1998 318 Dakota 5 speed
It starts up fine and runs fine until the thermostat opens, just after it opens it runs like crap, like its running out of gas or something, jerking and stalling and shaking. This goes on for a few minutes then it smooths out, runs great all day. I leave it at work all day and it starts up fine and gets me home fine. The colder the weather the worse the problem is and the longer it lasts before it smooths out.
I figure it's some sort of temperature sensor.
Anyone have an idea which sensor or what else the prob might be?
It has a new gas cap I bought thinking it might solve the problem but it didn't, fairly new plugs wires and rotor and is a great running truck except for this one problem.
thanks

 

So, it's not throwing any codes? Has the thermostat been replaced, could be that.

 

I would say try replacing youre T-stat also just my opinion on where to start at.

 

replacing the t-stat seems odd to me, why do you suggest that? It doesn't run too hot or cold, the t-stat seems to be working fine.
Seeing as the problem occurs when the t-stat opens it seems to me it would be some sort of temp sensor or something, like running with too much or too little choke for the engine temp. Although i dont notice any black smoke coming from behind me when its running crappy.

 

I would start there just to make sure its not that and go ahead and rule it out for 1 its cheaper than replacing a sensor a 180 T-stat only costs like $18.00 and takes about an hour give or take thats just where I would start out but ill look into it a lil more and see what i come up with.