Ok...well you asked for it. :) Sad story coming.... :(
Was on my way home to Mississippi from Oklahoma...was visiting relatives
in Oklahoma for the holidays. I had just filled up at a 7-11 in Dallas,
made it to within a few miles from Terrell, TX when the truck started
shuddering terribly and the check engine light was a blinking....I
pulled over in Terrell to check it out....The check engine light was on
steadily at that point.
Engine would start, but sounded like it was missing on at least 3
cylinders (thats a bit of an exageration, since I only have 4...but it
really was shuddering badly), and would not stay running for very long
without me pressing the gas peddle. There was a smell of gas too...but
I am not sure if that might not just be from me pressing the gas peddle
to keep it running. It would try to idle, but it was acting like it is
missing so badly it couldn't. It will accelerate, but only just barely,
and still shudder horribly. I really did not want to run it much like
that if I didn't have to.
Jump ahead to Mississippi...I ended up pulling it back on a car dolly
after getting my bro to come down to Tx for me. :) We disconnected the
drive shaft to help prevent wear and tear on the tranny for the journey
to Miss. Needless to say, the breakdown occurred on Jan 1, when no
repair shops were open to help me.
Ok I get back, have a GOOD friend drag my poor truck to Autozone and get
them to pull the codes from the trucks 'puter. Codes PO108, PO112,
PO301, and PO320 came up (Map sensor voltage too high, air intake sensor
voltage too low, cylinder 1 misfire, and No crank reference signal at
PCM were the descriptions). As I mentioned in a previous email, I had
seen these codes before the first time my timing chain was supposedly
changed out at near 110,000 miles...Which is why I was thinking this was
the same culprit as before. After reading this group and talking with
you guys via email, it really makes me wonder if they (the Dodge
dealership in my teeny tiny home town) did truly change the timing chain
at all, or did something else to fix my baby and charged me for timing
chain work....
Anyway, I have looked for vaccuum leaks but have found none...I may try
some soapy water to further check the rubber hoses...I have swapped out
the map sensor and crankshaft position sensor listed above to no
avail...have also replaced the ignition coil, wires, spark plugs,
distributor cap and rotor too...nada.
Those were the cheap and easy things I could think of to check first
before going with the timing chain...other things I thought were maybe
some gunk got sucked up in the fuel system--bad gas from the 7-11
maybe...have put some additives in fuel to get rid of any water...but
maybe it might be sediment in fuel has gotten into the injectors...I
don't know how to check for that though...
One thing I did notice is that my first set of plugs were soot black
when I pulled them after getting back to Miss....Then after changing the
ignition stuff, the second set of plugs were also fairly black after oh,
say 10 times of starting during changing out various ignition
components....so it seemed as if fuel was getting there....
My next thing was gonna be popping the timing cover and looking at the
timing chain at least, but I wanted to be prepared to change it out if
need be. I had thought I might have a handle on whats wrong...but now I
am not so sure after talking, via this group, with the people here. A
good thing of course is that I am learning quite a bit about my truck.
:) The bad thing is I am freezing my nads off riding my motorcycle in
to work every morning this last 10 days--30 miles one way :) ....so you
can see I have incentive to fix my baby as soon as I can.
I rather like working on my truck, but its so much more satisfying when
I actually fix the problem! LOL. So now, here we are. You know almost
as much as I do about what the problem might be. Any help and or
suggestions about what to check or test will be appreciated. Thanks guys.
Wilbur
Bernd D. Ratsch wrote:
> DRB-III can check it out....but doubt that the PCM went south (haven't seen
> too many 2.5L PCM's go bad). What exactly is the truck doing (or not doing
> properly)? Also, check the basics first: engine tune, vacuum leaks,
> corroded or gunked up sensor connections, etc.
>
> - Bernd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of Wilbur
> Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 6:09 PM
> To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
> Subject: Re: DML: replacing timing chain on 1998 dakota 2.5 liter
>
>
>
> Hmmm...makes me wonder somewhat then if my computer (PCM) has gone
> south....are there any quick tests for that? I guess I always thought
> if the PCM was dead...it wouldn't run at all...Again, thanks for the
> information and suggestions. Have a good evening!
>
> Wilbur
>
>
> Wilbur wrote:
>
>
>>Thanks guys....Lots of great info here. I will put forth more
>>research
>>before buying any parts...Btw, any preference for timing parts if I do
>>decide to replace them? Should I go Mopar or can what I get from
>>Autozone or a similar place be as good?
>>
>>Wilbur
>>
>>
>>Bernd D. Ratsch wrote:
>>
>>
>>>There's really no accurate way to check the timing on the Magnum
>>>engines with conventional tools. Even a scanner will fluctuate on
>>>ignition timing. The '89 was still in the era where you could check
>>>timing...but not anymore.
>>>
>>>- Bernd
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
>>>[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of
>>>david.clement@verizon.net
>>>Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 6:57 AM
>>>To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
>>>Subject: Re: DML: replacing timing chain on 1998 dakota 2.5 liter
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>In article <btvts8$emh$1@bent.twistedbits.net>,
>>>bwgreen@ocean.otr.usm.edu
>>>(Wilbur) writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hiya Ken,
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for replying. :) I got out the trusty timing light and
>>>>checked it again....I couldn't remember if it had been jumping all
>>>>over or not and yes, it was bouncing all over....further evidence of
>>>>timing chain going bad...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>You can't check the timing like that on new computer controlled
>>>vehicle, the
>>>jumping is as likely to be the computer doing it's thing. I am not
>>>sure of
>>>the procedure for your engine but my 89 Dakota and other DC products I
>>>have
>>>you had to pull the plug on the to the temp sensor while the engine is
>>>runing to put the system into limp home mode. That is the only way you
>>>can
>>>determine the base timing setting.
>>>
>>>Do not use those results as a basis for changing the timing chain.
>>>
>>>Dave Clement
>>>99 SLT+ CC 4x4
>>
>>
>
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