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Dodge Ram Gasoline Engine Questions

124

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  • bluedodge47bluedodge47 Member Posts: 2
    Doing 70mph took foot off gas to coast into toll booth, herd a pop of some type and engin died. Made it to booth but wouldn't restart. Pushed to road side and tried to restart and wouldn't BUT 3 out of 5 times when i'd stop cranking the engin would turn backwards a revolution and blow out the throtlebody??? Have never seen this. Good spark, gas, cranks good, new battery, fresh oil...could the timing chain have gone that quietly?? Help would be greatly appreciated..thanks
  • swanneyswanney Member Posts: 5
    03 Dodge 2WD 4.7 L. Check engine light is on, checked codes, Shows misfire any ideas. Thanks
  • ccb2ccb2 Member Posts: 1
    hi i have a 2002 ram 2500 5.9 gas,has 95000 and never any major issues BUT i have had a spark knock even on high test fuel,and fresh tune up?and when you r driving with a c on the heater door swaps to hot. what would cause that??when driving at 55-60 with heater off and selector to cold, heat will start coming out the vents, then stop and start again.last issue when started cold sometimes the engine will rev up on its own and like an older carb fed truck if you snap the gas real quick it comes out of it.please help....
  • jshellabjshellab Member Posts: 2
  • jshellabjshellab Member Posts: 2
    I had a problem with my Dodge Ram 1500 5.2 liter, automatic misfiring on cool, wet mornings. There was no check engine light. I changed the plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor and coil to no avail. I took it to a shop, left it for a week since this problem was most evident in the morning. I live in Houston so it wasn't especially cold when this happened. They couldn't identify the cause. Eventually, based on something the mechanic said and just on a hunch I tried heating the ECM with a hair dryer on a cold morning after starting the engine to confirm that it was still misfiring and shutting it down. After about 25 minutes of heating it I started the engine and it ran smoothly. In the warm afternoon when the engine was running fine, I removed the ECM and put it my freezer for about 30 minutes in a ziplock bag. When I reinstalled it and started the engine it misfired, confirming my diagnosis. The shop replaced the ECM and it's been running fine since. This is an odd problem that I haven't seen discussed on any forums so I thought I'd post this to help anyone else wrestling with similar symptoms.
  • johngazjohngaz Member Posts: 2
    I have a dodge ram 1999 1500 v8 5.2 and changed the o2 sensor. it ran for about 3 days then started to have issues with the RPM's. I was driving along and suddenly IF I gave it gas it would not go any faster. I could not increase the RPM's but it would keep running If I gave it gas it would keep running nut only raise the speed slowly.. now I have to give it gas to start and it holds at about 6000 RPM. I cannot move the truck the engine dies. I can give it gas but it hesitances I do not get a back fire but the truck will not go faster than 30 MPH or 2000 RPM I hooked a tester to the computer and do see any error codes. before this I did have a error code p 0304 which is why I changed the o2 sensor. the truck has 60000 miles and has really not had any problems. any ideas?
  • johngazjohngaz Member Posts: 2
  • emeraldgreenemeraldgreen Member Posts: 4
    Have a 5.9 gas with about 90,000 miles. Shutdown while driving and now just cranks. My mechanic (old guy) checked and replaced distributor as it was corroded. Replaced crank and cam sensors, coil, wires etc. Says he has done all he can and thinks maybe it's the computer, which he can't check. If he hooks up his ignition box to it it'll start right up, but won't even try to start with the truck ignition.
    A recon ecu is about $150 with lifetime warranty. I think I'll just buy it rather than spend another $90 to have it diagnosed by dealer.
    Are there any other possibilities?
    Thanks
  • bluedodge47bluedodge47 Member Posts: 2
    hey, had a very similar problam, I replaced everything you did and no go, then replaced the coil and it solved it...just about another $20 investment...it was worth it...good luck!!
  • emeraldgreenemeraldgreen Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the suggestion, but have already replaced the coil.
    Any other thoughts?
  • 80mod80mod Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 ram 4.7ltr at around 116k miles. I recently replaced the radiator & thermostat. About two months later my expansion tank is leaking under the cap where the neck branches off the tank, not the cap itself. Is the tank just old and needing to be replaced or does this sound like the root of another problem?
  • timothyeggerstimothyeggers Member Posts: 1
    I am thinking about purchasing a 2001 dodge ram 4x4 , 5.9 eng. fuel inj, auto and want to know what the mpg is
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    Have an '07 RAM w/5.7 HEMI. About a year ago I switched from conventional oil to synthetic. Tried Mobil 1 and then switched to Castrol Syntec(5W30). I had stupidly hoped to see a slight improvement in gas mileage(never happened). Problem is that I occasionally have to add oil between oil changes. I'm running the synthetic about 7500 miles between changes and have had to add as much as 2 qts. during that time. Is this normal? I thought I saw an earlier post that mentioned that it wasn't unusual to have to add oil when using full synthetic. At 7 bucks a qt it isn't something I'm too happy doing. Thinking about changing back to non -synthetic, since there hasn't been any real benefit to the synthetic oil.
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    I may be wrong but I believe you need to be using 5/20w in your HEMI the same as my 07 HEMI. 5/30W will work but its not what the manual calls for. 7,500 miles is also too long between changes (in my opinion) and I change mine every 5,000 miles. Been doing this for 20+ years and never had an engine related failure on any of my vehicles. I use either synthetic blend or full synthetic and perfrer Kendall to other oils. Just my 2c worth.

