I've got an Inline 4 Cylinder on my 96 Dakota, it's been gradually losing power since I got it 2 weeks ago. What is was doing was the engine would shake forward and backwards alot in high rev second gear, the power waned down to such a low point that I couldn't even get it started on a greater than 60 degree slant on any gear and it couldn't get over 20 mph at any respectable hill. It had to be overrevved to switch into gear or else it would die to due to lack of power from the engine.

I got diagnostic and it stated P0171 for the engine problem. Bank One is running Lean.

Causes for this are a defective Oxygen Sensor, an ignition misfire-repair or a fuel injector problem.

I have since done some work on it. I discovered one of the SP wires was bad and one of the spark plugs in terrible shape. I swapped all wires and all sparks.

It is now running stronger, can get up to 30mph on a hill and can engage on a sharp hill, but is still severely underpowered at high rev and still shakes but about half as much as before. I am running fuel injector cleaner through it as we speak.

Do you all think that the remaining issue is fuel injector related, or something else...maybe Dakota specific? The truck has 108,000 miles and the Spark Plug was literally rusting, so I figure if that had decayed to such a point then any part of it could have been neglected as much.

Any input appreciated...Thx Guys!

 

Kind of sounds like a clogged catalytic converter the way it will not get over a certain speed. That could be caused by a faulty oxygen sensor.