Ok I got this truck for a thousand bucks and the guy told me that it cut out every once in a while and that he was told it needed plugs and plug wires. Thinking it was no biggie I buy it and on my way home experience what he was talking about, in between 2-3 grand it sputtered and kept going till I stopped when it stalled and wouldnt start for about 20 min.
Well I go and get plugs and plug wires change them and take her out...same thing! So I decide to try a few more things, I get a new cap and rotor...same thing! New coil pack...same thing!!!
Unable to find out I give up trying to think and it got worse and worse til I could only drive it a mile before she died for an hour or more when I got and IDEA, maybe it has nothing to do with ignition and something to do with fuel ahhh haaa! makes sense, fuel filter plugged after bouncing around truck dies, let it settle back down and she starts....

OK well I bought a new fuel pump got it installed $289.00 and what a headache...lol drive it down the road and what do you know....SAME FRIGGIN THING!!!!!

I have no Idea what it is and I can not afford anymore trial and error. Can someone please help me??? What could it be

 

It still could be anything. One possibility is the notorious splice. It is located just below the relay box.

Are you getting any check engine light codes?

I will move this to the 1st Generation Dakota Sub-Forum.

 

I am not getting any codes...my buddy hooked it up and got nothing. Where am I looking for this splice? Is it under the truck by the fuel pump or under the hood somewhere?
thanks

 

Could be the pick-up in the distribuator. Not sure if that year has a fuel filter on the frame if so could be that, it would be on the drivers side about where the cab meets the bed attched to the frame. next time it quits and will not start need to check if you are getting a spark. Splice below relay box under hood.

 

I would check the splice first, then check all the plug wires for defects and the dist. cap & rotor for excessive carbon pitting.

On the other dakota I had the plug wires were so bad the metal contact points literally came right off the wires. That will cause cylinders to miss. If the wires and cap are in a bad state, the plugs are probably bad too.

 

what am i looking for with this splice? broken wires? harness? I have no idea what to look for or what the problem is!!

 

Haven't had to deal with this problem (yet) but I believe it is the big bundle of wires on the drivers side behind the battery, open it up and check for bad connections/broken wires. You'll probably know it when you see it. Make sure you have stuff on hand to wrap it back up and what not.

 

Pull the distributor out and check the gear because it tends to wear out on the 3.9 liter. The updated part is much better and should fix your truck.

 

Basically, look at this post:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...ml#post1678925
Under the hood, driver's side, by the black box that houses the relays and a few fuses.
The splice should be under or around that box, in the wire harness.

 

ok...pulled off TB, fuel rail and injectors....cleaned them all up and out. Also took out the IAC sensor and cleaned that it was filthy...got everything back together and started her up. It did start but then died. I started it back up and realized I have NO idle at all...WTH????

Then it wouldn't start at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

I checked the injectors no leaks...replaced a vaccuum hose that was dry rotted and checked the SPLICE, all looked good

What next???? ANYONE????