So I have had my 97 dodge Dakota v6 4x4, going on 10 years. Recently I have been stranded at work, home, grocery store, or even right in the middle of the street while driving! Since the issue began, I have changed the fuel pump, coil pack, distributor module, cap and rotor button, as well ad the crankshaft position sensor and a set of spark plug. As anyone could imagine I am ready to throw in the towel. A co worker mentioned I should check the ground connections. All of them. It's hard to pin Pont because i can drive for a week or so with no problems and then it wants to act up. Doesn't matter if it sat for 3 days or 3 hours. I had a check engine light for misfires on coil pack 1 and spark plugs 1 3 and 5 . Since changing the distributor module and clearing the codes. I am still haveing the same problem. However as of now the check light has not came back on.

 

Out of couriosity, when you turn the key, Is verything dead? No dash lights? Or does it try to start?
Dave

 

It will crank until the batt. Dies, I can let it sit for an hour or so and come crank it right up and drive away

 

Almost sounds like an ignition switch problem.

 

That's great. As you could imagine I am very tired of buying part after partand continuing to have the same no Chang outcome. Is there any way of testing the ignition switch? Mayne jiggling the key when its running?

 

Jiggling the key probably won't help much, since the key isn't where the switch is.

So far I've been able to verify by visual (as in "Isn't that supposed to be one assembly, not three parts?")

I'd recommend, due to how cheap it is, just grab a Mopar ignition switch. Even if it's not failed, it's old enough that it's working on it.

RwP

 

I will look into that then, thankyou. More suggestions and ideas welcome. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

 

On my Dak? No. On my Cougar (a 1991, the MN12 chassis), which is well known for ignition switches failing? Yep.

RwP