# 98 Dakota occasional loss of power then backfire



## picflight (Aug 25, 2011)

The timing is off.

If the ignition is computer controlled, 98, probably is, looks like a faulty chip.


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

Your catalytic converter could be broken up and plugging your exhaust. Pretty common on those bang on your cat and if it rattles it's bad. You can test for back psi with a gauge in the o2 sensor port or disconnect the exhaust before the cat and drive it.


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## picflight (Aug 25, 2011)

cjm94 said:


> Your catalytic converter could be broken up and plugging your exhaust. Pretty common on those bang on your cat and if it rattles it's bad. You can test for back psi with a gauge in the o2 sensor port or disconnect the exhaust before the cat and drive it.


"He is talking about bangs and shimmy, doesn't look like instrumentation to me!"

If there is a rattle on idle, then you have a bad catalytic converter too.


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

Who said anything about instrumentation?


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

raise the hood at night and see if you see any sparks jumping between the plug wires. happened to me once.


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## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

Does sound like a cat converter problem to me. If you can provide more info such as the mileage, last time plugs and wires were changed, etc., we can narrow down a few things.


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## rodm1 (Dec 27, 2009)

Plugs and wires changed in probable the last 30,000 miles, miles on OD176,000. It wouldn't think it would be anything maintenance related. I keep up the maintenance on it. 

What about the IAC valve could that be something to look at? If the cat whose plunged wouldn't the rear o2 censer light come on? 

I will look into these but the exhaust might have to weight until wormer weather.


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

The iac valve does not do anything off idle. It is used to control idle and replace the dash pot function for sudden deceleration. On older dodges the downstream O2 sensors are not real tight parameters. I actually removed the cat on my 96 for a while when it plugged and it did not set the light.


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## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

Do you know if that is the original cat on there? If so, I would definitely be looking at that as the problem. 176K miles is a lot if you never had it changed.


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## rodm1 (Dec 27, 2009)

I believe its OEM but not positive. If it will not mess up the computer I could remove it when it worms up.


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