I used a bolt/nuts to go through an existing hole in the frame. Before I did that I took a wire brush and then sandpaper and cleaned up the metal by that hole to get it clean. I then connected an actual ground strap to that bolt and ran it to one of those exhaust ubolt clamps by the rear 02 sensor. This is the type of clamp that looks like a U, and has a piece that goes over the two bolt parts of the U, clamping around the exhaust. I secured the other end of the ground strap to one of the bolts on that clamp.

I only bought one of those clamps, so I took some #8 ground wire, and secured it to the same bolt/nuts on the frame, and I ran it to another clamp, which was the type of metal clamp that is round and tightens with a flat head screwdriver (has all the slits in it, and as you tighten the bolt it tightens the clamp), and I secured the other end of the #8 ground wire between that clamp and the exhaust by the front 02 sensor. In each place on the exhaust pipe, I took a wire brush and sandpaper and cleaned the exhaust pipe to get a clean surface where the grounds would be good.

When I did that, the truck immediately died every time I tried to start it. When I removed all the grounds, it started again. Today I cleared the code out before I started the truck. When I started it, the code was gone, and remained gone until about 15 minutes later when it heated back up, then the check engine light came back on. I had to drive it to work today. I got here ok, but the exhaust is potent, and it is still running as if the fuel/air mixture is wrong. I'm going to stop by a parts house tomorrow and have them put a computer on it , but I'm confident it will be that same P0132 code.

 

If I might be so bold: Don't take this problem to a mechanic. Take it to an automotive electric shop.

Generally speaking, and not to denigrate their skills at all, mechanics are best with things they can sense with their five basic senses. Electrons flying down wires are a mite smaller than that and you want someone with an understanding of what motivates them to fly down the wires to figure out why they're not going where you want them to be.

 

Actually I think the idea of an automotive electric shop is a good idea, perhaps one to pursue before trying the Dodge Dealership. I still need to address my plenum though, and while that's getting done I'll have my mechanic check out all the suggestions on this thread, and see where it is at that point. Seeing that there was oil on the pvc valve that I had replaced after it had only ran for 15-20 minutes was enough for me to make that an instant priority. This may require an automotive electric specialist to pinpoint this problem. In the meantime, all suggestions/ideas are very much appreciated.

 

That's perfectly normal, if it's not an excessive amount of oil. The rocker arms throw oil into the air above them, and that air is being drawn through the PCV valve, so any droplets small enough to remain in suspension are going into it. Those that are larger will just fall out of suspension, and those that are around the periphery of the stream will get snagged either by bumping into nearby mass or by eddy currents in the gas stream, and fall out of suspension. Ain't no big thang because it's just going to drip back onto the valvetrain anyway.

That effect is magnified by a cold engine because that cold engine produces more blowby than a warm engine, which increases the pressure differential between the crankcase (pressurized by the blowby) and intake manifold (which is below atmospheric pressure). It's also magnified during high vacuum operation (as at idle, cruising unladen, decelerating) when the valve is at or near its closed position and that differential pressure is greatest while flow through the valve is at maximum restriction.

If the valve is truly frotzed, you'll see a disturbing pool of oil in the area in front of its port on the intake manifold. Seeing a light and streaked film of oil there, though, with some of it baked on, is a symptom of things working as designed. There's a range of failure between new and perfect and totally frotzed and looking at the oil that sneaks through is more art than science, but it's only as critical as it is closer to totally frotzed than to new and perfect.

 

Thank you for the reply about the PCV valve. That all made sense to me seeing it explained out, but is quite over my head as far as diagnosing the severity of it. I know this plenum is an issue that has been causing an oil leak, even though I have minimized the leak by using thicker oil...it still hasn't stopped it. I think it's time to address it and prevent it from causing any more problems, even if it is not directly responsible for this specific issue.

Upon researching, I can only find one shop that seems to specialize in Electrical issues, and it is 1.5 hours away from me. I'll call them tomorrow and just get an idea of their hourly rate, but it would be a big deal for me to try to get it there (not even sure I could make it there), drop it off, and then come back and get it. I keep hoping perhaps one of the suggestions mentioned thus far on this thread might lead to a solution when I get it back to my mechanic. I just can't understand how something that should be so simple can be so complicated.

 

Nor should you understand it. It's not that complicated. It is that simple.

