I'm having the same problem with my 2000 Dodge Ram as another user on this board had about a year ago.. Here's the problem that I am having...

I try cranking it and it sounds like the battery is dead. It clicks a few times then acts like it's turning over. After I try cranking again, it'll turn over very slowly. Then, I give it a little gas and it'll crank up but will not stay cranked unless you keep pressing the gas. If you let off of the gas, it'll immediately die. If you try it again and again, it does the same thing. Every now and then, you can crank it, keep the gas pressed in, and slowly let off of the gas pedal and it'll eventually idle by itself and run fine for a little while. If you turn it off and wait a while and come back and try again, it does the same thing again.

If that guy is still on the board, I would love to hear from him - His username on this board is 2001offroadram and here is the post he had posted over a year ago on this board - https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-wont-run.html - Looks like he never solved his problem or either he didn't post the answer on this form. Any help would be appreciated by anyone. Thanks!

 

How is your charging system? Battery? Starter?

 

Sounds like you have major electrical issue so to start with check battery and make sure it is good.
I would also check all connections at the battery and starter.
Also check all grounds and also make sure the cables are not corroded.
Also check connections on wire running from alternator to battery.
Also check connections of wire running from the battery positive to the Power Distribution panel (under hood where all the relays are).
Remember cables can be corroded (green wires are sign of corrosion and should be replaced) under the outer coating on them.

Dave

 

Probably your alternator or your battery is dead.
Check your battery at an autozone. If it is no good, then that is your problem. If it is GOOD, then your alternator is shot.

Since you had to keep the gas going, your alternator is probably the culprit.

 

I had a 98 Dakota that was six months old that would not idle when I first started it, this was in July.
I could floor it to keep it running till it started to warm up then it would idle.
Found out it was dead cell in the battery. Replaced battery and all was well.

Dave

 

the sluggish starting and clicking is a sign or a weak or dead battery, or dirty terminals. it could be a simple - old/dead battery, or you might have a charging problem...

also, these trucks won't idle properly with a dead battery. the less than 12 volt condition messes up the sensor signals to the computer.

 

Yeah, make sure you get the battery checked before you buy a new alternator...like i did. Walked away with a new alternator. Didn't work, then i got the new battery.

Work your way from cheapest/easiest to harder/more expensive

 

I had the same problem a while back, it was a bad battery. Pressing the gas brings the RPMs up enough for the alternator to produce enough power to run the truck.