2001 Dodge RAM 3500

I got this truck about 10,000 miles ago. When I took possession I tried putting a new distributor cap on it. Unfortunately, one of the bolts was stripped, and eventually had to replace the entire distributor rotor shaft. This came with the Cam Position Sensor. I also replaced all the wires and plugs.

Flash forward 10,000 miles and 2 years...
Recently, I got codes for the Throttle Position Sensor, so changed that. I still got the same codes, so I changed the Crank Position Sensor. (This was causing the truck to completely stall, at speed, and made it difficult to start.)

Now the truck will electrically stutter. It happens when I do the following:
a. Drive for 10 minutes or so to get the truck warm.
b. Shut it off for 5-10 minutes. (Hot soak)
c. Start the truck and get it up to 55 mph for 5-10 minutes.

The truck will begin to cut out, stutter, and do everything horrible except die. It will stay running, but today when the stoplight turned green, I pressed the gas, and it would not go over 1500 rpm without chugging horribly.

I hoped that this was the coil, so I just replaced it, but this problem still occurs.

In a final effort, I bought new wires, and tried to implement a modified version of this TSB:

TSB 18-48-98
Ignition System Cross Fire/Secondary Ignition Wire Induction
http://www.dodgeram.info/tsb/1998/18...8-48-98-v8.htm

I could not follow it exactly, but I used the principles of keeping the wires 1" away from one another, but the behavior didn't change at all.

I'm at my wits end with this truck, and would ditch it, except that I put a new transmission in it when I got it. Thus, I'm in too deep on it, and could really use some serious guidance.

Thank in advance,

Steve Clark
Easy Bins Dumpster Rentals of Northern VA
http://www.easy-bins.com

 

Where did you get your crank sensor from? These trucks don't really like the aftermarket fellers.....

What engine in there? If you have a V-8, have you checked your plenum? Symptoms could also be signs of a failing cat.

 

5.9L V8
Got the sensor from AutoZone. (When this part was failing, I got a check engine light, plus the other symptoms listed.)

I don't know what the plenum is, but will Google it.

Any tests that I can perform to test the Cat?

 

Check out the plenum sticky at the top of this forum.

To test the cat, remove the front O2 sensor from exhaust. Go for a drive, if your symptoms are less, or completely gone.... cat is toast.

I would be tempted to go to the dealer for a crank sensor.....

 

Another thing I would check is vacuum and fuel pressure.

What do you mean by "electrically stutter."?

 

I took it to a mechanic yesterday. Thankfully this time, the truck acted up with the mechanic in it this time, so now he finally believes me.

Ok, so he checked the fuel pressure, and there's nothing unusual there. He also confirmed that when it stutters, that it's all 8 cylinders cutting out at once, and not a misfire of 1 or 2 cylinders.

We both noticed that there is a refurbished Control Module (the one on the passenger side, close to the firewall. (I know it's refurbished, because it's got a big label on it that says so.) The current guess being that this refurbished component is failing on the Coil Driver.

So, I still don't know what the Plenum issue is, but will try to read it today.

 

Again, I don't think it is the crank sensor, because it would stall and not restart, and also throw a code when it was bad. This is no longer happening.

 

I bought a new ECU, and installed it. Unfortunately, the truck still exhibits the same behavior. (After 15 minutes of driving, shut it off and let it heat soak for 10-15 minutes, and then the thing craps all over itself until it cools down again.)

So, next I need to confirm that my "Cab Chassis" 5.9L 2001 Dodge RAM has a transmission computer. If it does, then I'll replace it, unless anybody else a single f*cking clue why this piece of sh*t is such a piece of sh*t.

Thanks.

 

Going to be either the coil, or the crank sensor. Neither will necessarily throw a code..... Coil is cheapest.... but, when mine was doing that, it was the crank sensor.

 

I already replaced both.