    Ski in TX
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    My mistake, I've been using 5W20(not 5W30). I used to change the non-syn oil every 3000. Full syn says you can go 10K but I'd never do it. I figured 7500 would be a good number since I'm mostly on the highway with the truck, and because I usually have to add a qt. between changes. Wish the mileage was better though.
  • mark253mark253 Member Posts: 1
    I am having a similar problem with my 97 5.9. It just would not start one day and I dont have any spark. Tryed the coil, geting power to the coil, geting power to the distributer. Was looking in the book and it was saying to test the power coming out of the camshaft pickup. Tested it and was getting no volts. called thr parts store and they have it listed as just a ignition pickup. I was a little confused by the books discription and what the parts store was telling me, but I bought one 30.00 and the truck fired right up and ran for a few minutes and died no spark. So I took it back out and took it to the parts store and the did not have another one. Went across the the street to the other parts store and bought one of a diffrent brand. Took it home put it in and it fired right up. It ran for a few minutes and I took down the road it was fine and then it died. Would not start for a few and then it fired and then it died. did this for a couple of times and now wont start. So the pickup is for sure the problem but there might be another underluying problem. If anyone has any idea I could use the input Thanks
  • hunter7316hunter7316 Member Posts: 1
    '98 model,.5.2 liter gas engine. new plugs (stock original type),cap and rotor. Wires 2 yrs old (dealer replaced along with a $300 tune-up) Still misfires throughout speed range unless I stomp on it. Then it runs fine. At idle, in gear, the engine seems to gradually lose power and RPM's until they fall below 400, then the engine surges up to 1,000 RPM's or so, and the sequence starts all over. Check engine light is on and displays codes for misfire on #3 cylinder, low voltage on O2 sensor, and random misfire.What should I be looking at??? I need help!!!!
  • vklinevkline Member Posts: 1
    new to the show so hey guys i have a 96 ram 1500 p/u 5.9 truck starts and revs ok but the more it runs the more power it looses to the point that you can barely touch the gas pedal have done tune up and coil and fuel pump is running like i said cold start runs good for a while longer it runs no power any help would be appreciated
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    Have an "07 RAM1500/HEMI 4x4. Mileage seems to have gotten worse over the last few months. Was getting 15-16 hwy on a good day if I kept it around 70-73 mph. Down to 12-13 on average now. Read somewhere that the oxygen sensor should be replaced regularly and can cause mileage problems if too old. Truck has approx. 70K miles. Any suggestions appreciated.
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    Have you done a spark plug replacement yet? 16 total in the HEMI.

