okay so i got a 2000 dodge ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.2 318. when i bought it i had to get a rebuilt transmission put in which i had done by a well respected and well known mechanic in my area. after having the truck for a month or two it seems like i kind of have a lack of power. the transmission is fine. have had zero issues with that since the new one was put in. it's hard to describe in words but i'll try. it feels like the truck is heavy. almost like i have a load in the back. it also takes a lot more throttle to get it going than other vehicles i've driven (could just be a quality of the truck though) it also feels like i have to fight with it to keep it at a speed. but that might have to do with the throttle issue. normally i'm used to putting 1/8 of the way down to keep it at a normal speed like 50 mph. but with my truck i almost have to have it 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down to keep it at that speed. also, on hills it takes a ton of throttle to get it to make it up the hill without losing speed. and when i push the throttle in i don't feel any pull until i really jam in the throttle and get it to downshift then you can feel it go and re gain the speed i lost. thats another thing.. it takes almost 3/4 to full throttle to get it to downshift on a hill so i can keep highway speeds.

does anyone know what the problem could be? no check engine light or anything. should i run some seafoam through it? any help will be appreciated!

 

All the symptoms of a blown plenum, and clogging cat.

 

And "death flash".

 

I would lean more towards the blown plenum gasket, and clogged catalytic converter.
As far as a "Death Flash" I dont know much about Dodges 5.xL engines but I thought that was only a problem with the 5.9's.

 

Nah, death flash was a problem on all of them starting around 99 or so, or, any truck that got the "software update" after that date.

 

Plenum and cat for sure. BTW, what size tires do you have?

 

me? i just have the stock 265/75/16's. i've read up and did a little research on the plenum before i just was hoping it wouldn't be it. i don't have the time to be diggin in there. especially cause i drive it every day. but you gotta do what you gotta do..

will it cause more damage if i drive it as is for a month or two? by then i'll have my motorcycle running and i'll be able to dd that till i get the truck back on the road.

will seafoam help?

and if i take it to my mechanic and tell him i think my plenum gasket is blown and my cat is clogged should he know what i'm talking about and know how to fix it?

 

yup... and he'll smile from ear to ear right before quoting you around $1k for the work...

do it yourself, man.. it's not hard- just takes a while.. plan for about 8 hours or so if doing it by yourself.. for the exhaust: cut and clamp, then driver it to a welder and have them tack it in for peanuts..

 

that's the thing.. i don't have 8 hours to put into it. and knowing me i'd just keep digging and cause new problems and dig and dig and dig. plus i've never gone into an engine like this before so it would turn into a three day thing and i don't have three days to spend doing this. i can follow a how to but i'd run into problems and it would just be a big mess. as far as the exhaust i can do that myself. i'm not worried about that. i can just cut out the cat if i don't have the money to buy a new one. just buy a y pipe and put er in there. while doing the plenum gasket change what else should be checked out or replaced?

 

If you drive it for a month or two and the cat is clogged/clogging, you run the risk of cracking your heads also. If they are not already.