 with 200K and like to stay up on what's next.

David Pershing

 

is it a v6 or v8?

 

In reference to Juleio, it is a 5.2 V8. I finally got a few minutes to work on it and pulled the crank sensor. Took about 5 min ( glad I didn't pay someone now ) Anyway, It looks a little rough, alot of grit and some oil abound the sensor end. I plan to clean it up and see if that helps at all. However, I do see about a 2" long crack, although not separating, along the back of the sensor. I priced a new one at advanced auto and it runs about 80.00. IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK THIS SENSOR BEFORE I DROP 80.00? Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

Test for continuity across the two terminals.

 

HEY IVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM! Its a ground wire from the pcm to the alternator, i had the same problem and replaced the coil crankshaft position sensor, its only $20 at Autozone, and replaced distributor rotor and cap. I finally gave up and took it in and all it was a lose bolt that connected a ground wire directly on top of the alternator from the computer(pcm). please try this out, it fixed my problem in 2 secs. get back to me and tell me how it went. peace

 

had the same problem on my 95 it was a fusable link under the relay center in the wire loom.

 

i have seen alot of crank sensors fail especially after a trans has been reinstalled as well as a corroded wire under the relay center, the wire in question also feeds the under hood light . a way to check if the wire is bad is to see if the check engine light comes on.(this wire also feeds 12v to the controller)if not i would check the red wire with white tracer,left fender in the convelute tubing.wraped in tape.there is about 3 splices that turn green and break.the coil should have 12 v steady with key on and the ground side is pulsed by the pcm as the engine is cranked.

 

Thanks for all the input, I will check these areas as I now remember that the check engine light is not illuminating. In the case that is not the problem, anyone know anything about the switchplate assy part of the sync signal generator (lower part of the distributor) I'm wondering if the pickup on the switchplate assy may be bad. Sorry for the nomenclature, that is what Haynes described these components as.

 

I know its long, but hopefully one of you will understand this stuff better than I do.

Changed the Crank sensor and ended up finding a cracked oil pressure sensor at the same time. Unfortunately neither solved the problem. Made a 3 prong jumper for the auto shut down relay and got the fuel pump to operate and the ignition switch to energize with the key off, so I turned the key on for the ignition switch and ran the jumper to the fuel pump terminal and the remaining one to the last terminal which I assume is the circuit going to the distributor via the ignition coil. I then turned it over and checked for power at the ignition coil with an inline test light hooked up between the coil post and coil wire. Still no power there. Then I decided to run another jumper strait from the battery to the input side of the ignition coil and what do ya know there was power!, but only when I first turned the key on and maybe one or two flickers during rotation. It was not continuous. I pulled the distributor cap off and discovered the "sync signal generator" as referred to by the Haynes manual. Since this is a multi port inj. this assy consists of a switchplate assy that has a pickup which senses a pulse ring in the distributor. The pickup on the switchplate assy has no real procedures for checking continuity, but I was told that I should see some sort of arcing between the pulse ring and the pickup. It was dark out and I had someone turn it over again with the relay jumped, but to my surprise there was no arcing that I could detect through the small opening in the switchplate and the distributor output shaft. I really think this is my problem, but unless I find someone with the same motor to pull the part off of, there is no way to tell. Also the switchplate assy isnt listed at most auto parts stores, just the distributor cap and kit. The only other route I know to take right now has to do with some recommendations I have recieved to check the wiring under the relay center for corrosion and damage. I pulled all the tape off and pulled the box away from the wall. The only thing I found there was some of the wires going to the relay being in need of new tape and therefore may have been creating a short where they are fused together (do to bare wires touching the sidewall), but none of the fusable links were bad and none of the wires were actually broken apart. As I continued to troubleshoot, I started noticing something that I didn't before and therefore I think it may be something I did during troubleshooting, but now when I jumper the relay I notice that if I energize the fuel pump (I can hear the fuel through the rail), and then turn the key or jump the ignition switch terminal, the fuel pump shuts off until I remove the power from the ignition. I don't know if this was this way from the start or maybe I shorted something else out. If any of you can make heads or tails of all this information, feel free to offer any opinions. My opinion is I should load it up on a dolly and take it to someone who knows. I'm not cheap, just want to learn it myself. One final topic if anyone has read this far. If the motor turns but will not start, can a diagnostic computer even help me?

also I did check the ground to the alternator from the pcm. All seemed good, thanks for the recommendation though.