My cousin has been helping me work one my 94 Dakota 411 cylinder. He's not familiar with Dodges and did not get the wires seated correctly. After drving awhile its suddenly started knocking. First two wires in bad shape. Still runs barely but under load knocks terribly at first two. What's the most likely problem?

 

Welcome to the site. Check out the Dakota section.
FF

 

Welcome to the forum. So....seat the wires correctly or replace them. How do you not seat the plugs correctly? You install them and turn them until tight. What part of that was not done? Put a wrench on them, tighten them up and seat the plug wires correctly and/or replace the wires altogether. I will move this to the 2nd gen Dakota section.

 

Welcome!

Replace the plug wires. They aren't that expensive.

I hate to move you a third time but I'll put you in the Gen 1 Dakota forum.

 

The wires were not pulled all the way through the distributor cap. None of them. So when I checked them the first two were burnt and a loud knocking noise is happening. I'm a women with just a little knowledge of mechanics but since purchasing this Dodge I have learned all about Dodge heating systems and my truck was finally running good except my temp gauge is not working at all. My cousin is a man who pretty much told me my "book learning" is silly. Right before he totally screwed it up.

 

your temp gauge is a 1wire sending unit right next to the thermostat behind the alternator, least thats where it is on the magnums not sure about the 4 cyl though. If its there could just be unplugged, if not go out and get the sending unit from an 89 dakota and snip the plug off and put on an eyelit instead to go over the older style plug. thats how i fixed mine. little more reliable than that wierd plug it comes with.

 

Thanks for advice and temp guage. I did replace that sensor but I will give the 89 a try. Also, of course I replaced the plugs but knock is still there. Just wondering if its a possible fix or now its gonna be major repair.

 

If the engine didn't knock until after the tune up the I would double check to make sure it has the correct plugs in it. It's possible to get a plug that has the proper threads but is too long and could be hitting the piston. But if this was the problem the it would have started as soon as you started the engine after the tune up and not after driving awhile. I can't think of anything dealing with a tune up that could cause a knock in the engine other than to long of a spark plug.

 

sounds like the 1st problem is your cousin...
aside from that screwing sparkplugs into a Dodge is no different from screwing sparkplugs into a Chevy or Ford or even a Hon-duh.