This morning I was driving my delivery route when my dakota just stopped running. It's a 95 with a 318 4x4. I just fixed a bad splice last week as described in my earlier post so I knew it wasn't that. I had spark and I was getting good pressure from the fuel pump. When I did get it to catch I gave it gas and it felt like I was running out of gas. Almost like when you pour gas down the throttle body and press the gas pedal to rev the engine but when that gas is used up the engine stalls even though the gas pedal down? I left the truck by the side of the road and came back for it about 4 hours later with a bottle of gas line anti-freeze in hand. I poured that into the tank and turned the key. The truck started right up without a problem. Now I know the additive did not work that fast, so does anyone have any other ideas. My first thought was water in the gas which led me to the gas line anti-freeze, but like I said it couldn't have worked that fast. As always thanks for the help.

 

You said you had spark and fuel pressure.
After you went back to the truck and were able to start it, did you drive it home? If so, how far did you drive it?
If the computer doesn't get a signal from the crankshaft or camshaft position sensors after just a few seconds, it will not allow the engine to run. I would check the electrical connections at both of those sensors. The camshaft sensor is located under the distributor cap (the connector is located outside of the distributor cap though!), and the crankshaft sensor is located between the engine and transmission, on the passenger side. (I want to say the connector is actually on the driver-side of the engine/transmission) Just trace the wires.
If those connections check out tight and clean, either take your luck and hopefully it was just a fluke, or look for damaged/burnt/whatever wires.

 

Oops! Yes I did drive it home and it was about 7 miles. I'll check those connectors in the morning though.

 

Well I checked both of those connections and they looked fine. I traced the wires and found no breaks. I didn't spend alot of time this morning as it was freezing out there. I drove the truck to work (16 miles) and then running errands at lunch (9 miles). It seems to be running fine now. I hope maybe it was just water in the gas. We'll see tonight on the way home I guess.

 

Sell the truck! It's gonna blow up!

I live in St. Louis and I will come pick it up from you....
Ok, just kidding....I just really wish I had a 318 4x4 and not my V6.

 

i found intermittent running problems were related to the ignition coil. If it hasn't been done recenty 40K or so, I would try it. It is cheap, fast, and two screws to fix.

 

I replaced the coil a few weeks back when I had the no start situation. It turned out to be corroded wires under the PDC.

I make sure that I put in a bottle of dry gas and injector cleaner with each fill-up and seems to be working, so I guess I'll take it as a fluke.