i have a 99 dodge ram 1500 4x4 5.2 my truck has a really rough idle and it sounds like its back firing from the exhaust with no power i can put it to the floor amd it will take almost a mile to hit 50 and thats as fast as it will go it started as just no power then after a few trips to work it started running really rough i originally thought it was the cat pluged but now with it doing this im thinking it may be a droped valve i dont have a pressure tester and dont have enough money to take it in to test it any ideas or suggestions would really help and i have checked wires plugs and rotor but

 

they all look fine

 

Still sounds like a plugged cat to me. Unplug the front O2 sensor, and see if it runs better. If it does, you have a plugged cat.

You might also went to read the about the plenum replacement procedure, as if you replace the cat and don't fix that, the cat will just go bad again.

And for future reference:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...s-section.html

 

+1 on the clogged cat. u can unplug the rear o2 sensor and just let it dangle for a min and test drive it and see if that fixes it. if it does then the cat is clogged.

 

^^^^correction. the posts above are unclear.

the test for a clogged cat is to
1) unplug the front O2 sensor wire.
2) then remove the front O2 sensor from the pipe. this opens up a 1/2 inch hole in the pipe to relieve pressure.

make sure you don't leave any dangling wires or expensive O2 sensors that get damaged during the test drive. either tie it all up out of the way or remove it and put it away for safekeeping.

 

The plenum blew on my wife's truck, not sure how long it was blown for. That plugged the cat, excess heat from the plugged cat roasted the transmission. So, it will snowball on you. I think I'll drive the wife's truck every couple of weeks from now on.

 

Waiting too long will also crack heads if they are not already.

 

Ok sry for the delay but I just cut the exhgust off the manifolds because the gaskets leaked a little and the ticking noise from it is really anoying besides the backfire from no back pressure and missing the two o2 sensors it has all its power back so I just wondered if I gut the cat and keep a muffler offf it due to they blow up with cats removed easily don't feel like replacing it and i don't have 120 for the cheapest cat I can find will it still backfire I got to try to avoid that I work ay three in the morning and cips just like to pull everyone over around here at that time

 

Have you checked your plenum??

 

i had redone it about 9 months ago probably what took the cat out