I have a 94 Dodge Ram 1500 truck that is automatic with a 5.2L

My truck is backfiring and won't run right. It all started when it started to run crappy and backfired a couple of time. We put dry gas in it and it seemed to clear right up and run fine for a couple of weeks. NOW, we can't get it to run at all. It just wants to spit and sputter with alot of backfiring. It will start but as soon as you put it in gear it shuts right off.

This is what I have tried so far.....Replaced cap and rotor, replaced air intake temp sensor, replaced water temp sensor, check wiring, appeared to be in time, wires are connected correctly, check all the vacuum hoses and didn't find any leaks, no computer codes are coming up.

Please help we are at our wits end with this thing!!

 

Welcome to DF
I guessing either the timing chain is the problem or the dist is off 180 degrees. Could also be a crank sensor too. I will move your post to the 2nd Gen Ram section, Maybe the other members may have an ideal.

 

if you just turn the key so all electronics come on, can you hear the fuel pump kick in? -> maybe dirty fuel filter? will it idle ok or is that where it sputters? could be a number of things.. TPS, IAC motor, coil..

 

Could be crank sensor too. They are hard to test though. One thing I would eliminate is a clogged cat. Unscrew the o2 sensor and see what it does for S's&G's.

Get a Haynes if you don't have one. Most if not all the sensors can be checked. Might as well clean the IAC as well. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...n-the-iac.html Remove the negative battery cable before replacing or cleaning any electrical parts. This will reset the PCM while you are working on it.

 

Could be many things jumped the timing gear , or bad valve do a compression test on it how many? miles on the motor

 

I had a jeep that did this once..exact symtoms dry gas and all....I took it to my mechanic and even hee had a hard time finding the problem.... it ended up being one of the sensors on the throttlebody ,It was years ago and a throttlebody injection model so I dont remember which sensor it was) Although I have seen a plugged fuel filter cause the same effects...