Distant cousin? It seems you're not alone.........

1996 Dakota on Craigslist



"If you have never fixed anything on a vehicle, This truck is NOT for you !!!

This truck is only for someone who knows how to fix things and is good at finding the issues, and solving problems.

About the Truck:

139k miles. Clean title. But battle tested. Some hail damages, wounds, since 1996.

1. Almost all sensors are new, the MAP sensor, TPS sensor, IAC sensor, Oil press sensor, Coolant Temperature sensor, Engine Air Temperature sensor, Throttle Position sensor, O2 sensor.

2. New fuel pump, new distributor cap and new spark plugs and cables, new ignition coil，pickup coil, fuel injectors, new EGR valve, new catalytic converter, new muffler... New front crome bumper...New radiator, New Battery...

3. An extra ECM, or the computer of the truck programed with the same VIN number of the truck.

This truck is almost with all new components in the Truck!!!

Why have I changed so many parts?
because I am a dummy, and an optimist. I think I can fix things just by Google search and YouTube video, except I couldn't find out the real problems, I just started changing parts I thought would solve the problem.

Now, I realized I am no auto mechanic, and it's time to hand over the truck to an expert to bring it to its glorious days.

Now about the issues with the truck:

The good part:

1. This truck runs !!! AC/Heater works perfectly.

2. The original radio, cassette player works perfectly.

3. No leaking of oil, super clean engine bay under the hood! Clean interiors.

4. 6.5ft bed, with an after market backup camera.



The problems:
1. This truck dies, sometimes at traffic lights, sometimes in the morning idling after it was started. Some times it starts right back, sometimes not.

2. When it won't restart, I switch the ECM, it's good again. And after a while, like a few days, the symptoms come back. So I just switch to the other ECM.

3. There is no check engine light at all!!! This is the mystery!!!

4. Then someone said, it might be the vacuum line, so I changed some hoses.
But it still not solved the problem.

The only thing I didn't have the will to do is the electrical wiring, too daunting for me... But I did tied all the ground together...

Now, it's time for you to give it a try !!!

The list price won't even cover the parts I put in the truck. But I'll be super glad if someone can find the problem and fix it for good. It might last another 100,000miles afterwards. Who knows.

Thanks for your interest in solving this mystery!!!"