Ok here it is, it sounds weird but when I am in 4th gear and press on the gas to go a little faster the truck lunges forward then back over and over again until i let off the gas, also it seemed to stick at 2500 rpms in 1st gear unless i let off the gas.
and one more thing, as i am sitting at a light it will start to idle really weird and the whole truck will shake and it seems like it wants to die but it doesn't.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Steve

My mistake on that it's not surging it's jerking back and forward. I did a google search and a TSB came back but only for the cummins.
Any different ideas or is it the same problem?

1998 Ram 1500
5.9L V8
Automatic
2WD

 

if you use the cruise control do you see the rpms jump up & down? you could have a noisey TPS... cleaning it could help https://dodgeforum.com/m_1059605/mpa...tm.htm#1059605
I had some pretty bad surging on the Dak and after cleaning the tps... problem was gone. worth a shot and it's cheep...

 

TPS is going bad is mi first guess. You can take some injection cleaner and clean the crap out of the throtle body the TPS sensor and the IAC motor if that does not correct your problem it could be the 4th gear solenoid in the tranny going bad. If that is the case Change both the 3rd and the 4th gear solenoids and have the bands tightened. A reputable tranny shop can do this in the truck thefor under $500.00 don't just change one change them both they are a common problem with high milage trannies.I would deffinetly start with the TPS first it is just as comman and Cheaper to fix

 

updated info ^

 

what are the rpms doing when it lunges forward & back in 4th?

 

I'm not sure but i believe they stay the same. I haven't really checked but i will.
also my brother who is a dodge technician says it might be the catalytic converter clogged up? is he right? if so what can i do about it?

 

if the cat were clogged, you'd be down on power all the time. you can test it using a temp sensing gun and measure the inlet temp & outlet temp... inlet needs to be colder than the oulet temp. if its hotter, cat is plugged, if the output is hotter than the input, it should be fine (could still be broken inside but if it were, you'd hear it rattle), if input = output... the cat is flowing but not working anymore.

 

Everything seems to rattle on that truck now, I wouldn't be able to hear one rattle over another but i will definitly check the cat with a temp sensor.

 

could also be torque converter clutch problems...such as a electrical wiring fault, tcc solenoid sticking, or just the tcc friction materials worn out and about to fail

 

I have a simalar problem my 1998 ram 2500 4x4 SLT. 5.9L 360v8 here are some of the stuff i have done. right now it is not nearly as bad at it was before i started putting parts into it.
103,000miles on it.
fastman 52 MM throttle body way cool up grade i recomend it.
o2 sims
K&N cold air intank
accel super coil
new plugs cap rotor wires
an empty cat.
glass pack yea it loud.
jet performace chip.
my truck dont like to ldel but you stomp on it and holly it goes my poor tires.