hi guys,im having problem with my dakota right now,i cant get the engine to start,it actually tries to and if it does it wont rev past 200 to 300 rpm then dies shortly after,this all started after i put in a new oil pump and me flooding the engine while cranking it over for a while with the coil wire unplugged,yes,dumb mistake,but,ive changed plugs and it does the same thing,so i pulled the CPS to have a look at it,looks like its been rubbing on something(see pic),is there a way to test it??

 

Are you sure it's not still flooded? You can pull the fuel pump relay and spin it over to clear the cylinders out. Were you getting any codes when it wouldn't start? If the CPS was really bad, you'd get a loss of sync code (sync being between crank and cam/distributor). Definitely looks like it caught the flexplate, though.

 

Check for codes. You don't need a scanner. With the key OFF turn it to RUN (don't start it), back to OFF, then to RUN, back to OFF, and leave it in RUN. Codes will display in the odometer window.


Did you turn the distributor at all while changing the oil pump?

 

no codes,i have a scan tool and nothing...i even tried cranking the engine with the plugs out,but,nothing really came out...its got spark,and tested the fuel pressure at 50psi..should i try another new set of plugs?

 

did you turn the distributor body at all? If so, 100% chance that your cam/crank sync is off. But that should normally throw a code.

 

i did pull the distibuter,but,was very well marked and put back in as it came out,ive been through the fuel sync issue once before with this truck,and it will backfire if its out enough..im not having that issue at all...i did pull all the plugs again and 3 of em were wet,guess ill get another set of plugs,ive never had any luck at cleaning a plug and making it fire again..

 

after some major brain scanning,i think I might know why the crank sensor is scuffed up on the end like that...when I had the oil pan off,i also had the torque converter unbolted,and when putting everything back together,i had to use a rather long screwdriver in the flywheel to rotate it to the last bolt,not realizing that those holes(im assuming) on the outer part of the flexplate,is considered the relucter ring for the crank sensor!! guess im gonna have to pull the dust cover back off and see what I did to it...still not 100% sure if that's the real problem here,could still just be flooded,possible fuel sync issue,but,i don't think its that..

 

Yes, the holes are the reluctor (tone) ring for the CPS. If damaged it may be the problem.

 

yes,im starting to believe more now that its the problem,cause when i changed those plugs out,it should have gotten at least a little better and it didnt,i think i bent one of those windows up,which caused it to make contact with the CPS..and now its either not triggering on the window anymore or the CPS is damaged,or both..hope i dont need a new relucter plate..

 

I think the issue might be those two metal bits on the sensor are making contact with each other (at least it looks that way in the picture).