I posted this several months ago. Finally got it fixed, early October. Replaced the Crank Positioning sensor. $80.00 - No help. Finally broke down and bought a junk-yard computer off a 4WD 318 (mine is 2WD). Presto. No more shutdowns.
The truck seems to have a different "personality", also. It seems to have more low-end torque - quicker "off the line" -- or is it just my imagination? :)
**orig post** 1992 Dakota 318 A/T Will intermittently shut down If I am travelling at road speed the engine continues to turn, and in approx 8-10 seconds it may or may not start back up, own it's own. It's just same as if you turned the ignition off and back on except.when it happens, the tach falls to zero, and the "Maint Reqd" light goes off (it has been on for some time) but all of the other guages continue to register, normally. Also, the "check engine" lamp sometimes refuses to come back on when the swirch is turned off and back on. (when it finally does come back on, the engine will then start back up).It has been doing this for about a year, and nobody has been able to find it. The distributer module was replaced .. waste of money. It acts exactly like some "Circuit breaker" is tripping then resetting itsself. It is totally intermittent. It may do it once/week or several times/day. Can find no commonality (like I just hit a bump or am in a hard turn, or whatever) except -- maybe -- it seems to be more frequent during hotter weather.
If it was the fuel pump, then the Tach and Ck Eng lamp should not shutdown. If it was the Ign switch, then all of the other guages should quit. also?? Or am I wrong about that??
Have checked the Batt Cables, tugged and pulled on all harnesses with it idleing, have looked and puzzled and beat on everything in sight, under the hood, have cursed and jumped up and down.
I have a factorty manual, have studied the wiring diagrams for Circuit Breakers, etc, can find none.
The thing has got me stumped. So many Garys and Clydes ..so.. "Leroy"