I am very interested in a perfect cosmetic example of a D1, rust free, etc. It would be great to join my current D1, to ensure I can have one solid vehicle and the current one for backup parts. However, one issue lingers and worries me. The check engine light is on.

He said, "To elaborate, it's my understanding that there is a common problem with the design of the 1998 (and other years, although I do not know which) engine as it relates specifically to the wiring harness.

Apparently over time the insulation can erode and as it is not readily visible to the untrained eye, when it erodes it manifests itself in sluggish engine performance, with max RPMs around 2400. My guess is, and it's borne out by what they told me, is that the engine sensors pick up a signal from the timing belt but it's effectively a false signal (ie., the gremlin). From a performance standpoint, there's no effect."

Anyone ever hear of this?

 

Less fluffy bunny poo, tell us the code that's tripping the Check Engine light. The rest I don't give a rats **** to respond on.

 

Uh, right. I don't own the car yet and just in negotiations. As soon as I can fly to visit and obviously hook my diagnostics kit up to it. In the meantime I was just curious if anybody had any input.

Thanks for sharing.

 

You mean there’s someone else with a perfect cosmetic example of a rust free D1 out there? Blasphemy! They are lying! I own the only perfect example of an unmolested D1 in existence. And it can be yours for let’s say, oh, $14,000. This is the LRF inter web special price though. All others will pay full price. Coffee is King!

i don’t believe there is a “common problem” with the 1998’s. These trucks are 20+ years old now and things begin to break down quite a bit without care and attention and in a lot of cases years of neglect and abuse. Oh and, the 4.0L pig of a V8 is sluggish period. Don’t expect any miraculous changes in power. They aren’t meant for that. They can be quite fast downhill though.

 

Elizabethan English is not widely spoken here only American Cowboy. There is no such sensor in the entire world as a "timing belt sensor". The V8 uses a timing chain, only the 200TDi/300TDi use belts and there isn't a sensor on those either, they're diesels. There is a Cam Position and a Crank Position sensor. The Cam Sensor would be the one you mentioned, it's hard to tell when it fails, it can fail 180* out and you wouldn't know it other than the motor might run rough. It effects fuel injection timing. The Throttle Position sensor which on a 98 is tied into the Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor circuit can misbehave and then the symptom can be 1750 rpm max. It depends on if Throttle Position Sensor failed open or closed. Wiring failing in anything over 20 years is pretty much a norm, the most common failure effects the Crank Position Sensor due to the proximity of the exhaust down pipe, it bakes the insulation, will usually crumble away and leaves exposed copper which will cause a poor running motor.

 

Clear coat failure...... is a given to all years.

 

crankshaft position sensor wires

 

^lol!!!!

 

Dovetailing on the above comments....without the code it will be very difficult to pin it down with any precision (and even then it can be tricky).