Hello, I'm new too the forum. I just bought my truck yesterday. Drove fine all day yesterday and this morning, Now when I start the truck and put it in any gear, reverse, drive, 1st, 2nd, ect... truck cuts off. I just had an oil change today, I replaced the air filter, it has a half tank of gas, and it idles fine. I replaced the fuse the powers the dash lights and tail lights because they did not work. Fuse was not installed. Put new fuse in and dash lights and tail lights worked. emoved fuse thinking that may be the problem but it did not fix the problem. PLEASE HELP. Truck is at a friends house and i need to get home!

 

what year ?
will it idle ok in park ? what rpm is it idling at ?
if you let it sit and idle and warm up good, does it get any better ?

can you use your foot on the gas pedal to keep it running. try to hold about 1000 rpm and keep light but steady pressure on the gas at stop signs. you may have to mash the brakes harder.

if you can keep it running with your foot...
the 2 most common simple sensor problems are IAC motor (idle air control) and TPS (thottle position sensor). IAC is responsible for idle (when you are not mashing the gas - as determined by the TPS). I'm on my third IAC in the last 2 weeks. they are prone to failure and the new ones can be no good either. these are aggrevating, but simple and not expensive.

if you can't keep it running in any rev or forward gear, the torque converter or converter clutch may be the culprit. this is harder.

 

+1 Good advice above

 

Could also be a CPS on its way out. I damaged mine when I reinstalled my tranny (forgot to remove it) and I had some similar symptoms.

 

Thanks for the replys. It's a 1998 1500SLT V8 Magnum. Oddly enough my buddy got it going. It starts up great, idles great, and sounds all around great while running in park. My buddy said he started messing with the overdrive button, cutting it off and on, and that fixed it! But today I noticed that it was shifting kind of funny. It was taking a long time before it shifted into the next gear. A few times I let off the gas and it shifted. Also, I was getting off the off ramp, and it acted like it was having trouble down shifting when I coming to a stop. I thought it was going to cut off. This is starting to sound like a transmission problem. Any advice?

 

Sounds like the lock up converter switch is bad or hung up. If the converter doesn't unlock it is as you have a stick shift in gear. My dad had one bad on a Chevy. I pulled the pan, replaced the cylinoid and all was good.
The easy way to check it is to drive along on the highway at a steady speed and with your foot still on the gas, depress the brake pedal enough to turn on the brake lights. The RPM's should go up a couple of hundred. If not the lock up is not unlocking. Also if you pay attention to the shifting while getting up to 60mph or so, you should be able to hear or feel it shift through the three gears, the converter lock up, and the O/D. Will be likefour rpm changes......

 

Ok. I'll check it out tonight when I get off work. Thanks.

 

Just wanted to put a little more info on this. It does sound as though the converter is not unlocking. When using the O/D switch the converter is supposed to unlock which it sounds as though it is doing. The question is does it unlock each time you use the switch. If so the unlock is working but not when using the brake. Or it is working sometimes with either and is going bad.
The first time I had trans. trouble was the opposite. the converter would not stay locked in. It put metal through the trans. and under warranty they replaced the trans. The converter was the culprit. This does not sound like the case with yours. It seems like it is in the electrical switching system. I do not know enough to say wether it is the switch in the trans. or the signal from the brake. Someone else might have better input on this...... I just don't want you to pull the pan and replace the switch and it end up being the brake light switch or somewhere in between...