I bought a 2000 Dakota 4.7L just for the engine but right now it doesn't run, the guy said it was running but started acting up and when he checked the codes he got a cam sensor code so he decided to go ahead and change it, once he changed it it no longer starts, so he says! He just gave up and sold it, he said that he thinks its a wiring problem or possibly an ECU, can anyone tell me where I can start to diagnose this thing? I put a good battery in it and cranked it over and it seems to crank fine but doesnt fire, i'm smelling fuel but it seems like it has no spark, another strange thing is that when I turn the key on the gauges don't do anything, the lights all come on but no gauge moves, I would think the fuel gauge should move so I know how much fuel is in it. The previous owner seems to have messed with alot of things, even the cam sensor connector looks like it has been changed from the original.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

All the gauges, including the fuel gauge, are run via the PCM.

Do you have a "NO BUS" message in the odometer? If not, try this:

Starting with the key off, turn it to run (not start). Then turn it off, then run, back to off, and finally leave it in run. Any codes should display in the odometer window.

 

After I try and start it the mileage just blinks, there wasn't a "no bus" message, so I cycled the key and at first all that happened was the mileage blinked but then after a couple seconds the engine light came on and the no bus is now there!

 

Interesting.

Unplug the crank and cam sensors and see if the no bus light goes away. The sensors can short out the bus.

Ultimately, you'll need to check all the connections. Pull the connector at the PCM too and look for oil. Power steering fluid can work it's way along the wires and into the connector and cause all sorts of grief.

 

Hay this is the same one You 00DakDan worked with that guy a few weeks ago wasn't it ... Sounds fishy to me

The NO its not my PCM guy???

If so we never go it running then sooooo!?

 

Ill look at it today and get back to you dan, im definatly not the guy that was asking this before, maybe someone else, maybe even the guy i bought it from, was he in Canada?

 

outlaw17 I just looked back in time different engine so different guy different Dak.

Good luck 00DakDan is good at this kind of stuff.

Sounds like sooo many these days

 

Ok I checked the connections at the PCM, the one closest to the firwall did have some oily fluid in it but the other 2 were fine, and just for ****s and giggles I checked the truck with the bad engine, and all 3 were soaked with an oily fluid, so I sparayed all connections on both trucks with elec. contact cleaner and then coated them with a non conductive selant, then I uplugged the cam and crank sensors and cycled the key and got the 'no bus', but its only after I cycle the key. What next master Dan? Im going to try and check whatever connections I can.

 

Did you reset the PCM do that then try it

Rest the PCM un hook the neg battery terminal wait about 10 minutes then hook back up.

May do nothing for ya but worth a try

 

I agree with 98, disconnect the battery for a few minutes.

You may have a bad PCM.