I just replaced my transmission in my 95 2wd Dakota and now it won't stay running. I drove truck up on ramps and it didn't have any problems except for trans was shot. Now truck starts but idles like it's out of time. It will not rev and eventually stalls out. I am at a loss.

 

The first culprit usually checked with idle is the idle air control valve. Lots of others though. Fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, pdc splice, tps, map sensors.

 

Is there a ground strap on these trucks?

 

check your crank sensor mounted in the bell housing reads flexplate for your engine to run if it got damaged it could be sending bad signals

 

Its not the crank sensor, or the truck wouldn't run at all.

Its not a ground either or the truck wouldn't run at all... unless its a loose ground. If you want to check the wiring, you can download the '95 FSM from faq2 (its a rapidshare link) and look at the wiring diagrams.

Can you tell us exactly what you replaced? I assume just the tranmission and torque converter? Did you unhook any part of the ignition system while you were working on it? Timing is done soley by the computer so you could have a bad camshaft position sensor. Did you pull out the spark plug wires and get them mixed up?

Also, is your truck pulling any codes?

 

no im saying if he damaged it like it was grounding out a wire every couple seconds or the actual unit it will run but it will get wierd readings and stall out in a min or if you give it throttle ive had it happen like the crank sensor is still "good" just broken wire or like he cut the unit open some how or smashed it done all of the above and engine will still run just wont run for more than a min yea another likely cause would be camshaft position sensor

 

I understand what your saying. I guess its possible that its broken, but still giving readings. In fact, now that I think about it, its probably likely since the transmission was just replaced. If it was bumped or hit or the wires pulled on or anything similar by the bellhousing while the transmission was being removed and put back on, it might act like that.

Ok, I agree... start by checking out the crankshaft position sensor, then look to the camshaft position sensor, then the IAC, MAP, TPS, ECT, IAT, etc.

 

I chased down one problem that while installing trans (in dark) that I had pinched the wires for the crank sensor between the bell housing and engine. I replaced that and also put new plugs in as with trying to run truck with wire pinched it gas fouled plugs. I started truck and it ran fine like before surgery but as I started putting things away it slowly fouled out plugs again (5 min.). I made a run to store again for new cap and rotor as old cap the coil button was chipping away. Now I am waiting to charge battery so I can do a happy dance. Sucky thing is I haven't been able to drive truck to see if trans is good. Cross your fingers. Could I have fried brain box in all this?

 

no brain box is protected from shorts in the system pretty well im just glad i could help at least i helped one person today lol

 

Truck still doesn't start. I am not getting a good spark. I now have a new crank sensor, plugs, dist. cap and rotor. Could dist. it self be bad. I am at a loss. Truck ran fine before trans swap.