98 Dakota 2.5 won't start
 

Truck was parked for a while after my daughter in law blew the head gasket. Replaced the head gasket and got it running. Pulled it into the garage, put in new plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. Engine turns over but no spark. tried jumping spark from the plug wire to the block, nothing. tried from the coil, same thing, no spark. Connected obdII, can't get a connection. Ideas/suggestions please. Need to get it running for my grandson. Some jerk just totaled his car and the other guy didn't have insurance.

Distributor Ignition Pickup
 

You may have offset the Distributor Ignition Pickup its just under the rotor you replaced pull off the cap and rotor its under that look at it for damage cut wires dirty connection plug.

If that is bad no spark will happen not sure how to test it.

looks like this

Just be careful if you need to replace it that year 1998 the 2.5 changed the connection from a round connection to a blade connection you need to get the correct one it could be one or the other.

http://www.rockauto.com/getimage/get...17-0&width=450

This is the newer blade connection

http://www.rockauto.com/getimage/get...17-3&width=450

This is the old round connection one

http://www.rockauto.com/getimage/get...40-2&width=450


The 1998 Dakota could be one or the other

One other thing it just lifts out no screws nothing the cap keeps it on when you screw it down

Other things to think about a bad cap or rotor with the cheap China crap now switch back to the old stuff and see what happens

If you can't connect to the obd then it might be a pcm problem and not an ignition problem. Have you tried checking your wiring to the pcm to see if any of them are split or cut?


Posted from Dodgeforum.com App for Android

00daksport25

I was thinking the same thing he may have leaned on the connections and popped one lose. I know with my 2.5 PCM its easy to do when in that area working on the cap and rotor.

00daksport25 I did replace my Distributor Ignition Pickup and it did make a difference she ran smoother for me.

Thank, all the new things I put on are from China

Not yet, have been working late everyday. May not be able to get to it until Saturday.

Did you know that the coil on the 98 dodge has a fuse of it's own. I just figured that out after going through everything I knew to do when a truck doesn't have spark. I have had lots of trucks, but this is a first for me. I appreciate everyone's responses.