dodge durango random misfire

[pbatemon]

okay I’m pretty much lost as to what this is, I have an 98 dodge Durango with the 5.2 anyways I keep getting this misfire code and its for #1 and #5 then after clearing the code i drove it and got a misfire in #2 and #8 I’ve changed the spark plugs, the plug wires, rotor and rotor cap and all that good stuff, but still no change, it also dose this strange thing around 45mph and up where it’s jerking, as if someone’s putting it outta gear and back in, this stops when I step on the gas hard and it downshifts, this is also when the light comes back on is when it’s jerking, and there’s even some times the check engine light just turns off and the codes arnt to be found, I have no idea what’s going on, i even attempted a compression test #1 80 #2 125 #3 95 #4 80 #5 90 #6 100 #7 105 #8 90
i think the one that makes me wonder is #2, anyway shoot me any ideas you got, any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

Topic

[Roy French]

I had a similar problem with a GM engine. All I had to do was perform a crank sensor relearn/calibration to stop the trouble. The crank sensor measures the amount the crank turns after each power stroke. If it doesn’t turn enough, it logs a misfire. Of course if the sensor is “on the edge” it logs false misfires.

[LJ11194]

I have this with my Ram (also a 5.2), other than the codes. Somehow I have no codes even though the light flashes at me sometimes. After changing wires, cap, and rotor it went away and then came back, and when I put in new plugs it got worse. I also have idle knocks and shakes. The jerking is the misfire’s effect being amplified when the torque converter clutch locks up. I have a thread on this and I believe the last reply told me to see what the fuel trims looked like with a live scanner.

Roywrench, how does one do that calibration?

[clay rutledge]

random missfires can be caused by a multitude of problems..I would make sure the fuel filter is in good shape.I am unfamiliar with dodge but if they have a crank sensor check to make sure it is clean and all connections are clean also.sounds like it could be a fuel problem to me.. but like i said not much of a dodge man… but also noticed that the compression seems just a bit low… lot of miles on the engine?????

[pbatemon]

well first off i may have messed up the compression test, because i wasn’t thinking and i only took out one spark plug at i time, and even when i pulled the fuel relay somehow it still started, and yes it was the right relay, so idk how that happened, so idk if that should messed it up or not, also i checked the fuel pump psi and i was spot on factory spec, waited for 20 mins and psi didn’t go down

[pbatemon]

so how do i go about doing this calibration? im willing to pretty much try whatever at this point

[Roy French]

The calibration is done with a bi directional scan tool. I used an OTC. I know you can do it with the newer snap on scanner also. I think it’s in the tests and procedures section.
It’s a little scary because after you set the tool up to do the calibration, you have to fully depress the accelerator with the engine running. (The scanner controls the rpms so you don’t blow up your engine)
With my GM engine, the crank sensor is on the side of the block and the tone wheel is on the crank. I think rust gets between the sensor and the block pushing out the sensor slightly, causing the miss calibration. The truck runs perfect but you log misfires. With your Dodge, the sensor is in the right side bell housing. Could corrosion be moving it away from the ring gear? I have never had to do the recal on a Dodge, and don’t know if it is possible. My wife had a 98 Durango with a 5.9 that ran good for the entire 150k we had it. I do like the idea of checking the fuel trims to see if you are getting actual misfires.

[LJ11194]

Yeah I don’t think either of us will have access to those kind of tools. I’m fairly sure we are both getting real misfires too since we both have symptoms.

[pbatemon]

yea sorry threes no way i can get a hold of a new snap-on scanner, the newest one i got is an 2 year old actron, and im about to change the ignition coil as i have heard as they get older some of the sparks may not be as strong (thinking that’s why it switched #s on me)it was a $20 part, so fingers crossed, the only other thing i haven’t changed is fuel injectors, but i did run cleaning stuff into them and no change

[LJ11194]

Let me know how it goes. If it helps you, I’ll definitely change mine. (And I might anyway just because it’s the last part of the ignition that isn’t brand new on mine)

BTW Where did you find one for $20?

[pbatemon]

oh an it has 240,500 miles on the car idk if the engines stock or not

[pbatemon]

here is were i got the part, http://www.buyautoparts.com/buynow/1998/Dodge/Durango/Ignition_Coil/32-80123_AN.html a grabbed the first one on the list, not the oem one the brand new one, and they have a one year warrenty and a guaranteed Exact Fit were if its not the right part you just get a hold of them send it back and they send the right one

[pbatemon]

here is were i got the part, http://www.buyautoparts.com/buynow/1998/Dodge/D…oil/32-80123_AN.html a grabbed the first one on the list, not the oem one the brand new one, and they have a one year warrenty and a guaranteed Exact Fit were if its not the right part you just get a hold of them send it back and they send the right one

[LJ11194]

I’ve had bad experience with cheap aftermarket electrical components… for example my blower motor resistor that only lasted a couple months. I might be willing to spend double for a name brand/OEM one. Or I might just go to the junk yard.

[LJ11194]

Also does anyone have the ohm specs for the coil on this engine? I’m having trouble finding them on
the internet, and yet again, the Chrysler factory manual doesn’t want to tell me either.

EDIT: It is actually in the manual, under a different subsection. For anyone interested:

[pbatemon]

lol i was just trying to figure that out the other day, i gave up after a few hrs of looking on the internet, and most the the time they don’t show this stuff, if you want i can check the ohms on the one im getting when it comes in, idk if that would be helpful though

[Author]

Replies