I have a 2003 dodge ram with the smaller v8. The engine will hesitate and run a bit rough on a cold start. It finally got so bad the check engine light came on and the dealership replaced a spark plug. The original problem still happens, slight hesitation on cold start. Any idea what else could be causing this? Anyone else have a similiar issue?</P>


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The Starter maybe...?? It should be under warranty, take it back to the dealership... </P>


~Amanda</P>

 

It sounds ignition related to me. Could be another bad plug, loose or bad ignition wire, cracked distributor cap or faulty computer. Sounds like the dealer was on the right track just didnt go far enough. </P>


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LOL, I was thinking aboutmaybe the ignitionlast night...LOL! My starter just went kaput {but is all fixed! YAY!}, so I think it was on my mind. Nonethe less, warranty should cover all... LOL!</P>


~Amanda</P><edited><editID>Dodgegirl19</editID><editDate>37898.522337963</editDate></edited>

 

My 03 done the same thing, except it would throttle down at stop lights. It was an intermittent probelm. I took it to the dealer and they had to upgrade the software for the computer. It took about 30 minutes and I watched him do it. I havent had any probelms since then...

 

Thanks for all the input guys. Its not the started, the engine starts fine. I think whatever it is caused the spark plug to go bad that the dealership had to replace. I know this will be under warranty but the dealership I work with is so slow id like to draw them a map before I take it in. Engine hesitates on slow acceleration on a cold start. also i have noticed that during very hot weather(here in fl) that the AC fan will be set to high and for no apparent reason it will slow to the lowest seed for about 10 seconds and the return to the high speed. When i say the ac fan i mean the fan that blows air into the cab.,... odd..</P>


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Hehehe!! Take it to another dealership... they like to hear about other dealer's shortcomings... LOL!</P>


Please let us know about this, I'm very intriuged... The fan problem could be a lose connection, that I've heard of and your mechanic should backtrack through all the wiring harnesses to check. The hesitation of slow acceleration, something obviously isn't communticating properly... LOL! I'd have to fall back and agree that it sounds like an ignition problem, although I'd be surprised if it were the computer. Seems to me, maybe something just not tightened all the way or connected as well as it should be... because it something were really broken, I don't think the hesistation would be the only 'symptom'.</P>


LOL! So... I'm stumped... Keep us up to date! </P>


~Amanda</P>

 

<FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" color=red size=3> Well i guess by you saying small v-8 you mean the 4.7. I had a '02 ram 1500 quad with the 4.7 an 5 speed stick do the same thing. It would only do it every once in a while. After repeated trips to the dealer it finally did it to me again in and stayed doing it while the dealer mechanic drove it. Cause= A faulty tps sensor, or i guess thats what they call em now its the one inside hooked to the gas pedal and a missed informed computer. It was running lean in 4 out of 8 cylinders which destroyed the plugs a whole sit of 8 in under two weeks. The miss informed computer was running half of the engine fine and leanning out the other 4 cylinders. Now the tps problem,which was on again off again problem that happended when you least expected it, run fine for 200 miles mess up in under 3 miles,i would gas it and it would creep along then pick up an go the tps sensor was faluty an replaced and the computer was re calibrated, which i was glad it would have taken weeks for another one to show up. Well hope it helps dude, an take it from some one whos off the rocker...never ever no matter how hard they beg give them a jump! Thats a books worth there!</FONT>

 

Thanks for all the inout everyone. I live in Fl and it doesnt get cold here very often. I went on vacation for Thanksgiving and left the truck with the dealership, of course we had a cold snap, and they could not reproduce it. I bought the truck last Januaury, again cold out. Interestingly enough, the truck runs great in the cold weather. The hesitation after start only seems to happen when the weather is rather warm out. So now that winter is upon us the truck will run great for 4 months or so. Im sure ill be back to troubleshooting this problem in the spring.</P>


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LOL! Figures... thanks for the update!! Keep us informed! <IMG style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick="AddSmileyIcon'smileys/smiley14.gif'" alt=Approve src=smileys/smiley14.gif border="0">

~Amanda</P>