    I have and 07 too and only get 15 mpg (on a good day 1/2 highway - 1/2 city driving like Betty White with the AC off) since new. Dont feel too bad at 15/16 but 12/13 is really BAD! Let me know what you find out bro.

    Ski in TX
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    Last year installed K&N air filter setup hoping to pickup 1 or 2 mpg. Sounds better when I stomp it but didn't notice any improvement in mpg. I'm on the hwy about 75% of the time too. Should probably try the Betty White thing for a while and lay off the 75-80 mph driving. Will check the condition of the plugs too.
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    Haven't replaced the plugs yet but plan to do so soon(have 70K miles now). Doesn't look like an easy job to get at some of them. If I get through it I'll let you know if there is any improvement.
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    Changing plugs (16) in a HEMI is not an easy thing to do so unless your an experienced mechanic, you'd better leave that up to the pros. $300 to $400 from the bids I got due to the labor intensive nature of the replacements.

    Ski in TX
  • dbahuladbahula Member Posts: 1
    I had the same issues with my '98 Ram, 5.9L. The garage had the intake off and replaced the gaskets 3 times, after the 3rd time they claimed the intake manifold was warped and wanted to sent it to the machine shop for planing. Took it a different dealer, turned out the plenum pan on the bottom of the intake was cracked, thus pulling more air causing severe spark knock. The mechanic replaced th cracked plenum pan and I drove the truck for another 300,000km without any trouble. The vents doors on the heater/ac box are vacuum operated. Check the vacuum line and the vacuum check valve leading into the heater/ac box from the engine for cracks or leaks. The check valve should hold vacuum at highway speed. Hope this helps!!
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    You were right on with the estimate for plug replacement(mine has the older copper plugs too). $356 which included 1 coil b/c one of the boots was torn and it only comes as a complete assembly with a coil. Kept looking at the job and thinking about the cost and ultimately decided to let the dealer do it. Ouch. Will watch the mileage and see if there's any noticeable improvement.
  • newdodgeguy1newdodgeguy1 Member Posts: 1
    bought 2001 dodge 47 k 4x4 yestday ws driving t home 165 miles ws goingie untill i lost power gas started gurgling truck had sat for 4 months thought maybe condensation in tank but fuel pump comes on etc what could it be injecters clauged engine ran fine solid check gages light comes on but wants to start but won plz help :shades:
  • minardiminardi Member Posts: 30
    Went to AutoZone to get new oxygen sensors. Was told there are 4. Should all 4 be replaced or just one set. And where are they???
  • jdcudamanjdcudaman Member Posts: 2
    I have a '95 Ram 2500 HD 4x4 I bought new and it seemed to run rich . Ran good until it got going along on the highway and it would rapidly slow down to the point of pulling off the road . It would chug badly and wouldn't recover power . After cooling down it would runok . But it would reoccur . Ended up being the catyletic converter plugging . One year old yet . After 3 I plucked it out and it runs great . I know that it isn't right to do this but after potentially ruining my motor and now out of warrantee I decided to stop wrecking my motor over such a stupid item . Some models have one , two or three sensors around the converter . I would look into the oxygen sensor first . Good luck
  • thisislouthisislou Member Posts: 2
  • thisislouthisislou Member Posts: 2
    Need some help… before I go completely crazy..

    My 1997 Dodge 1500 4x4 5.9 – has what sounds like a bearing squeal. It starts after the engine runs for just a few minutes and only when you apply some gas and build up rpms. I first replace the belt tensioner, still there. Then listened with a stethoscope while it was squealing to the alternator and power steering pump - both did not seem to be making the noise. So, I replaced the water pump... the noise is still there.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks
    Lou
  • joshandramjoshandram Member Posts: 6
    i have a 99 ram 1500 5.2 and the problem with it is its misfiring ,slightly reeving up and dropping below normal idle rpms by its self,and will die occasionally in idle and when driving it. it will clear up after driving for a lil bit or sometimes it take a while to clear up and start running perfect but seems when it sets for a while it starts doing this.i pulled the codes and it was saying faulty cam sensor and o2 wire was shorting. fixed the 02 wire and new cam sensor. still was running the same and the cam sensor was still showing so we tried the crank sensor still the same. also was told that it could be water in the gas havent treated it yet but what do u think any sugestions what could be making it do this ?
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Although your symptoms could indicate a vacuum leak, the Cam Sensor code is a little disturbing since you've already replaced. Of course, the new sensor could be bad, but it might be indicating a timing chain problem.

