Hello,

I have owned a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 Van 3.9 V-6 with 165k miles for about 8 months. Has run like a champ until about two months ago when I moved out west. Since then its been non-stop nightmares. Hesitation, loss of power, stalling out, backfiring and trouble starting again. I never know when it will happen, and it does always happen at the worst times and places. The trouble codes were always the same - 6 cylinder misfire (PO306), until about 2 weeks ago when I changed the fuel injector on #6. Then it started throwing a 4 cylinder misfire code and no longer the 6...

I've spend well over $1500 in mechanical repairs, including a new PCM which was installed today. Within minutes after putting in the new PCM is was doing the hesitation routine again. I swear I would volunteer to be kicked in the gut vs this hesitation crap... at least I could brace for it...CE light not on right now but hell, who knows, it may pop up again at any moment. I'm about 90% certain the previous PCM was fried (see pic).



The only major things that have not been replaced to date is the fuel pump or the 02 sensors. Yes, all the usual suspects have been checked - spark plugs, etc... I have seen a total of 8 mechanics to date. I am not looking for a laundry list of things to check as that has already been done. I have already read numerous posts on this forum many times before joining today to ask just two questions...

Has anyone tried or heard of the ASD Jumper method to eliminate the stalling out and hesitation problems?? (This issue is exhaustively discussed in detail on a dodge charger forum I have been reading for the past couple of weeks.)

Is it possible to clean the fuel filter / pump after dropping the tank or must you buy another fuel pump? This van has sucked my money dry, I cannot afford another visit to a mechanic or even to buy a new pump. I may try a junkyard if it comes down to it, but i would much rather clean it / unclog it if such a thing is possible.

Thanks

 

Has the fuel pressure been checked? That would tell you if a fuel problem. Was the timing checked?

 

you don't say much about what you did do to try and remedy...
things I would try include new dist cap, rotor button, spark plug wires, coil for hesitations and misfire codes

maybe you got a bad batch of gas with a load of water in it, or you keep less than 1/2 tank and get condensation in the tank?

if you have the same symptoms with a new computer, then maybe it was not the computer...

 

That's the PCM? Which part number is it?

 

My '98 3.9L did kind of the same thing and I went thru all sorts of hell trying to figure it out based on the code I was receiving, which was a misfire code. Finally out of desperation I went ahead and replaced the O2 sensors, even though the PCM never threw codes for that. After installing them all of my issues cleared and my van's reliability was fully restored. Can't promise the same for you but it might be worth a shot.