1998 Dodge Stratus Distributor Replaced and still Surges

Tiny
JINRUSS
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 DODGE STRATUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 119,633 MILES
I have a 1998 Dodge Stratus ES and for 3 or 4 days I noticed a surging or bucking while driving that had never happened before. It happened while cruising, accelerating, and idling. The car would sort of hesitate and buck for a second and then return to normal. I made an appointment to bring it in on Friday, but Thursday morning while driving the engine died and would crank, but not start.

I had it towed to a local repair shop and they tested the fuel pressure and said it was fine and then tested the electrical system. They said there was power going into the distributor but nothing coming out and I needed a new distributor. I spent $600 dollars and had the distributor replaced. The car starts and runs now but it is still surging and bucking just like it was before it died before. I feel like it is going to die again soon. I don't understand why it is still surging and bucking after the broken distributor was replaced as it can't be a coincidence that the surging started happening 3 to 4 days before the distributor died.

Any ideas what the problem could be?
Monday, December 1st, 2008 AT 11:19 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
JAMES W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,394 POSTS
From the symtoms you describe, I would check the "crankshaft position sensor". The CPS controls the spark and the injector pulse for the engine. They can fail intermitently. Not every shop can check this unit and it almost has to be acting up to catch a problem. You may just want to have it changed and hope for the best. Let us know how it plays out.
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Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 AT 12:12 AM

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