Damn truck, any mechanics out there?

[Angus]

I've got a 2002 Dodge Dakota (4.7L v-8) with 90,000 miles. I've owned it almost a year and it has run like a dream until an hour ago. Ran to the store, truck ran fine as always but when I came back out and turned the key I noticed my tach was jumping all over the place and 1 of the dash lights said "check dash gauges" which I'm sure was pointing out the tach. Anyways, I turn the key to start the truck and it acted like it was flooded (never done that before) but after about 10 seconds it fired up but was running rough, thought it might clean itself out once I got on the street, never made it, it died and when I tried starting again it back fired and ran even rougher and started blowing alot of smoke out of the exhaust and I new it wasn't going anywhere and shut it off. Calling a tow truck in the morning, any ideas? my gut tells me timing belt is fubar, sure hope my gut is wrong

[92xj]

What color smoke?

[BOWHUNTER45]

Well that say it all  DODGE 

[Angus]

Blue

[jackelope]

Timing chain, not a belt.

My guess might be a fuel pump. Check gauges light wont come on related to the tachometer. It would have been oil pressure, engine temp, low or high voltage, but not the tachometer.

[Angus]

Timing chain, not a belt.

My guess might be a fuel pump. Check gauges light wont come on related to the tachometer. It would have been oil pressure, engine temp, low or high voltage, but not the tachometer.

With hunting season a couple weeks away I would be thrilled if it was a fuel pump instead of timing chain, just figured with my luck and the way it sounded I won't be getting out of this cheap.
I didn't have the check engine light come on, just the check gauges light which I didn't even know I had. I've never seen a tach jump around like that on an engine that wasn't running,

[jackelope]

Weird symptoms for sure but I wouldn't worry about a timing chain.

[FC]

Tach going crazy like that could be a symptom of an alternator producing low voltage. If fuel pressure related I would suspect a failed pressure regulator (too much pressure).

[shoot-em-dead]

Might be a long shot but I see you live in Kelso so your within the general radius of Portland/ Vancouver.  On my ride to work this morning 1190 kex was saying that a local gas station had sold a bunch of bad gas and they were saying that it makes the cars do exactly what your describing. I think it was a BP gas station but I can't remember for sure. They said the gas station was trying to find out who all bought the bad gas. Good luck

[jackelope]

Tach going crazy like that could be a symptom of an alternator producing low voltage. If fuel pressure related I would suspect a failed pressure regulator (too much pressure).

when I read it the 2nd time...truck wasn't running...

[Angus]

Last couple fillups were at the Kelso Safeway, don't remember the last time I filled up at a BP.

[Fishnclifff]

My brother's truck did something similar.
They replaced the dash circuit board .

[jeepasaurusrex]

Blue smoke= oil
White smoke=water
Black smoke=fuel

[Heredoggydoggy]

I'd sooner think it was bad gas.  I got one tankful of gas at the local Safeway, and the truck ran crappy until i got gas again someplace else.  Never went back to the Safeway gas station again.  Must have got some water in the mix.

[Mudman]

fuel possible but id go with electrical problem.  Check internet forums etc. might find similar symptoms.  Most likely you will have to take er to shop.  Everything electrical/computer on new trucks.The dash circuit mentioned makes sense too.

[Heredoggydoggy]

  Most likely you will have to take er to shop.  Everything electrical/computer on new trucks.

Sad but true--I just took my '07 GMC to the dealer because the blower motor only worked on "High".  $200 and it works on all 4 speeds, now. 

[Angus]

Tow truck will be there at 8 AM to haul her a half mile to my mechanic, should get the good or bad news by lunch tomorrow.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Tow truck will be there at 8 AM to haul her a half mile to my mechanic, should get the good or bad news by lunch tomorrow.

Have him check for water in the gas first...I've rarely had mechanical problems come on that fast! 

[bone collector 12]

  Most likely you will have to take er to shop.  Everything electrical/computer on new trucks.

Sad but true--I just took my '07 GMC to the dealer because the blower motor only worked on "High".  $200 and it works on all 4 speeds, now. 

