I recently bought a 2001 1500 4x4 with the 5.2 and 154k miles, and have had intermittent problems getting it started. I've had it for about 5 weeks and on 3 separate occaisions, a week or two apart, I had difficulty getting it started. At first it will just crank and nothing happens. It seems like the engine is so close to starting but just can't. Then I'll give it a little gas while cranking it and it will start right up, but as soon as I take my foot off the gas, it will just die. I have to rev it to 1500 rpm or so and keep trying to get it idle. After doing this a few times it will settle in to normal idle rpms. It will drive just fine and this issue seems to be very intermittent. I have heard everything from fuel pump to distributor. What do you think is the problem?

 

Sounds like a failing battery causing the IAC valve to act up to me.

Welcome to DF.

 

I'll bump this back to the top... Anyone else have suggestions at what I should change to get my truck running reliably?

 

The IAC happens to be the most common problem with your issue. Replace it, (not with a duracrap) Disconnect the negative battery cable when you do so.