I know this was going back almost a year, but was there ever any resolution to this issue? I have a nearly identical truck and it is behaving exactlay the same way. Short of replacing the PCM I'm out of ideas.

Thanks,
Darel

 

Well yes and no. I took electric contact cleaner and cleaned all contacts on electrical connections for dash, steering column and the main power connector under dash and under hood. also cleaned all plugs on the computer. then took dielectric grease and put on the same contacts.

that fixed the problem so I thought.

it has done the same thing 1 time since. just a couple of days ago but after a restart start it has been fine.

also found the trouble could be a bad main ground. there are 2 main grounds for the cabin under the kick panel on the driver's and passengers side.

I tightened the one on the driver's side while cleaning the contacts but not the passenger side.

with the price of gas being so high, (and no pay raise in over 3 years) i've been driving the company truck home during the week. only driving my truck on the weekends.

hope this helps and let me know if you fix your problem.

killerkilgore

(edit) just installed a different stereo about 1 week before. had dash apart so the reason for the recent flashing of the dash could have been something to do with that.

killerkilgore

 

Thanks, just had to put a new fuel pump in mine. When it died I killed the battery trying to start it. After that, the intermittent gauge problem. I took all of the above apart, I'll get some contact cleaner and do it again. I also tightened the driver's side grounds (scuffed them up well) but not pass - I'll do those next. Batt and alternator OK. I did check for a pinched wire in the fuel tank loom but they all seem fine.

Seems fine when I start the truck cold but after about 10 minutes, I lose tach, speedo and the odo starts blinking. A minute or two later I lose everything else and the security and low fuel lights come on. My airbag light is always on anyway, so not sure if that's changing status or not.

 

Darel,

I don't know what you disconnected when you installed your fuel pump.
But I was thinking,

Mine done what it did after setting in the hot sun for 20 minutes or so (maybe longer i have a bad case of CRS). running, on a hot day about 5 or so in the evening.

When metal gets hot it expands. (could be different expansion of different metals?) if it was a loose ground then by getting hotter the grounds should have gotten better contact.

When I did the sweep test every thing worked. so seems like ground should have been OK.

was looking at the repair manual and there is a battery temp sensor under the battery.(controls charge volts from alternator). sounds weird but think it could be something with that battery sensor. did not get and codes reflecting that though.

in mornings when it started, would drive about 15-20 minutes then all gauges would drop to 0.

just a thought

Kilgore

 

i have the exact same problem, i was driving down the road gages stopped working, then worked again then stopped , etc etc,.. what i di notice though is that when the cluster isnt working i get the 900 920 921 940 950 and 99 codes. but when it worked again i didnt get any codes which was strange. so i went and bought a new cluster and it still didnt work. i think me and you both have the same problem, and our problem is comming from the BCM , im about 99% sure thats whats wrong with it. its not reveicing the proper data to give an accurate reading on the gages hense why its not working.. if you want you can go to a dealership and pay 100 bucks to use the level scan tool to be sure.. but im just going to replace mine. ill update, and tell you if that was the problem

 

but that should make the odo flash "no bus"....wouldn't it?

 

I will be driving my truck more. My position at work was eliminated and my employment terminated. After 7.5 years my skill set is no longer needed. FTFF!

Anyway, while filling out job apps, left the truck running (wife with me). It wasn't extremely hot but wasn't cool. upper 80s low 90s. Finally the dash did its thing.

After giving the truck a break while we ate lunch, got back in and everything was fine and has been fine for a few days now.

I have a remote temp monitor. I am going to mount it under the hood just to see what the temp is.

Either way I think something is getting HOT

Kilgore

 

I got a 97 Dodge Dakota V8 from a friend and I ma having the same issues but when I hook up the OBDII reader it says can not connect check connection.
All of the research I have done on this is pointing to the PCM being bad I am also not getting any spark from the Ignition Coil which is brand new.
Did anyone try to replace the PCM and it fixed the cluster fuel and no spark issues?

 

You need to start your own thread. This is a very old thread. Having said that. My issue was grounds.

Recommend checking all wire connections and ground locations. Spray with a electric cleaner. Put dielectric grease on connections. Make sure fuses are good. Clean rust off body and frame ground connection.

Again start your own thread and hope this helps.

My truck is still a workhorse but rusting to the ground. Drivetrain great just rusting away. Still will climb a tree.

 

Thank you I will start with the grounds then if that dosent get me anywhere I will start my own thread.
Thanks again.