I'm ready to take blow up my truck, I have a 93 dakotait is having a proplem that no one can figure out whats wrong,
Here's whats happening, it will just shut off and sometimes to get it to start you have to lift up on the coil wire then put it back on and sometimes it starts back up i just gave it a tune up and i have tried to replace the computer and tested the battery along with the alternater, nothing. I have no clue they've tested everything, the thing is it will start back up about 1/2 hour to an hour after the truck shuts down so it's hard for people to truely firgure it out.

Help!!!

 

how does it shut off? if it just shuts off quick then id check/replace ground wires possibly?

 

Well thats the thing it doesn't just die you get 5 secs to watch it die and if you give it some gas it doesn't aways die, after it dies and start it back up and i have about a week until it does it again.

 

sounds like the bad splice everyone talks about... maybe someone else can elaborate because it's never happened to me.

 

Here is what wink is talking about. Sounds similiar to the situation that occured to me, except it got the point where the truck quit, wouldnt run or start. Here is what I found, on the drivers side under your fuse/relay box, the cluster of wires running along your fender well hooking into that fuse box, peal the covering away from the wires looking for a connection of 2 wires into 1, it will probably have a green rotting corrosion surrounding the area and be toward the center of all the wires. This Y connection is part of your ignition and it is very common that it'll come apart or be hanging by a strand of wirefrom the corrosion causingthe prob. Just cut the connector out and use a butt connector or similiar connection. My truck would run fine, or cut in and out, from a loose connection there. Its a common problem of the dakotas. If thats not the case, it could be fuel pump or something on that order, is it getting spark when you try to start it?

 

thanks for elaborating, i bet thats what your problem is. I just spent a day chasing wires getting my tail lights and license plate lights to work. one of the previous owners had done an engine swap and completely butchered all the wiring... hopefully your truck isnt like mine and actually HAS A FUSE BOX. mine just has wires with fuses hanging all over the place.

 

No problem, that sounds like fun...gotta love the DIYers that have no organization, or smarts and just tear **** into something without thought before doing something

 

have you tried using the fault codes it might tell you whats wrong or at least give you some guidance.

 

i had an 88 dakota with 3.9..had same issue..turns out its was in the tank..i believe it was a fuel cutoff sensor..big coil in tank..

 

yes check the codes first. turn the key on then off three times and count the number of time the checl engine light flashes. if the sensors are ok then move on from there. have an 89 sport. ran into similar problems and it was the fuel pump. i read a lot about the gas gauges becomming inaccurate before the pump screwed up (mine did). if yours did i would think pump, if not i would still think fuel system because you said " you got 5 seconds to watch it die and if you give it some gas it does not always die ". this indicates it's not a wiring problem but a fuel problem. if it was wiring problem it would die no matter how much gas you gave ii.

good luck: Paul