96-Dakota-Not Getting Spark

I could really use some input here before I end up having to put a lot of money into a ECM that may not be needed and be unreturnable.

Last Wed I got home from picking up my wife and turned off my truck. I had no problems with it that night driving it. The next morning I go out ot start it to bring her to work and I have not been able to get it to start since.

It will turn over, but it will not get a spark. The mechanic downstairs and I have gone over everything we can thing of. The coil is receiving electricity, but I am not getting a spark on my #1 plug. I replaced the coil and that did not improve anything.

The mechnic now thinks, after reading my Haynes Manual, that this is the ECM or brain as many call it. I can get that at MoparPartz for 408.00. However, I can not return it if it is not the problem. So, I really need some advice if anyone can assist.

Thanks in advance.

Does your fuel pump work as well? If not, you could have a tripped ASD relay (Automatic ShutDown). What normally causes that relay to trip is a bad crank sensor or FJ2 (signal voltage) to the PCM. See if that's the cause.

Did you check the spark plug wire, could be cracked

Yes, the fuel pump is working and the wires are new.

We have been told this could be the ECM or wire leading to the ECM. Any experience there?

Did you check the distributor, distributor cap, and rotor??? Those could be it too...

If, you have fuel injection you have a computer that gives codes to problems.
Have you tried to read the computer by the check engine light? If, not; try it.
Turn the key on, (not start position), turn it off and back on WITHIN 5 seconds. Watch the CHECK ENGINE Light on the dash. It should flash 8 times and then gives a code signal. The 8 flashes tells you that the "88" test is engaged.
The check engine light will start the code readout; it should flash on, then off and back on in a pattern that you have to count and record on paper. It might flash once or more then off, etc. In most manuals, (Haynes, Chilton, & factory) has a limited list of codes that will point you in the right direction for solving problems.
I'm helping a buddy of mine with the same problem on a 96 Dakota, his battery went bad on a recently purchased used truck. Found the codes are NOT reading out, I think the brain got fried by the bad battery. That's when I went to the Google search engine and found this site.