Have the same problem on my 92 chevy took the dash apart and turns out i have to replace.my whole dash harness,melted wires from door to door!!

[Angus]

Tow truck will be there at 8 AM to haul her a half mile to my mechanic, should get the good or bad news by lunch tomorrow.

Have him check for water in the gas first...I've rarely had mechanical problems come on that fast! 

Yeah, It really did come on without any warning, ran fine like it always has on the way to the store, 15 minute shopping trip and everything went to hell . Guess it could be worse, I could have been 15 miles up a logging road looking for an elk!

[one shot kill]

Had the same thing happen to my work rig. All it turned out to be was a dirty mass air sensor. It would blow smoke, idle rough, and when I hit the brakes it would die.

[Crunchy]

I just dumped a grand into my rig a few days ago.  There is NEVER a good time to spend that kind of money but with hunting season just around the corner just get it fixex and worry about how to pay for it later.  My guess is mass air flow sensor.  Shouldnt be more than a couple hundred bucks.

[JBar]

Watching this one, have the same truck with 160k. Just changed the throttle postion sensor in mine. RPM's were jumping all over when driving.

[bloodhound]

it very possible its the alternator. some vehicles wont run these days if the alternator is bad. the alternator has what they call a rectifier in it which turns ac voltage into dc voltage. if the rectifier is going bad you can see spikes in your tac due to the way the ac current works.

[elkoholic1]

sounds like a voltage problem low voltage will cause all of these symptoms you have,  alt is computer controlled in your vehicle

[Miles]

Well since no one has said it yet, I'm going to guess that it's your.......power button on the radio.   






I always get a good laugh out of these threads.   If you're going to take advice (guesses) from a forum board, you had better get your wallet out.   It would be cheaper to take it to a trained mechanic and be done with it.

[Woodchuck]

I would really like to hear how this turns out, please let us know.

[Alchase]

Did it throw any codes?

[Angus]

I always get a good laugh out of these threads.   If you're going to take advice (guesses) from a forum board, you had better get your wallet out.   It would be cheaper to take it to a trained mechanic and be done with it.

I did, and my wife just texted me and said the mechanic is done with it, $350 later, she tried to explain the problem but I'm guessing most of you with wives can guess how that went, I'll get the details and report back when I pick i up either this evening or tomorrow.

[Angus]

Just picked up my truck, mechanic wasn't there so I didn't get to ask any questions, he did leave the work order on the seat, says they replaced IAC??? and the crank sensor as well as the airbox which I turned from a 1 piece airbox into a 2 piece when she backfired, he said he had never seen anything like that before .
$330 out the door, after tossing and turning all night, I'm not complaining about 330.

[shoot-em-dead]

Glad you have it working again.

[jackelope]

Just picked up my truck, mechanic wasn't there so I didn't get to ask any questions, he did leave the work order on the seat, says they replaced IAC??? and the crank sensor as well as the airbox which I turned from a 1 piece airbox into a 2 piece when she backfired, he said he had never seen anything like that before .
$330 out the door, after tossing and turning all night, I'm not complaining about 330.

IAC=Idle Air Control motor.

[Angus]

IAC=Idle Air Control motor.

Thank you, I can now say I learned something today

[Angus]

Looks like my mechanic get another crack at it on Monday, drove to work yesterday (40 miles round trip) and it seemed to run fine except for 1 little hesitation which seemed like maybe bad gas, then today on some errands it died and before I restarted it I noticed the tach jumping all over the place, luckily she started right back up and got me home. 

[Mudman]

sounds to me like you might have a mechanic that throws parts at it till its fixed?  Maybe try someone else?  Dealer or elect. specialist.

[Angus]

Mechanic replaced another sensor, didn't charge me, thinks its fixed , I haven't picked it up yet. He said absolutely nothing showed up when he hooked his machine upto it to read codes . I do have another shop lined up if/when problem returns.
Sucks this has to happen right before archery season, even if it is fixed I'm going to worry when I leave pavement.

[Woodchuck]

Sounds to me like the guy you have it with is trying to make it right with you.  It is not at all uncommon that repairing one issue can expose another/more.