Starts easy, runs great, warms up, shuts down

DAVIDJOHN

MEMBER
1994 DODGE DAKOTA
200,000 MILES

Truck has been great for years. Recently had a friend replace the heater core. Now, it starts right up in the morning, runs well, but shuts down after 5 minutes, won't restart. It turns over, strong, I can smell uncombusted gas from tailpipe. There is a weak spark from the coil at this point; the spark had been good when first starting. I have replaced the distributor cap, rotor, cam sensor, crank sensor, plug wires, coil and plugs. Alas, to no avail. What do you think?

1 Reply

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Next time it refuses to start don't wait for it to make up its mind-do below immediately to determine if its fuel or spark problem

Get a helper disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine atleast 3/16 away from ground-have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel related problem, Do you hear the fuel pump come On when you turn key on? If not check fuel pump fuse and fuel pump relay if okay-check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs,coil's resistances,cap and rotor,distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, cam and crank sensors and computer Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it and keep testing