I have a 01 ram 1500, 4x4, quad cab, short bed, 360. The service engine light came on a couple of weeks ago and since then it has started getting terrible gas mileage. Is there anything that i can do to get better to improve this, or is it just the the truck?

 

Fix whatever it is that caused the light to come on.

 

1st, define teribble gas milage... what code does it have? (you can use the on-off-on-off-on method to get the codes from the odometer)

 

how do i find out what code there is

 

you might want to look at getting a new o2 sensor.

 

the code that came up on the odometer said P done

 

if there were no codes you should not have a check engine light, if you do then maybe your computer is failing in some way.

I'd check your plenum gasket for leakage (oil on the bottom of the intake manifold) and get it fixed if there is a problem with it, then change your o2 sensors since they are probably dead (use the ngk ones).

 

Is it even possible to pull the codes off an 01 using the ole key trick? I though they stopped that with the early 98's. Run by your local auto parts store and get the codes read with a scanner. Most parts houses will do it for free.

 

the key trick works on my 2000...

 

Ok, thanks for the info. The key trick doesn't work on my 98. I had to break down and get a scanner.