Hey all. Just finished putting back together the dakota after replacing the intake manifold gaskets. I've been doing this project over the last 6 months or more. This is the first time I've broken down the engine that far.

I took some pictures while taking it apart but apparently not enough. I'm not sure where the big black wire coming off the battery negative terminal connects.

I think it just attaches to one of the bolts on the engine block, but not sure. Pictures below, thanks!

 

What year and engine do you have?

The wire you are talking about is coming off the negative post of the battery. It most likely terminates somewhere on the engine.

 

The dakota is a 1989 V6

I figure it does end up on the engine, just not sure if there is a specific place specifically for it, or if it just needs to connect to one of the bolts on the engine.

 

My truck is newer than yours, not sure if the ground terminal area would be the same. Mine grounds on or near the power steering pump....

 

Yours looks different but I would say its either near the pump or on the engine somewhere.

 

Works for me, I'll give it a try. I just got done putting it all back together last night, put it on the charger and tried to start it this morning. After getting nothing but clicks I looked for wires not connected and that was the one I found. I'll attach it to the pump or engine, whatever seems close to where the wire tends to lay. Thanks!

 

Your welcome. If your hearing clicks, you are getting power. Maybe not enough. If its running off a smaller ground, that will most likely melt.

Sounds like your battery is up to power. You can use a volt meter to see what the power is reading while someone is cranking.

If its still not running, your starter may be at fault. Have you re done the notorious splice on your truck? Not sure if that engine and year had that splice.

 

Not sure about the splice. Truck is turning over now and is getting spark, and fuel. I hope it didn't melt any smaller ground wires, I didn't smell any burning plastic. I had all the spark plug wires off and put them back on according to a diagram from the parts store, I may not have the proper firing order, so looking that up now.

 

Also is it possible to put the distributor cap on 180 degrees off on your model? Check that and like you say, the plug wire order on both the plugs and cap. Other than that, cant help you much more in that area.

 

Got it going! Was off by one on the distributor cap. The diagrams don't quite match up with how it is aligned on my truck. But once I went by where the clips were on the cap as opposed to how the cap was situated in comparison to the engine, I was able to get them right. I'll never take all the wires off the cap again... even when I'm replacing the cap!

Ran a little rough, then got going, it has old gas in it so I'll go get it filled up and put some Sea-Foam in it. Think I messed anything up with the plugs firing in the wrong order?

I started this because the intake manifold gasket went and I lost all my coolant in a big cloud of white smoke. So while I was replacing that gasket I replaced a fair number of parts on the way out. Plugs, wires, distributor, rotor, coil, PCV valve, thermostat, coolant hoses.

Off to go do an oil change and coolant change.