I've got a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 2wd 5.2 318 auto, 155K miles. I've been reading up on alot on this site about similar problems people are having with their trucks as well. Like my title describes.. im having the shutter, hesitation, or miss after the truck gets warmed up. A known problem ive had for a couple months now is the tranny, I bought this kit thinking that the hesitation was with the OD solenoid as it would happen overdrive it seemed.

http://www.cascadetransmissionparts....kit2000up.aspx

Well, I installed everything with that kit this weekend and it made a huge difference with the shifting problem I was having (3-4 Accumulator spring was broke into 3 pieces haha) but I thought I had a solenoid going out and that would correct the hesitation problem I had. After warming up she would still shake, buck, etc. So I went yesterday and bought a new TPS sensor thinking it was the culprit, seemed to had fixed it but after she warms up it started doing again, not as bad though. ERRR!!!

Here is what ive done to the truck in the going on 3 years ive had it.
- Hughes Plentum repair plate. (checked inside the manifold this weekend, still bone dry inside and in good shape)
- Cap and rotor
- IAC
- cleaned the Throttle body complete including the IAC sensor.

My question is, if it only happens when it warms up does that mean its a o2 sensor? They look to be the stock ones along with the cat. This truck actually runs really good and I have no lights popping up on the dash indicating any problem. I started noticing this problem about a year ago and it has steadily gotten worse. If anyone can help me get pointed in the right direction I would appreciate it. I hate to throw money and parts at it to fix the problem.

 

I'd say o2 is bad and if you are running the original cat i'd say that is bad too. Unscrew the o2 form the pipe and see how it runs.

 

Your oxygen sensors should have been replaced 50,000 miles ago. When it doubt, swap it out.

No, but it does mean that it might be.

Two things: You've got a worsening problem that you want to solve, so what's this crap about it "actually runs really good"? (Just razzin' ya.)

By the time the CEL is set for a failed oxygen sensor the engine will barely run in the several minutes after the PCM switches to closed loop mode, your fuel economy and performance will be crap, and if you're like most you'll have replaced all kinds of stuff anyway. I'm not faulting you for it, not at all. It's a common enough thing because our cool electronics lull us into a false sense of security even when the damned things are untrustworthy. So, knowing now that the sensors should have been replaced long ago you can do the replacement without feeling like you're just throwing money at the problem. The problem they'll solve is deferred maintenance, even if they don't make the symptom go away.

There was a guy hereabouts a couple of years ago who went down this road and was at his wit's end after several months of frustration... he finally said fuggit and bought himself a pre-cat oxygen sensor. He was actually on his way home with the part in his pocket when the CEL came on and the DTC that was set was for the sensor.

 

Agree with above but I want to point something out; there are two different Shudder issues.

1. Off Idle Shudder- Example- Stoped- Take foot off break (dont give gas) just let the truck creap/roll and the truck -shake shake shake..

2. Shudder at 40mph+ 45+(after TCC Lockup) and seems to float about around 1100 RPM.

(I don't have the 40+ shudder) I have the low off idle Shudder but it does that no matter what temperature.

Riddle me that batman. :P I think you really need to dive into better detail/description of your shudder/hesitation.