[pcuthbertson52]

I have a '99 Dodge Dakota 4x4 with a 3.9 it was mine then I gave it to my son he doesn't want it anymore he doesn't want to put money into it so give it back to me. So I started doing some of the work that it needs. One of the things was it hasn't had a tune-up and sometime and I know one of the spark plug wires was loose so I put a new cap, rotor, plugs and wires. And yes it ran before just not very good. Now it cranks over it has spark at the coil I even took the coil off of my 01 to double check it that didn't do any good I re-replaced the cap and rotor because as it turns out the little button on the bottom of the cap was missing and I didn't notice it at first still cranking won't start. Definitely getting gas. I even had a brand new spare pickup coil that I replaced I thought what else do I have to lose still won't start. I'm out of answers and I need help ASAP if anyone has any ideas I would much appreciate anything and everything. I'm having back surgery in 10 days and I can't have this sitting under my carport. I just don't know what else to look at and just for the record the distributor is turning as it needs to be. Thanks in advance. I look forward to some ideas.

Mine went out like that. Was the crankshaft sensor. Real bitch to get at without the right tools.

 

[clasikjrny1]

I have a '99 Dodge Dakota 4x4 with a 3.9 it was mine then I gave it to my son he doesn't want it anymore he doesn't want to put money into it so give it back to me. So I started doing some of the work that it needs. One of the things was it hasn't had a tune-up and sometime and I know one of the spark plug wires was loose so I put a new cap, rotor, plugs and wires. And yes it ran before just not very good. Now it cranks over it has spark at the coil I even took the coil off of my 01 to double check it that didn't do any good I re-replaced the cap and rotor because as it turns out the little button on the bottom of the cap was missing and I didn't notice it at first still cranking won't start. Definitely getting gas. I even had a brand new spare pickup coil that I replaced I thought what else do I have to lose still won't start. I'm out of answers and I need help ASAP if anyone has any ideas I would much appreciate anything and everything. I'm having back surgery in 10 days and I can't have this sitting under my carport. I just don't know what else to look at and just for the record the distributor is turning as it needs to be. Thanks in advance. I look forward to some ideas.

I have a 1990 Dakota 3.9 and when mine did this, everything you listed was tried. Ended up needing a new loaded distributor (has wires coming off of it)

 

[borthdaniel631]

Like a boss I had a long time ago once told me, "There has to be a reason."

So I think that although you have said that you have verified voltage from the coil (which would mean your cam & crank sensors & PCM are operational),
either you don't have voltage getting to the actual sparkplugs themselves,
or the timing changed (I was thinking of the timing chain jumping as you said it wasn't running to good) & that is why I suggested verifying that the rotor was pointing where it should be,
or the fuel it is getting is not a combustible mixture,
or not enough compression.

Not actually being there, I can only try to reason it out that way.

I would like to add my thoughts you can put a pressure gauge on the fuel rail to verify you have the correct amount of fuel pressure reaching up there you can sometimes rent the fuel pressure tester at the auto parts store or get one at harbor freight tools it's on sale for around $21 now there is a procedure online to tell you how to do that if I remember correct you connected and turn the key to the arm position not running open the bleeder let the air out then turn the key off and turn it back on and read the gauge see what the pressure says I believe it should be roughly around 40 lb without the proper fuel pressure it's not going to run

 

[AlaskaW]

I have a '99 Dodge Dakota 4x4 with a 3.9 it was mine then I gave it to my son he doesn't want it anymore he doesn't want to put money into it so give it back to me. So I started doing some of the work that it needs. One of the things was it hasn't had a tune-up and sometime and I know one of the spark plug wires was loose so I put a new cap, rotor, plugs and wires. And yes it ran before just not very good. Now it cranks over it has spark at the coil I even took the coil off of my 01 to double check it that didn't do any good I re-replaced the cap and rotor because as it turns out the little button on the bottom of the cap was missing and I didn't notice it at first still cranking won't start. Definitely getting gas. I even had a brand new spare pickup coil that I replaced I thought what else do I have to lose still won't start. I'm out of answers and I need help ASAP if anyone has any ideas I would much appreciate anything and everything. I'm having back surgery in 10 days and I can't have this sitting under my carport. I just don't know what else to look at and just for the record the distributor is turning as it needs to be. Thanks in advance. I look forward to some ideas.

Crank sensor or pick up coil

 

[borthdaniel631]

Crank sensor or pick up coil

It's a very well could be the crank sensor or pickup coil you need to follow the testing procedure which can be found online using a multimeter brother simple but can be difficult accessing the wires at the connectors while you're at it make sure the connectors are very clean and have a good connection you won't know if they're clean or not until you unplug the connector but when you connected together make sure you press firmly until you hear a pop click sound I should have mentioned at the beginning look for a check engine light to indicate if you had any codes then use a code reader to pull your code and then after you complete the repair reset your computer with your code reader to clear all codes

 

[Cuda 67]

It's a very well could be the crank sensor or pickup coil you need to follow the testing procedure which can be found online using a multimeter brother simple but can be difficult accessing the wires at the connectors while you're at it make sure the connectors are very clean and have a good connection you won't know if they're clean or not until you unplug the connector but when you connected together make sure you press firmly until you hear a pop click sound I should have mentioned at the beginning look for a check engine light to indicate if you had any codes then use a code reader to pull your code and then after you complete the repair reset your computer with your code reader to clear all codes

Already fixed. But thanks though

 

[immattj]

.

 

[immattj]

It's a very well could be the crank sensor or pickup coil

Not if OP was getting adequate output from the coil, which OP had stated that he was (before he fixed his issue by changing a faulty coil wire)..

 

[Cuda 67]

It's a very well could be the crank sensor or pickup coil you need to follow the testing procedure which can be found online using a multimeter brother simple but can be difficult accessing the wires at the connectors while you're at it make sure the connectors are very clean and have a good connection you won't know if they're clean or not until you unplug the connector but when you connected together make sure you press firmly until you hear a pop click sound I should have mentioned at the beginning look for a check engine light to indicate if you had any codes then use a code reader to pull your code and then after you complete the repair reset your computer with your code reader to clear all codes

Thanks for the suggestion but I Ruled them out from the get-go it was just a coil wire had to go through four of them before I found a good one two of them were brand new.