Will Autozone test that for free?

 

No, but, they will happily sell you a gauge.

 

I'm most certain its the fuel pump. Ive had burned out o2 sensors and they've never given me any problem that affected drive ability. Keep us updated!!!

 

When you do get it figured out please let us know what was wrong.

 

Does it only backfire while Driving? or also at start up? Kinda sounds like a cam shaft or crank sensor to me, but only if it happens all the time, not just WOT or normal driving...

 

If you have a repair manual, you should be able to follow the guidelines of testing your fuel pump. The pump draws approximately 12 volts and around 10 amps, If the amperage draw is more then that means your pump is requiring more juice to pump the same amount of fuel. Also, check the fuel pressure with a pressure tester. Definately seems like a bad fuel pump to me. Thats the place I would be looking first.

Recently dealt with similar conditions on my Dad's Dodge. Struggled to start without having my foot in the throttle, lack of power while driving down the road, stalls when you come to a complete stop sometimes... If that sounds anything like what you are dealing with, Check that pump.

 

I have a hard time believing that its the fuel pump if his WOT is still ok. I would think it would fall on its face at WOT if it wasn't getting enough fuel.

 

well, until you experience it for yourself you probably would have a tough time buying it that its the fuel pump. My WOT was ok for a little while when my pump was going out and then that didnt even work anymore. Eventually After checking all the sensors, swapping out my injectors, cleaning my throttle body and tuning the sucker up, the pump was the final thing to check. And I was still hesitant to drop the tank and check it even after I checked everything else, but when the engine wouldnt even fire anymore unless i banged on the bottom of the gas tank to shake the pump a little bit to get the thing to start for me when it would stall even though I was trying to use starting fluid to start it, I knew the answer was to change the pump. Since then, I've yet to have any problems. So there it is, keep trying everything in the book, or start with the pump. Fuel pressure tester to check line pressure and an electrical meter to check current draw at the fuel pump relay isn't anything out of the ordinary for someone get so that they can test the pump properly and i bet that 9 times out of 10 it's the pump.

By the way, out of all the responses, what do the majority of people say is the problem? Do I hear pump anyone?

 

It might be the battery because my truck did the same thing when i would rev it up and let off it would just shut off. Just thought it might help

 

Due to time constraints I took it into a shop (a different one of course). The fuel pressure was 45 psi. However, while it has never thrown a code through all of this, and even last checked for soft codes only a few days ago, a soft code of p0132 was found. They changed the front O2 sensor and claim it is now running fine and ready to be picked up.

We'll see if it lasts though. It seems this issue likes to come and go anytime something else gets fixed. On the 10 miles into the shop it also only hesitated once and no other issues, while lately it has been almost constant. Could the PCM have started ignoring the O2 sensor's input due to that soft code? The truck running ok taking it in is what has me concerned if they really found the root of the problem or if it is just coincidence.

Thanks for all the replies. I would not have insisted they at least check fuel pressure even after they called the O2 if not for the posts here.

Edit: They did add that they watched the O2 signal on an analyzer and it was reporting all over the board and erratic.