Hi...I am new to this site and found it by Google-ing the issues I am having with my 1999 Dodge Durango SLT 5.2 V-8 Magnum 4X4. It has 146,000 miles on it and has ran like a top (for the most part) since I purchased it in 2001. About 6 weeks ago, we were having a heat wave of 100+ degree temperatures which is unusual for Michigan. I was driving down the E-way at 70 MPH and it started missing and chugging for about a minute or 2 until I got off at the next exit...scared to death! It wanted to quit but never did. It ran fine for the next week, still hot out, then started to do it again...mainly when it was hot and the A/C was on. Once at 60 MPH and then again at 25 MPH. I pulled into a parking lot and it quit on me. No check engine light, no codes. It did not want to start but started after about 10 seconds of cranking and me pumping the gas pedal...it smelled rich, like it was flooded. So I took it in...still no codes. It was sitting there missing, chugging and stalling with the scanner hooked up saying misfire repeatedly. The crank trigger sensor looked bad so he replaced that along with the coil. It ran okay for a day then in the heat of the afternoon kept stalling again on him. He had a fuel pressure gauge hooked up and it was going down so he put a new fuel pump on it. Ran fine for a couple weeks then quit again (no more missing and chugging going down the road though) out of the blue when I would be stopping or sitting there idling. Sometimes I would feel it miss and know it was going to stall, other times there was no warning and never a check engine light. I went to another mechanic...they found the coil wire had fell on the manifold and melted so we replaced that. Ran fine for about 2 weeks then a week ago, it quit on me 3 times in one day! Took it to another mechanic and it would quit on them too, still no codes though, and they put an adnoid tester light thing on the fuel injector and the light would get weak and then bright again so they replaced the crank trigger sensor again with a MOPAR one this time (the magnet on the new one was way stronger than the first one my other mechanic put on). They said it ran good for 2 hours and did not quit. I paid them $256 and went out to leave and it wouldn't start which it has never done...it only wouldn't start after it had just stalled before. They tested the O2 sensors and said they were fine and then put a pick up coil in the distributor...ran ok for 2 days and then quit on me at a red/green light when I was sitting there idling. My question is...what is my next step???? I am reading about Mass Airflow Sensors and cleaning them and then I read mine doesn't have one but it is called an Ambient Air Temperature sensor for my vehicle and then I am also reading about a MAP sensor too. I am hoping it is not the ECM/PCM because that is high $ and it might not even fix it. I have searched so much and don't know what to do next. Funds are gone but I know once this tempermental part is replaced or fixed, it should run like a top like it does most of the time! Please help...thank you in advance! Michelle

 

Welcome to DF
Here what i would do. Find a dealer that still can hook up a co-pilot and drive the durango for a few day and try to get a recording on why you are having this problem.

 

Okay...what is a co-pilot and is that different from the scanner (code reader?) that they have already hooked up numerous times with no codes showing up...only saying misfire? Thanks for your help and advice for me on trying to figure out the problem! I did take it to our dealer and they did hook it up but it didn't show anything. I am worried about how much they would charge after I have already put $800 into it to keep it for a few days. I am hoping it's a sensor of some sort...I think! Thanks again......

 

I highly doubt the ambient air sensor would cause this issue. Mass air flow sensor...they make a canned cleaner for that, I used it on my wife's grand prix when it started throwing the MAF code, haven't seen it since. The only other thing I could think that might cause that would be the Cam Sensor, which is part of the distributor, under the rotor...

 

Just curious, how old is your battery? You'd be surprised what kind of problems a bad battery or dirty battery terminals can cause. Not saying it's causing all of the problems, but it could be part of it. When my last battery went bad it would stall while driving or at idle if I let off the gas. It also would crank and crank but wouldn't start.

 

The battery isn't even a year old and the terminals are clean. I have read that my 1999 Durango does not have a mass airflow sensor (MAF) but on my Dodge it is called the Ambient Air Temperature Sensor. I see they make a cleaner for the MAF sensor and that might be my next step. I have not searched any on the cam sensor but will do that now. I am thinking it could be the PCM also...I found it on Ebay for $169. I just am scared to drive it with my 2 little boys because I loose the steering and braking when it stalls. Luckily it has only done it when I was going slow. Will it stall when I am going 60 around a curve???? Scared in Michigan.....

 

Take a bag of ice with you and go drive the truck, once it stalls put the bag of ice on the PCM if it settles it down then it could be the PCM overheating in the heat and that is a common problem in the 99's for some. It may not be the issue but its worth a try as it does sound like that may be the case.

 

i tend to agree with old_school check for an overheating PCM, especially since it happens on hot days,

this is doubly true if you have a dark colored truck

 

The cam sensor I do believe is also called the "ignition pick up"...$27.99 on Rock Auto

 

Yes...the cam sensor is also called the pick up coil which is in the distributor. We had that replaced last Friday and it stalled on me on Monday. If it were the PCM/ECM overheating...would that call for a new one then? My truck is black as black can be with everything blacked out but now it is happening when it is cool out too. So frustrating! Thanks for all the advice...I love my Durango and hope to keep it for many years to come! I have it all decked out in orange Harley Davidson and flames....it's my baby.