My Son has a 1997 ram 1500 laramie slt, sometimes the truck will not start it will turn over but not start. It is getting spark. When I squirt starting fluid in the thottle body it runs. I have checked the relays and all are fine. I can hear the fuel pump kick on when I turn the key. The only thing I noticed that helps is to wait. I waited 20 minutes went out and it fired right up, drove it around it ran fine. Got it back home shut it off, started right back. Turned the key on a few times to listen for the pump, heard it whine every time. Went back to start it and nothing. Nect morning fired right up???????????

 

Clog in the fuelfilter/dirty,causes the problem described,it's probably due anyway....

 

Need to see what fuel pressure looks like when it won't start.

 

I will check the filter since it's cheapest and like you said it's surely due. As far as the fuel pressure. I have been reading the forums but there isn't a valve on the fuel rail. Both sides are capped at the ends and only the spot where the fuel line comes in looks like its place to check? Has a box looking thing over it.

 

Ah, 97... plastic fuel rail? Yeah, you need to fab something up to get a pressure port on there....

When it won't start, and you hit it with ether, does it continue to run once the ether is burned off? That would be a pretty good indicator of low fuel pressure.

 

Yeah it's the plastic one. I will tell you this I wasn't able to measure but the fuel comes out pretty strong. I took the fuel line off when it quit had my boy turn it over and lots of fuel came out of the line very quickly!!!!! It will start when shut off and restarted immediately but if you wait a few minutes it won't start. Wait a few more it will. No other problems, no hesitation, no rough idle, nothing. It runs strong, also after I squirt the starting fluid it does not continue to run. It acts like it has no gas. just turns over and no fire not even an attempt. I was wondering if the injectors are not opening during the "flare up". It's hard to know because by the time I would get them off the truck will run again!!!!!

 

I would think either the injectors aren't getting power or the fuel pump isn't always getting power or has a bad spot.

Next time it doesn't start, have somebody bang on the gas tank or just listen to hear if it spins up when you turn the ignition on (not starting the engine).

 

As the story continues......I have found what I believe the problem to be after checking everything I felt it could be. Fuel pump-strong and has elec power (during no start issue), injectors cleaned and also getting power (during no start issue). plugs are firing so not a spark issue. It acts like it's not getting fuel. Last time it had a no-start issue I took the fuel line off at rail and had lots of air. (acts like vacuum lock) If this year had a valve on the fuel rail I could have bled it there. I got all the air out and noticed that in the rail where the fuel line goes. There is a rubber o-ring, a white plastic o-ring, another rubber o-ring then a black plastic o-ring adapter? Anyhow that adapter is broken in two pieces. Im also not sure there is supposed to be that many o-rings. The fuel line was replaced by previous owner. Could I replace the rail with a newer model one? are they the same for all gen 2's?

 

Any other year will get u a metal fuel rails with a shreader valve for checking pressure. A direct swap.

 

At some point, not exactly sure when, I think that switched connectors? Swapping male and female sides??