    Good luck.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • joshandramjoshandram Member Posts: 6
    I've checked the vacume lines as best as i can no apparent cuts burns or dry rotting of any sort blew smoke in it and didn't see any come out. its very possible could be the timing chain stretched over the years but i pray not but at that point ill take it to the shop and pay the money for the pros to mess with it. thanks
  • link88link88 Member Posts: 2
    I own a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, 5.2L. Every start when the engine is cold will produce what sounds like a stuck lifter knocking. It gets quieter once I put it in gear and accelerate. After it warms up, a slight ticking remains. Oil pressure is good according to dash gauge. I've tried Sea-Foam added to the oil. Next oil change I added Lucas oil treatment. Nothing seems to have helped. Engine has 105,000 miles, and runs strong otherwise. Any thoughts?
  • joshandramjoshandram Member Posts: 6
    update... was the ecm causing my 99 ram to run rough 500$ later she runs like a champ.
  • braveheart50braveheart50 Member Posts: 1
    im having same problem i did the gas treatment mechanic changed some elec. parts still not rite did u get it fixed
  • pipeline1pipeline1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Dodge w/ 5.9 Have similar problem as Bosch plugs. Low power and poor gas mileage. I replaced Bosch with NGK w/ no better results. Is this an issue of needing factory Champion plugs as well? 141K no oil burn.
    Pipeline1
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    In general spark plugs have a relatively minor impact to performance and fuel mileage in a properly tuned and running engine. The spark plugs sole purpose is to ignite the fuel charge under pressure. Therefore, if the plug fires it really doesn't matter what the configuration is or who's name is on it.

    A spark plug that does not fire will produce a noticeable effect, either as a skip or induction system flame back, or both. If a plug intermittently fails to fire on one high RPM pulse you may not notice it, and this could manifest itself as a drop in fuel mileage or performance.

    However, worn plugs can affect performance and fuel consumption. As the gap increases or the plug tip edges start to erode, the timing will be retarded slightly due to the fact that it takes a higher voltage build up in the coil in order to produce a spark of enough potential to jump the gap. This is referred to as the coil rise time. When the spark does occur it happens a few milliseconds later than it should and effective retards the spark in that cylinder.

    In your case, I'm not sure how you reached the conclusion that spark plugs have affected the engine performance. If you feel there's a noticeable difference in performance between spark plug types, I would suspect that the ignition coil is saturating (coming to its maximum spark potential) before it can produce an actual spark. Bosch plugs, like some others, regardless of the number of electrodes, typically have much wider gaps than the factory specified Champion versions.

    If the engine is just suffering from poor performance and higher fuel consumption absence of any difference in spark plug type, I would suspect something else first. Because of the vintage, engine, and mileage of your Ram, my first suspect would be a partially clogged catalytic converter.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    Great reply! I always figured that with modern hi voltage ignitions, the plugs wouldn't need to be replaced for 100K miles or so. On a HEMI, $300 to change the plugs would need an improved performance justification, IMO. Would the slightly retarded timing with worn plugs allow the use of 87 octane instead of 89 in a HEMI?
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Maybe on an engine from twenty years ago, but I' suspecting that it may not have any effect on newer engines. Nowadays the engine computers vary the timing based on various sensor inputs. I'm not completely sure, but I believe the powertrain control module (PCM) on your truck can determine the optimum time to fire the spark plug by reading the exhaust gas and fuel inlet temperatures. So it may compensate for worn plugs. And even if it doesn't, the new coil-on-plug systems are usually very, very strong coils with the ability to supply a lot more peak voltage with shorter rise times than older systems, so they'll jump a much larger gap.

