Hello everyone, looks like a very nice forum i've come across fiull of technical info so hopefully i can get some advice.


First let me give you the specs

1992 Dodge Dakota
5.2
automatic
4X4
club cab
141,000

now i'll list the problems

stalls randomly (not often) but becoming more frequent
after reaching operating temp truck wont restart unless i feather the throttle til it catches idle. starts fine just dies rite away without me givin just a touch of gas. runs fine after that.

i'm fairly certain i have a vacuum leak as when in a low vacuum condition heat will switch and blow only to the floor.

when it stalls the volt gauge drops fast and evrything gets dim. it will do this on occassion when cruising off the go pedal and when coming to a stop. sometimes it wont stall just comes very close.

just started surging on the freeway as if it were not getting enough fuel and when i park it the exhaust smells funny, dont know how to explain t but it doesnt smell rite. not white or blak or blue just a very noticable odor. like the air fuel ratio is way off.


now i'll list recent repairs done by a shop cause it was far to cold for me to screw with it.

radiator
waterneck and thermostat
water pump
and serpentine belt
new exhaust from cat back, stock exhaust from a dynomax catback felt way better prior to these tiny pipes on it now.

i am unsure if these issues are related at all but one strange thing is the stalling seemed to come up after the cooling system repairs.


here are the things i've been thinking.

somehow find the vacuum leak because it could be the source of all issues.

fuel pump may be on its way out or fuel filter is clogged

IAC is acting up.

clogged catalytic converter.

any other ideas or advice on looking into these issues would be great.


I bought this truck as a daily driver as i didn't want any payments and in Wisconsin 4 wheel drive is great. the 5.2 handles my boat in the summertime great and i'm sure it will Handle towing my car to the track if that ever gets done. I have only had this truck since July so i'm still learning its querks every day.


thank you very much, what ever i can come up with will probabally be a project for next weekend.

 

I would start wit the idle air control, easy to get to and sometimes it can be cleaned out with a good parts cleaner, but I just replaced mine. Then check cat by driving it and when you notice a loss of power check temp gauge, if it's above normal it could be cat going out, especialy if the smell your'e getting is the smell of rotten eggs. Ynu can tap on cat with a hammer and listen for loose or broken parts inside. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

thanks, at least i seem to be on the rite track, driving home from work this morning i played around a bit, when i floor it a bit of black smoke comes out of the exhaust so at least i know i'm not starving it for fuel. when i parked i reved it a few times so i could get a good wif and try to pinpoint the odor. It smelled like sulfur to me, wich i would put in line with rotten eggs. and replacing the exhaust with a more restrictive exhaust may have somehow upset things i dont know. i'll give the converter a few taps and see if i can hear some loose change. thanks for the reply. more ideas the better

 

I would start by running a self-diagnostic test with the truck's ECM...cycle the key from off to on, quickly, about 3-4 times...stopping at on. Then watch the check engine light...it will flash out any error codes in sequence...you count the flashes/pauses to get the codes/faults that are set. The FAQ files at the top of this forum tell how to do this. You obviously have some component out of whack...read your ECM codes for guidance rather than throwing money at parts to solve the problem.

 

awesome i'll try that next. thank you

 

ha thats sweet! never checked the code on an OBD1 vehicle. thought i'd only get a code with a light on good info i love learning new stuff.

heres what i got 1 code

34 Speed control Solenoid circuits

any ideas?

 

does the 92 have an egr valve? sounds very familiar to me and my 89. no garage could figure out the problem until i did some research and came up with the EGR valve. wanted to die at a stop sign or letting off the gas, black smoke from the tailpipe, but it ran great on the highway.

 

cant seem to find any solid information on fault code 34 Speed control Solenoid circuits. If anyone has any information on this code and what typically causes it i would very much appreciate it. The trucks drivablity is going down the tubes fast. dies all the time surges very badly. I now have to 2 foot it at a stop to keep it running and at idle i can feel the engine stumbling.

thanks again.

 

Here is what the service manual says about code 34.

34* Speed Control Solenoid Circuits An open or shorted condition detected in the
Speed Control vacuum or vent solenoid circuits.
or
Speed Control Switch Always Low Speed Control switch input below the minimum
acceptable voltage.

Speed Control is the cruise control.

 

thank you sir. i'm betting its just a vacuum leak in the cruise control system somewhere. cuise has never worked for me.