Hey Everyone

Im new to the forum and new to dodges in general. Recently I bought a 1997 dodge Dakota Sport with the 5.2L V8, 4 speed auto trans, 4x4. It has 129,000 miles on it.

It is going to be my winter vehicle, my other car is a 2010 Camaro SS.

Anyways.

Today i decided to pull the throttle body off and give it a good cleaning. It was very dirty. I used STP throttle body cleaner and a good rag to get it cleaned up. I totally removed the throttle body from the intake and had it sitting on my work bench in my garage to make sure i could get it as clean as possible.

Well anyways, once i put the throttle body back on, and reconnected all the plugs and throttle cables, i took it for a spin around the block. I now notice that it lingers a while before shifting into 2nd gear and when it does it is a little "forceful" i guess is the best way to describe it.

It was not doing this prior to cleaning the throttle body. Wtf did i do?

Need some help thanks everyone.

 

try resetting the computer. not sure how cleaning the tb would affect the tranny.

 

How would i go about resetting the computer? just unhooking the battery cable? and letting it sit for a while?

I had the battery unhooked while i did all this. it was the first thing i unhooked, and the last thing i attached when i did all this.

 

To reset the computer just unhook the battery. Did you adjust the TPS correctly when you reinstalled it?The TPS is the only thing that I can think of that would affect shifting.

 

or the computer is just relearning the shifting. drive it some more and see what happens.

 

Possibly but I would say its out of adjustment or broken.

 

Im going to get a new TPS tomorrow. And while im at it, im gonna replace the MAP and IAC sensors.

Derek2002, how would i have adjusted the TPS?

 

Yea i thought that might be the case as well. I guess once i get the new sensors in ill see.

Also i read on another forum, that the TV cable could be out of adjustment. Any ideas on that guys?

 

After checking the service manual there isn't an adjustment on a Dakota.Most of the time you can adjust them.A TPS is just a variable resistor.Usually the holes where the screws mount are elongated so that it twists slightly.When you twist it the resistance in the sensor changes varying the voltage sent to the PCM.This is how it knows the position of the throttle.

You can test the TPS before you buy a new one if you have a multimeter.With the ignition key in the ON position, check the TPS output voltage at the center terminal wire of the connector.
Check this at idle and at wide open throttle.At idle,the TPS output voltage should be greater than 0.350 millivolts but less than 900 millivolts .
At wide open throttle,the TPS output voltage must be less than 4.5 volts.

You can test your MAP too. If you want the specs on it let me know.And what exactly is a TV cable

 

Thanks for the info. i dont have a multimeter, but i dont mind spending money on a new sensor.

And what i read on the other forum is the tv cable is the one that goes underneath the truck. if you are looking at the throttle body its the one on the back side.

Apparently it can be adjusted...dunno how tho.