Intermittent stalling issue

COLTERB123

MEMBER
1996 DODGE DAKOTA
3.9L
V6
2WD
AUTOMATIC
178,000 MILES

Hey fellow car people. For the last two months it has been shutting off when I go to slow down or stop. It is slowly getting worst and worst and makes a diesel truck kind of sound when it shuts off, that is the only way I can describe it. It only does it occasionally. It has days where I will not have any trouble and some where it will take an hour to go around the block. I have changed the map sensor, crank position sensor, throttle position sensor, had exhaust redone, new IAC valve, fresh oil, clean throttle body, new fuel pump with good pressure, new distributor cap and rotor, spark plugs, belt, timing, water pump and battery. All seem fine and were changed three years ago. I do have a transmission leak and engine is running kind of warmer than it probably should. I had taken it to several shops and no problems no codes except a week or two ago it had three for battery being disconnected, map sensor (that I changed) and coil/misfire that was changed. I am out of money and patience and I am still stumped. Any help is very much needed!

3 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,881 POSTS

Real simple solution. The engine computer lost its memory when you disconnected the battery. It relearns everything on its own except for "minimum throttle". Until it relearns that, the computer will not know when it must be in control of idle speed. The engine may not start unless you hold the accelerator pedal down 1/4". It will tend to stall at stop signs, and you will not get the nice idle flare-up to 1500 rpm at start-up.

To meet the conditions for the relearn to take place, drive at highway speed with the engine warmed up, then coast for at least seven seconds without touching the pedals.

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Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 5:24 PM

COLTERB123

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I did this to reset it and it works, but when it shuts off, it start idling again at like 1200 rpm and runs at a high rpm while driving. So no luck.

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Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 6:24 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,881 POSTS

For idle speed that is too high, look for a vacuum leak. Next would be to connect a scanner to view live data. In particular, observe the "idle step" the engine computer has the idle speed motor set to. Out of 256 steps, step 32 is typical for a properly-running engine. If you find it at a lower step, but idle speed is too high, the computer is trying to lower idle speed, but without success. That is when to look for a vacuum leak. If the step number is too high, the computer is requesting the higher speed in response to something. Look at the other sensor readings the computer is responding to. Coolant temperature that is reading too cold is a good suspect. Temperature sensors have a very low failure rate because there is just one part inside them, but corrosion between mating terminals in a connector can cause the reading to be too cold. If you find it at step 0, minimum throttle has not been relearned yet.

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Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 AT 7:01 PM