So I'm new to the forum, and am completely stumped on this truck. Never been a dodge fan so never really worked on them. I bought a 97 dakota 5.2, and it starts and drives fine, but once it's warmed up it'll hop rpms and try to stall when sitting in gear at stoplights or stop signs. It's even worse in reverse, it usually dies trying to back into the parking spot at work. It'll make some unusual pinging noises when hitting the gas after it's warmed up, and will drive fine with no service engine for a few weeks then throw ses for all cylinder misfire, unplug the computer and good for another few weeks. So far I've changed the spark plugs, wires, coil pack, iac sensor, map sensor, tps, cleaned the throttle body, changed intake and intake plenum gaskets, new fuel injector O rings, new air filter, new throttle body and air hat gasket, changed coolant and thermostat. So I'm out of ideas, maybe a bad pcm? I just changed all intake gaskets and haven't had an ses since but it still hops rpms, tries to die when sitting in gear and the pinging noises, any ideas?

 

I don't see crank sensor listed on that list. I know that when mine started acting up, it was doing the same thing. New sensor fixed it.

 

okay cool thank you, I will try that next. So a bad crank sensor won't throw a service engine? And would it cause the strange pinging noise as well?

 

When the sensor fails, it throws misfire codes rather than a code for the sensor itself (The PCM doesn't know the sensor is bad). The sound you are hearing may be the sensor getting beat to death by the tone ring or starter ring gear.

 

Okay, cool. Thank you very much. Definitely going to buy one soon. I was getting ready to give up on the truck haha.

 

Another item to check would be the O2 sensors and your fuel trims.

If the problem only happens in closed loop (only when warmed up) that points me towards the O2 sensors or something else in the closed loop operation. Throw a scanner on it that will give you live data and watch how your O2's are acting.

Here is a good video on how fuel trims can help diagnose a problem:

 

I will check this as well. I know I just changed the front 02 as it was throwing a code but haven't had a code for it thrown since. But I will check, thank you

 

So got around to changing the crank position sensor today, and it was idling hard as hell and kept shutting off, so I'm taking a break, clearing the computer and trying again, I double checked everything and didn't see anything I knocked loose and checked connection on the sensor so guess I'll see in a little while