2000 Dakota 4.9 4x4 automatic. Tons of electrical issues when it got hot last summer. (Bought it in the winter) Code I remember was a BUS code. Replaced crank sensor, idle sensors, etc. Kept stalling and wouldn't restart until cooled. Found out if I kept a bag of icecubes in the truck I could put it in place on the computer for 10 minutes and get home. Finally replaced the computer with a manufactured one. No issues for over a year. Two months ago it started again, but a bit different. Didn't quit but lost a bunch of power all at once and gave me a crankshaft sensor. Replaced crankshaft and camshaft sensors. Ran great for two weeks but 2 days ago it quit in stop and go traffic for about 5 minutes. Finally got it running, but again very poor power. Codes I got were 351, 354, 356, 357, and 1756. Disconnected battery for 30 minutes and all codes went away. Ran it for a few minutes yesterday and just before I got home it did it again. Only code is 1491. Its in the driveway now and won't start. Cranks for a second and then sounds like the starter is grinding. Tank reads empty but is full. Noticed yesterday the truck wouldn't start at first, but when the key was on for about 5 seconds the gas gauge went up to full and then it started right up. Now the gauge doesn't register at all and I can't get the codes to register on the odometer. But there is a pulsing almost taping noise coming from the bottom of the fuse box. When I pull out a couple of fuses (fuel pump being one) it goes away, but is still pulsing at the throttle body, idle control valve. I can also hear a very faint pulse from the firewall area, engine side, but not from inside the cab. I'm thinking I have another bad computer but would really like to find out the fix is much cheaper.

 

Well, my first question is, why not post this in the Gen2 area, where the 2000 Dakotas are?

Second is, have you tried to scan with a competent scanner, or just pulled codes with a code reader (or just do the key dance)?

I'd be checking grounds and connections FIRST before I blamed the computer.

RwP