1st Gen Dakota Tech 1987 - 1996 Dodge Dakota Tech - The ultimate forum for technical help on the 1st Gen Dakota.

1996 dakota will not start when warm

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 01-20-2018, 12:28 AM
dirtydodge1996's Avatar
dirtydodge1996
dirtydodge1996 is offline
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default 1996 dakota will not start when warm

I have a 1996 dakota 3.9 v6. Manual tranny.

will start cold. Will run perfect til shut off at operating temp. Will not start back.

was parked for 6 months.

we have already replaced the:
plugs
wires
dist cap
rotor
cam position sensor
crank position sensor
fuel pump
idle air control valve

what are we missing?

​​​​​​​thanks in advance.
 
  #2  
Old 01-20-2018, 09:13 AM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is offline
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 80,743
Likes: 0
Received 3,176 Likes on 2,929 Posts
Default

PCM is about all that's left.
 
  #3  
Old 01-20-2018, 12:04 PM
magnethead's Avatar
magnethead
magnethead is offline
Legend
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 7,935
Received 153 Likes on 140 Posts
Default

Find out if you are missing spark or fuel.
 
  #4  
Old 01-20-2018, 04:48 PM
dirtydodge1996's Avatar
dirtydodge1996
dirtydodge1996 is offline
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by magnethead
Find out if you are missing spark or fuel.
it maintains 50 psi at all times. Using fuel pressure gauge. After relieving pressure it returns. Not sure if injectors are active at startup at operating temp. It also has a new radiator, water pump and thermostat installed.
 
  #5  
Old 01-20-2018, 08:31 PM
magnethead's Avatar
magnethead
magnethead is offline
Legend
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 7,935
Received 153 Likes on 140 Posts
Default

Yes that's what you need to see, if it is firing the injectors or not. Check for spark by grounding a connected spark plug.
 
  #6  
Old 01-20-2018, 09:06 PM
00DakDan's Avatar
00DakDan
00DakDan is offline
Section Moderator
Dodge Forum Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MA
Posts: 4,830
Likes: 0
Received 36 Likes on 32 Posts
Default

Moved to the 1st Gen forum.
 
  #7  
Old 01-21-2018, 01:49 AM
RalphP's Avatar
RalphP
RalphP is offline
Champion
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Northwest Louisiana
Posts: 4,749
Received 368 Likes on 340 Posts
Default

As mentioned, check for spark. Borrow or buy a set of NOID lights (most of the bigger auto parts chains will "loan" them to you - you buy them, but get your money back when you return them, on their version of the Loan-A-Tool program, for the units ON said LAT program) and verify you're getting injector fire.

Before I REPLACED the PCM, I'd disconnect the negative battery cable, then five or six times take the connector(s) off and put them back on, then reconnect the negative battery cable and see if that helped any. It may be as simple as corrosion that gets worse when it gets warm.

RwP
 
  #8  
Old 01-21-2018, 05:32 PM
dirtydodge1996's Avatar
dirtydodge1996
dirtydodge1996 is offline
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by RalphP
As mentioned, check for spark. Borrow or buy a set of NOID lights (most of the bigger auto parts chains will "loan" them to you - you buy them, but get your money back when you return them, on their version of the Loan-A-Tool program, for the units ON said LAT program) and verify you're getting injector fire.

Before I REPLACED the PCM, I'd disconnect the negative battery cable, then five or six times take the connector(s) off and put them back on, then reconnect the negative battery cable and see if that helped any. It may be as simple as corrosion that gets worse when it gets warm.

RwP

will give it a try. Thanks.
 
  #9  
Old 01-21-2018, 05:57 PM
Johnboy52's Avatar
Johnboy52
Johnboy52 is offline
Amateur
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Maine
Posts: 49
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by RalphP
As mentioned, check for spark. Borrow or buy a set of NOID lights (most of the bigger auto parts chains will "loan" them to you - you buy them, but get your money back when you return them, on their version of the Loan-A-Tool program, for the units ON said LAT program) and verify you're getting injector fire.

Before I REPLACED the PCM, I'd disconnect the negative battery cable, then five or six times take the connector(s) off and put them back on, then reconnect the negative battery cable and see if that helped any. It may be as simple as corrosion that gets worse when it gets warm.

RwP
I have seen this test about using Noid Lights to check for fire at the injectors several times but everyone that mentions it neglects to say that if the injectors have no power coming to them, where you would check to see what is causing the no power problem to the injectors. Could someone tell what we would look for if the injectors weren't getting power?
 
  #10  
Old 01-21-2018, 06:38 PM
RalphP's Avatar
RalphP
RalphP is offline
Champion
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Northwest Louisiana
Posts: 4,749
Received 368 Likes on 340 Posts
Default

If they're not getting power, you trace the wiring back to where they don't get power. In a Dodge, that's upstream to the Auto Shutdown Relay; pull it, bypass it, and see if you have power. If so, you then see if it's the relay failed or the signal from the PCM; easiest is to swap the relay. (On my 1988 it's a Bosch style relay; I have a few I bought at $1 each, so easy to swap.)

RwP
 



Quick Reply: 1996 dakota will not start when warm



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:33 AM.