Hi Guys I have checked around at the different feeds and didn't come up with any answers to my particular problem, My 95 Dakota with 3.9L magnum that has only 70 000 km or 43 500 miles will not start when it is cold out only if it is warm anything above 45 degrees or so when it acts up I get spark and gas. I have changed the cam sensor, crank sensor ( in the spring) and just now the cap, rotor, plugs and wires. when I crank it it spits and sputters on two or three cyclinders and tries to start, thought maybe the timing chain jumped but when I turn it to top dead center the rotor lines up at number one within reason I have tried putting heat on a couple of different areas with a hair dryer to see if I could pin point the spot but no luck not sure if a hair dyer is hot enough but it should after 15 or min. in the same spot any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

Put the hair dryer on the ECU for a few minutes, and make sure it is nice and warm, but not hot. If you've got no luck there, make sure you are getting the proper fuel pressure. 20psi on the rail when off, 40 psi when running. Double check that you are getting spark on all cylinders when cranking.

Let me know the results, we'll track this down
Cheers, Spinner

 

Well the hair dryer thing worked, placed it on the crank sensor for about an hour and a half at high and it started it ran skipping but at least it ran, so I guess I am on the right track. even though the sensor was new this spring it has failed with the cold weather, I will let everyone know how it goes after changing it again.

 

Spinner 57 I tried that one last night with no luck it was colder around -5 C or 28 F tonight it is 35 so i will give it a try again

 

Another thing to check would be the idle air controller (IAC). Could be sticking in the cold weather. One way to check that would be, when it's cold and you try to start it, give it some gas. If it starts when you do that, but you have to hold the pedal to keep it running, that means the IAC is dead.

But judging from what you did with the crank sensor, I'm betting your in the right track and that's your problem

 

Did you get the crank sensor changed? Any luck?