    On older Hemis without MDS, or before they could check for detonation (knock sensor) I'm thinking the PCMs didn't quite have that level of sophistication.

    The amount of timing retardation from worn plugs is dependent on how much gap erosion and the strenght of the ignition coil. I remember once installing new plugs in a Ford 390 motor that already had a slight tendency to ping after it came to full operating temperature, so it was probably borderline then. After installing the new plugs the thing pinged so darn bad you would've thought some poured a dozen marbles down the intake. I reset the timing and curring the detonation, and my memory tells me I moved it at least four or five degrees back.

    Can't wait for the fun time when I have to change the plugs on my new Hemi. :)

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    I had a late 70s car with the older hi voltage ignition. After 100K miles, pulled the OEM plugs and they had a gap of nearly .125 - and the thing still ran great, new plugs didn't seem to affect mileage or performance. That's why I've been skeptical with the 30K mile plug change recommendation on HEMI....Richard
  • jake99ram99jake99ram99 Member Posts: 2
    i juse bought a 99 dodge ram 1500 5.9 360
    well the guy i bought it from told me that he only put 93 octane gas in it and i put 87
    will that be ok
    also not to shure if it did this before i put 87 oct.
    after at speed if i hit the gas a bit and it hist 2000-3000 rpm
    i hear god awful noise it is a ratteling an knocking noise does any one no what this is caused by
    is it caused buy the low octane gas PLEASE HELP
  • bobcpgbobcpg Member Posts: 2
    Perform a compression test. I found that the 2 center cylinder exhaust valve seats or stem guides where off allowing valve not seat all the time. This caused me a rough idle and low power at times and I chased this problem for a year. Replaced the heads and vehicle ran like new. :P
  • bobcpgbobcpg Member Posts: 2
    Spark knock problem very common. The Intake has a lower plate on it and the gasket pushes out causeing it to suck oil and lean out. Needs intake pulled and both gaskets replaced.
  • jake99ram99jake99ram99 Member Posts: 2
    thanks very much ill have my mech change it this weekend
    is that also knowen as a plenimun gasket sorry for bad spelling
  • hammemthammemt Member Posts: 2
    I have a 98 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.9 engine. Recently, it started missing when in overdrive and then worse if pulling a trailer. Check Engine came on, indicated miss in cylinder 6. Replaced all plug wires, spark plugs, still had problem. The miss got worse, would only hit on 7 cylinders when started, then would pick up the 8th cylinder. No smoking. Replaced fuel injector for number 6 cylinder, a little better, but still the slight miss when it goes into overdrive. Any ideas?
  • hammemthammemt Member Posts: 2
    so now, I'm back to it missing when I start it up, doesn't matter if it sits for an hour or for 5 minutes.....it will pick up the 8th cylinder quickly, but, this is a problem.....what do I look at now?
  • mainstayllcmainstayllc Member Posts: 2
    I Have a 97 dodge ram 1500. It runs fine for the first 15 to 20 minutes, then The O/D of light comes on and it won't go into overdrive and starts shifting hard. I press the O/D button but it wont shut off. when I get out i smell a strong odor of transmision fluid, but when i look underneath and in the engine compartment there is no noticeable fluid. Fluid levels seem to be ok
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    The OD-Off light is warning you that the transmission fluid is overheating. Since you can smell it, you're likely losing it at the trans cooler next to the radiator.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
  • mainstayllcmainstayllc Member Posts: 2
    when i got out after the transmission overheated i felt the transmission cooling lines going to and from the radiators, they were cold. So i pulled them all apart and blew them out with air. it pushed through hard at first the i think i loosened some grit up and they flowed freely. i put everything back together and same thing happened. the section where it enters the main radiator was obstructed again. i put air to it and got it freed up, went for a drive again and same thing. is there a thermostat or check valve in there that may ber malfunctioning?
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