1996 Dodge Dakota Backfiring and Cutting out

SEARCY51

MEMBER
1996 DODGE DAKOTA
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
161,000 MILES

I have a 96 dodge dakota 4-wheel drive 3.9 engine automatic pickup I have changed out one outside coil one on the outside of the motor the other underneath the rotary bug. I changed out the rotary bug, distributer cap, spark plug wires, spark plugs, three O2 censors, took out the catilatic converter, muffler, fuel pump, fuel filter, cleaned out fuel injectors, and fuel rail. The timing on the scanner shows to be okay and fuel shows to be okay, and everything else shows to be okay like the check engine light doesn't come on. I will be going down the road and it acts like it is flooding it starts to cut out and backfires through the tail pipe. I've checked the relays, the fuses, and they are all okay. Sometimes when I turn the key on to start the pickup the motor would sit there and spin and act like its not getting any fuel. But it set for 5 minutes and it will start like nothing is wrong.

6 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

Have you checked the fuel pressure regulator? Also, check the map sensor.

Let me know what you find. NOTE: You may have to drive the vehicle with the scanner hooked up so you can identify were the problem is coming from when it happens. Something tells me it is one of the things I mentioned.

Joe

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Friday, June 4th, 2010 AT 11:37 AM

SEARCY51

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4 POSTS

The fuel pressure regulator and the map sensor were both checked and they were okay. Any other suggestions

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Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 AT 8:44 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

Have you checked engine codes? Even if the check engine light isn't on, they could be there. Also, do you have access to an onboard scanner that you can use to check things as you drive? The first thing that popped into my head was the map sensor. About a year ago, I had a similar problem I was working on. The truck would run, start to miss, sometimes backfire, and then die. It would restart and run good for a little ways and do the same thing. The only way I found it was having someone drive while I watched what was happening on a scanner. By luck, and I mean by luck, I caught the voltage from the MAP drop. It checked good and then would go out.

Just an idea.

Let me know.
Joe

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Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 AT 9:23 PM

SEARCY51

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4 POSTS

I have had scanner hooked up while driving and had the mecahnic watching the scanner while I drove. The only thing that it shows is when it dies the primary coil is bad, I have changed it out twice and it still has the same problem. No codes other than primary coil. Just wondering if it could be the computer and is their a way to tell if the computer is bad before replacing it. I have checked everything that you have mentioned already and I am an my witts end.

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Saturday, June 12th, 2010 AT 10:26 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

To have the computer tested, you need to remove it and there are places that can check them. If you are losing power to the coil, then the coil isn't the problem. It could be the computer.