I just Bought a 2000 Dodge Dakota sport club cab 4x4 with the 4.7L. its my first dodge and the guy i bought it from said that one of the injectors is loading Fuel and not shutting off (truck has all new injectors, plugs, wires, guy though it was an electrical problem. but when i plug it in to my diagnostic tool it says bad o2 sensor. would that be causing all the problems listed below. all my guages are fine and i have one check engine light
(got it for 500 bucks)

1.When i start the truck and its just sitting i can hear a faint poping noise and i have narrowed it down to fuel in the exhaust pipe.

2. acceleration is sluggish and truck bucks at certain rpms and cruising

3. GAS SMELL/ like 3 miles to the gallon. is it one of the 02 sensor?

 

Welcome to the forums...
o2 sensor is definitely possibility, also want to check catalytic converter(s)

500 bux for a 2000 w/ 4.7L?
please tell me it's not manual... that would make me really happy.
please also tell me the miles are through the roof and that it's really rusty...

hah just kidding, congrats on the purchase.

 

You should definitely replace the O2 sensor.That is what is causing you problems because it is telling you ECU that it needs more fuel than it actually does and flooding it.

 

a bad o2 sensor can cause poor mileage, but I'm not sure if it would be THAT poor as what you are seeing.

If truck has all new injectors, why on earth is one still wide open and not closing? Check all of the wire connections.

As a first order of business, I would suggest picking up the $20'ish haynes manual for your truck from advance auto parts. It will pay for itself time and time again.

 

So in other words your saying that he doesn't need to replace a bad o2 sensor?And depending on how bad off the o2 sensor is, who knows how bad gas mileage it will give him.

 

I definitely think the o2 sensor is bad, but I was reluctant to testify that it was the sole culprit for the mileage issue.

 

I would fix the o2 sensor first so that is one less problem down if it doesn't fix it.But rest assure,it isn't making it run better,its only making it worst.

 

The truck came with a Haynes manual. the only rust on the bed wheel wells and its got a 144 thousand (i have owned vehicals with more). my cat converter is rusted to death so ill be getting a new one of those. apparently when he replaced the exhaust he replaced all but the cat. and yes the truck is an automatic but iam hoping to convert it in the near future

 

Sand that rust off and put in a paint on bed liner.

Your rusted @ss cat could be contributing to the malfunctioning o2 sensor signal. Definitely do the cat and if it still does it, do the o2 sensor.

 

taking care of the cat this weekend and i have a new bed on the way from LMC plus lots lots more. this new england road salt is terrible for the vehicals no matter what year the vehical is. luckaly its only my bed rusted out.