I just bought a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab Longed 4wd 5.9 360 Gasser with Automatic Transmission and 160xxx miles. Truck is near impossible to start when cold. Fires right up when warm. When cold, it'll crank and crank, stumble once or twice and still won't start. I have tried priming the fuel pump (cycling the key multiple times before trying to start) with no anvil. I just replaced the old plugs, they looked well worn, but nothing else. Truck runs great once started. I have had to use ether to start her lately. I hooked up the scanner and everything looked good. No codes, 253 start cycles since last pending code. Data stream looks good, temperatures looks good, so no "choke" problem. Misfire count was 8 times on cylinder 7, twice on cylinder 2, but those happened when it was cold and never misfired again when it was running. Even with ether it was hard to start. What next? I don't want to be a parts changer, I want to correctly diagnose this. Possible cap and rotor? One thing worth noting, when I started it today, I did have a dead tach until I revved her up and then it worked fine.

 

How about battery or ground. Our truck hate dead and weak batteries and will freak out. Also make sure the battery terminals are good and clean especially the negative. Will cause all of your probs.

 

I'll check the ground but considering all the cranking I am doing to get her to starts, there is no doubt she has a very strong battery.

 

Try stepping on the gas just a bit at cold start. If that doesn't help, cycle the key a couple times to On, (but, don't crank the engine) to let the fuel pump prime a couple times.

 

How about checking some recent/related threads for the shear necessity.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ont-start.html

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ain-speed.html

 

Stepping on the pedal doesn't help and I have tried priming many time with no anvil.

Thanks for the friendly response, I have searched and read for days. There is no common cause. There is also no threads to diagnoise the problem either. Everything I have read is from parts changers. Not looking to waste my money.

 

Need to put a scanner on it then, and see what things are thinkin' at cold start. If the PCM isn't clued in to at least a reasonable facsimile of engine temp, it won't give enough gas to start.... May also be low fuel pressure.

When's the last time the truck had a tune-up? Cap rotor wires plugs.....

 

Just gave her another try. She has been sitting for about an hour. She started right up and then stumbled and died. Started right back up, stumbled and died. Third time started right up, stumbled, caught herself and started idling great. Few seconds later I gave her gas and she revved and idled like a champ.

 

While I appreciate you attempting to help, I have answered all of your questions in my original post. I have yet to check fuel pressure, is there a shrader valve on the motors?

 

Depends on the year.... some of the plastic fuel rails didn't have it. If you DO have one, it will be on the drivers side rail, toward the back.

I read a lotta threads... sometimes I miss stuff.... sometimes I remember stuff from another thread..... getting old sucks.