ok so long story here. i was getting ready to go to work i turn the key and (see video below), at first i thought it was the IAC, once i left it unplugged and it had the same symptoms. then after about 5 starts it fires right up and i'm able to get to work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP9czqxxXQg

for the hell of it i try to start it up again and same deal. weird clicking sound commong form the fuse box area and fuel pump is making odd noises (see video below).



thank god i had my camera with me....
no cel codes

think its the fuel pump? iac, tps or bad gas?

oh and with the picture, not sure what that thing is but those two hoses were barley on there and deteriorating. i was able to zip tie them on though.

 

that canister in the pic is the charcoal canister for the evap system on ur truck, if u ever get he evap leak code that is the first place to check, thats where mine came from

i think it might be the pump as well, but wait for other opinions

btw ur a potty mouth lol, if i was recording that video there would be a lot more cursing and hitting the steering wheel (same concept as hitting the side of the computer to get it to work lol)

 

well this wasnt the first start, the first one i just about had a conniption.

 

totally just had to google that word, i know how u feel i was the same way when my ctm went out, and when my old car died on the side of the highway

 

damn this is going to break the bank, i need to drive to Virginia in august. so its gotta be fixed

 

what u gotta drive out here for? where in va u gonna be at?

 

my parents live outside of DC, anandale. so not that close to you.

 

If this were my truck I would get a cheap fuel pressure gauge like the one they sell at Harbor Freight, or get one at a parts store and connect it to the fuel test port on the fuel rail, left side of the throttle body. That is the best way to test the fuel pressure. If you have a 3.9 you should have I think 47 to 51 psi of fuel pressure at idle.

The thing to check though is after you turn off the engine, leave the gauge connected to the test port. If the pressure drops below 30 psi within 3 minutes of turning the engine off, your fuel pressure regulator is bad. That's why it takes so many attempts to start the truck, when the truck sits parked for a while or overnight all the fuel bleeds back out of the fuel lines into the tank.

Another way to test the fuel pressure regulator is to leave the key in the run position for about 30 seconds before you start the truck. This will prime the fuel lines. If it starts right up then, you know for sure the regulator is bad. There is a check valve in the regulator that goes bad and causes low or no fuel pressure in the line.

I had the bad fuel pressure regulator problem in my 2001. And it happened right about the same mileage as you have now, I think your odometer in the video was at 120 or 125K. The fuel pressure regulator is an internal part of the fuel pump assembly. You have to replace the whole fuel pump assembly to fix it. I replaced my fuel pump and it has been fine ever since. I got an Airtex pump from Advance, the price was $220 but I had a 20% off coupon so I got it for about $180, and did the job myself in a few hours in my garage. It actually was pretty easy to do.

If you have good fuel pressure, I would check the battery next. Dakota's run like crap when the voltage is too low, even 12 volts can be too low.

Jimmy

 

i thought u were from WA?

 

well originally, but my parents live there now. hometown is Seattle but the rents live in dc.