Ignition Problems
#1
01-02-2016, 01:12 AM
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ignition Problems
Hey everyone. New to the forum and looking for some advice/help. I have a 2001 Dakota SLT V6 3.9L. Recently I have been having some issues starting the truck in the morning, mostly after a heavy rain or thick dew. Was driving on the interstate the other day through a storm and the truck felt like it was misfiring. Took it to a local mechanic, told him everything, and he said that my fuel pump was going out. Bought a new pump and had him install it. Cost me $400. Truck started and drove fine that day. Next morning same problem. I can turn the key and it will just keep turning but won't fire until it has sat for a while or I give it some gas. Was told I shouldn't give it gas bc it is fuel injected. I feel like I might have some bad spark plugs, fluid in them, or something. Mechanic assured me it wasn't the plugs but I assume never checked. Wondering if anyone has had similar issues or can point me in the right direction. If it is something I can do myself I would rather do that then continue to get jipped by the shops. Thanks
#2
01-02-2016, 11:02 AM
Record Breaker
Welcome to the Forum Cew..
Did the mechanic test the fuel pressure both with the engine idling and after the engine was turned off before he replaced the fuel pump? If so, what was the pressure? If the pump is OK the pressure should have been between 47 to 52 psi at idle. The fuel line should also retain pressure after the engine is shut off, if it goes below 30 psi within 5 minutes of turning off the engine, the fuel pressure regulator is bad. The regulator is an internal part of the fuel pump and the only way to replace it is to replace the pump assembly.
Do you have any diagnostic trouble codes? You can check those yourself. Do not start the engine but turn the ignition key from off to run, back to off, then to run, back to off then to run and leave it in the run position. Any codes you have stored will display in the odometer window. It will say "P Done" when all codes have displayed. The codes can be a big help in identifying the problem. There are tables in the pinned topics at the top of the Second Gen page here to identify what the codes mean.
How many miles on the truck? Manual or automatic? When was the last tune up done? Did the mechanic check the distributor cap or the camshaft position sensor underneath it? Are the plugs and wires really in good condition and did he really check them himself?
With the truck not starting or running in wet conditions it sounds to me like either a cracked distributor cap, corroded contacts on the distributor cap or the rotor button, or it could possibly be the crankshaft position sensor (CKP). The CKP is located on the right side of the bell housing of the transmission and is accessed by removing the right front fender liner. There is a rubber grommet for the wires on the CKP that can get worn out and allow water or moisture in to the CKP orifice, and when the CKP gets wet like that the truck will not run or start. Usually when the CKP is bad or any of the other engine management sensors is bad or wet it will cause problems with the 5 volt PCI bus in the truck and the truck will not run in that situation either. There can be a lot of different reasons for the problem you have but those come to my mind first.
Did the mechanic check any of the sensors like the Throttle Position Sensor or Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor? Those are located on the throttle body and are a simple check with a volt meter and can also be checked with a good scanning tool. It might be worth it to take the truck back to the mechanic and have him do a more thorough diagnosis, and if he believes in doing the right thing and stands behind his work he should not charge you any labor to check it all out again. If not, you may need to get a second opinion at a more reputable shop.
Jimmy
Did the mechanic test the fuel pressure both with the engine idling and after the engine was turned off before he replaced the fuel pump? If so, what was the pressure? If the pump is OK the pressure should have been between 47 to 52 psi at idle. The fuel line should also retain pressure after the engine is shut off, if it goes below 30 psi within 5 minutes of turning off the engine, the fuel pressure regulator is bad. The regulator is an internal part of the fuel pump and the only way to replace it is to replace the pump assembly.
Do you have any diagnostic trouble codes? You can check those yourself. Do not start the engine but turn the ignition key from off to run, back to off, then to run, back to off then to run and leave it in the run position. Any codes you have stored will display in the odometer window. It will say "P Done" when all codes have displayed. The codes can be a big help in identifying the problem. There are tables in the pinned topics at the top of the Second Gen page here to identify what the codes mean.
How many miles on the truck? Manual or automatic? When was the last tune up done? Did the mechanic check the distributor cap or the camshaft position sensor underneath it? Are the plugs and wires really in good condition and did he really check them himself?
With the truck not starting or running in wet conditions it sounds to me like either a cracked distributor cap, corroded contacts on the distributor cap or the rotor button, or it could possibly be the crankshaft position sensor (CKP). The CKP is located on the right side of the bell housing of the transmission and is accessed by removing the right front fender liner. There is a rubber grommet for the wires on the CKP that can get worn out and allow water or moisture in to the CKP orifice, and when the CKP gets wet like that the truck will not run or start. Usually when the CKP is bad or any of the other engine management sensors is bad or wet it will cause problems with the 5 volt PCI bus in the truck and the truck will not run in that situation either. There can be a lot of different reasons for the problem you have but those come to my mind first.
Did the mechanic check any of the sensors like the Throttle Position Sensor or Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor? Those are located on the throttle body and are a simple check with a volt meter and can also be checked with a good scanning tool. It might be worth it to take the truck back to the mechanic and have him do a more thorough diagnosis, and if he believes in doing the right thing and stands behind his work he should not charge you any labor to check it all out again. If not, you may need to get a second opinion at a more reputable shop.
Jimmy
#3
01-08-2016, 08:16 PM
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
01SilverCC,
Sorry for not responding sooner. It was the distributor cap, and plug wires. Went to talk with the manager of the shop and explained everything to him. He was really cool about it. Apologized for the mechanic, said he would do the work at no cost and threw in 3 oil changes for free. Thanks for your time and suggestions!
Sorry for not responding sooner. It was the distributor cap, and plug wires. Went to talk with the manager of the shop and explained everything to him. He was really cool about it. Apologized for the mechanic, said he would do the work at no cost and threw in 3 oil changes for free. Thanks for your time and suggestions!
#4
01-08-2016, 09:58 PM
Record Breaker
#5
01-09-2016, 02:51 AM
Yea were sorry you spent $400 for nothing ha thats a new one.
A tune-up should have been the first thing they did and looked at the cap, rotor, plugs and wires so on and a fuel presser test should have been done.
Another shop ripoff
Free oil change cost them almost nothing plus you may never come back to use them and they know that. They now also have 3 more opportunities to rip you off its a win win for them they just locked you in.
A tune-up should have been the first thing they did and looked at the cap, rotor, plugs and wires so on and a fuel presser test should have been done.
Another shop ripoff
Free oil change cost them almost nothing plus you may never come back to use them and they know that. They now also have 3 more opportunities to rip you off its a win win for them they just locked you in.
Last edited by 98DAKAZ; 01-09-2016 at 03:29 AM.
#6
01-13-2016, 10:02 AM
Professional
98DAKAZ,
What was wrong with a comment like the one posted by 01SilverCC? Why is it always a crooked shop that was guilty? Are you always loaded for bear? How about a genuinely sorry shop owner? A shyster would have double talked the guy and shoved the blame on something else.
Chill dude. Not everyone is out to stick it to you, unless you come in with both barrels blasting.
What was wrong with a comment like the one posted by 01SilverCC? Why is it always a crooked shop that was guilty? Are you always loaded for bear? How about a genuinely sorry shop owner? A shyster would have double talked the guy and shoved the blame on something else.
Chill dude. Not everyone is out to stick it to you, unless you come in with both barrels blasting.