I have a '97 1500 Ext Cab, 4x2, with the 5.2L V8. 98% of the time, she runs fine (though seems thirsty, but that's a later topic). But occasionally she will just stop responding to throttle input. I can floor her, and I will get an occasional popping sound, but no acceleration or anything. If I turn her off for a few hours, she will run fine again.

I have a code reader, and it can do real time monitoring of various sensors and such. The problem is, I've never used it for that, and I have no idea what "normal" is.

My plan is to keep the reader in the truck now. I'll attach it to get a run or two of her running normally; then if she acts up again, I'll attach it and try to capture the readings while its having the issue.

Aside from that troubleshooting step, is there anything I should check before hand? I assume it is a sensor of some sort giving bad info. I have a service manual and a multimeter, so I should be able to check most things, i just don't honestly have a clue where to start on this one. I hear its fuel related, or it's the mass air flow sensor; others say its a bad computer, etc etc etc.

tl;dr Truck occasionally stops going and will pop when given full throttle. Any sensors or things to check first?

 

At anytime did the check engine light come on? If it has, what was the code.

 

There is no Mass Air Flow Sensor on these trucks. You do have a Map Sensor though.

Disconnect your battery, let it drain all the power out of the system and then reconnect. See if that fixes anything.

 

Sounds to me like the cat gut's are moving around, and from time to time blocking the exhaust. I'd read the plenum sticky and at least eliminate that as a problem first.

 

Negative. The CEL has not illuminated at all, and no codes are stored according to the reader I have.

 

I will try this tomorrow morning.

 

I wouldn't have ever guessed that. I will read the thread and do what I can this weekend.

 

If you can read live data, fin upstream O2 sensor (most likely "Bank 1, sensor 1." It should be gradually going up and then down. If it is pegged, it is not working and is most likely connected to plenum issue.

 

Ok, I did disconnect the negative terminal for about an hour, and then reconnected it. Tonight, the truck started doing it again on the way home from a friend's. I was about a needle below half tank. I stopped, filled up gas, problem gone.

Every time I've had the problem, gas level is between 1/4 and 1/2 tank. I know the Jeep's used the fuel as a "coolant" to the fuel pump ... is it possible that my issue is being caused by a bad fuel pump that is overheating when the tank gets low?

 

That seems kinda odd..... If I had to hazard a guess..... I would look at:

1. Is the gauge accurate?
2. What does the gas in the bottom of the tank look like?
3. What is fuel pressure doing when it starts running odd?