OK, I bought a 96 Dodge Ram 2500 and so far that was a mistake! The transmission has been acting up by not up shifting from 1st into 2nd sometimes and 2nd to 3rd, overdrive when warm. Slips a little bit when going into 3rd. That's a big problem but right now I have an even BIGGER problem. The battery died the other day, charged it up and the truck started and ran fine. Later the same day the truck started, stalled and now it will just crank and crank without starting. I can hear the fuel pump start up so don't think its that. It will try and start, if you can call it that, but won't stay running. I can honestly say I hate this truck so far and I've own/owned plenty of trucks. Why could it not be starting, always ran great, but did notice the other day it ran rough for a few seconds. Got to get it running asap since its my backup plowing truck.
Thanks for any help!!!

 

trannys are weak in our trucks not going to lie.....check you fluid while running in NEUTRAL, see if it smells burnt, or dirty. either of those, and a rebuild may be in order, and that runs 1500-2500 depending on how you want to build it. DONT just get a junkyard tranny, wont do you any good really....

and the feul pumps can be weak, get a pressure guage, and test the fuel rail, there is a port for a guage...should be runing 49 PSI.

 

Thanks for the reply!!! The trans oil looks and smells ok, but was low a qt the other day when I checked it. That was odd considering I check it every month and it always checks full. I will check the fuel rail and tell the results.
Thanks again!

 

welcome to df (and dodge).

+1 on fuel pressure check (if you have access to a gauge)
next, does it start if you mash the gas pedal. this opens the closed throttle plates and bypasses the IAC (idle air control) function.
next, does it start with a spray of starting fluid.
if none of these things help, then your problem is probably not a fuel problem.

next, check for 12volt at the coil, and/or spark at the spark plugs.
the ASD (auto shut down) might be kicking in and killing power to the fuel pump and the coil.

before we go any further - is this a gas engine? its not diesel is it?
put your truck info in your signature before zman yells at you. he's been on a crusade lately.

 

Its the 5.9 gas engine. Ok so I smelled the oil and it smells like gas. I'm thinking its not a fuel problem but where is the ASD and how do I check it? I think I will replace the coil and see what happens.

 

ASD relay is in the PCD under the hood, drivers side fender. (Power Distribution Center). Take off the cover, and there should be a map under it, of who is what.

 

I have plenty of suggestions, but, until all that info is in the sig and we all don't have to keep going back in the thread to find out that info, I'll let my DF brother's help you out if they choose to

 

I put the info in the sig line, I even hit save, its just not coming up!

 

lol nevermind. Came up on the new one, figured it did on the old one like other sites.

 

First thing I would do is unscrew the precat o2 sensor, leave it hanging and see how it run's . Then check the fuel pressure with a gauge(15 or 20 bucks), as has been suggested already. After that, we can go deeper.