I have a 93 dodge Dakota and it just died on me while driving down the road and won't start. I had it towed somewhere for me to work on. First the truck would crank but wouldnt start and I have no fuel pressure but have spark. I checked the relays put in New fuel pump and fuel filter. Still won't start. I took the battery out to charge it and put it back in and now the starter don't turn over unless I bridge the solenoid but still don't start. I have even checked for the splice at the power distribution module. I'm lost and super frustrated with this truck... Please if anyone has any advice I could use it.

 

Since you have to "ground" it to start it, check your engine grounding points. Also, is your starter grounded properly? Wires burned? (at starter)

 

ok i think i can help some here i just had a similar problem to this first you are gonna want to check your neutral safety switch on the transmission try putting you Dakota in neutral and see it it will crank if it does the neutral safety switch it bad. the no fire i would start with getting the coil checked when they get hot the wire inside breaks down and they just die i have had it happen like that the other thing to check it the fuseable links if they go bad there are i think 2 of them on the outside by the fender then you will have power but no crank or fire. i just had to do all of this with my 89 Dakota last month.

 

I forgot to mention its a 3.9 l v6 with a Manuel transmission of that makes any difference

 

wire the fuel pump directly to the batt and the starter too just to see if bypassing the original wiring does u any different. there could be wire damage u just cant see.

 

Starter Bendix (spelling?) spring?

 

i would check the crank sensor, and while its out look at the flywheel to make sure that the little square-ish pickup windows are ok. if its ok, id pull the distributor and inspect the cam gear and the distributor gear. the early 90's engines were noted for premature distributor drive gear wear.

 

Have you tried testing your fuel pump relay? I would sugjest the crankshaft sensor but that would not explain the lack of fuel pressure... If you don't know how.. What I did to find out if my pump or relay was bad.. pop the hood and swap the horn relay with your fuel pump relay. As I belive they are the same. Worked for me (95 dodge 1500 5.2 Manual)

last thought, make sure all of your connections to your ecu are good and you dont have a loose ground.