If you end up taking it to the dealership, you'd do well to know nothing about nothing and just tell them about the symptoms and that your mechanic took a stab at it, you bought a PCM and an oxygen sensor, and that didn't work so that's why you're there. Don't mention that it's been several PCM's, which doesn't matter anyway because the one that counts is the one hanging on the firewall. The first thing you need to find out before going any further is whether or not they're going to run the PCM and a tuneup scam on you, and you don't want to talk them out of trying it if they're of that sort. You just want to run like hell without looking back if they do. If they try the PCM and tuneup thing but add more stuff that seems reasonable, you can tell them that all you want is the reasonable stuff for now and then listen to their barking about the rest for a while until they agree to cooperate. But keep in mind that the contract you'll sign says only that you're buying these specific parts, the labor to install them, and the warrant that none of those parts or labor are defective. It's easier to withstand the barking when you know that no one is guaranteeing that your problem will be solved by any of it.

You might get lucky and bumble into that dealership where that strange guy who really knows his stuff works for the dealership anyway. That would be a great outcome and is the one everybody hopes for. That guy will solve your problem with no more information from you than your observations of the symptoms anyway. That will give him a starting point for troubleshooting and he'll take it from there to wherever the journey leads him.

And it'll **** him off to no end if you go to him with the BS you got from some online forum, too. So just know nuthin' about nuthin' and see if they know more than you do.

 

Well, there has been a most interesting development with this problem with my truck this morning. First off I want to say thank you to "unregistered user" for the heads up on how to handle the dealership if I were to end up going there. Sounds like you are quite familiar with the games they play. Hopefully though, I may not have to go that route at all. This may be kind of long, but I want to explain thoroughly what has happened today.

So...this morning I had to go to the main office of the company I work for, which is about 7 miles from where I work. The check engine light was still on, the exhaust still potent, and it was running rough the way it always does on the way there. As I pulled in the parking lot, it started running horribly bad, and as I pulled into a parking spot it died. I went inside and did what I needed to, and then I came back and addressed the truck.

I turned on the headlights, turned the key over, and unhooked the positive side of the battery, just like I've done probably 100 times over the last year and a half to clear the code. I was thinking maybe it might help it run at least so I could get to the other side of town to a parts house before the light came back on and they could check the code.

I let it sit a minute, then hooked the battery cable back to the positive terminal. I then started the truck, and just like always, there was no code. I proceeded to drive through town toward the parts house, which is about a 10 minute drive away. I noticed right away the truck was running different than I have seen in forever. It had power which felt like a sports car to me. It sounded good. There was no potent exhaust. I got to the parts house...still no code. So I left the truck running and sat there waiting...just knowing it would come back on in a few minutes, but it did not.

So I decided to drive it, and run some errands I had to do. I left the truck running for at least an hour before making a stop where I had to turn it off. It ran great! Driving slow...sitting at stop lights...it never missed a beat, it never hesitated at all while idling. I was in shock. This problem has been going on for probably a year and a half, and I've just been dealing with it and having a truck that ran rough, trying to address it as I could.

This has not happened at all in that length of time. I made a stop where the truck was off for about an hour, then came back and ran it, and it still ran great. I made another stop for about 30 minutes where it was turned off, came back, and it is still running great. No check engine light whatsoever.

I talked to a buddy of mine about this, and we both have a theory of what has happened. My theory is that the problem all along has been in the power cable that hooks up to the positive terminal on the battery, causing a voltage issue going to the computer, and that this time when I hooked it back up, I just happened to turn it just right so that it made the proper connection, was twisted the right way...whatever, and it is not causing a voltage issue at this moment.

My buddy's theory is that cleaning the PCV Valve actually did fix the problem, but that the computer had a stored "memory" of how the truck had been running, and that it took a couple of times clearing the code out of the computer and driving the truck for a while for it to recognize that everything is now running properly.

I hope his theory is correct, because if his theory is correct, the PCV Valve was the actual problem all along and now this specific issue is resolved. I still cannot grasp how that could trigger faulty 02 sensors and computers though (maybe all those computers were not faulty after all?). If my theory is correct, I have an issue in my power cable that hooks to the battery, and it could happen again at any moment if the cable is turned/twisted/jolted in any manner.

It doesn't really make sense to me that it could be in the power cable, because if that were the case how would the truck have been starting and getting power to everything all along while this problem has been taking place.

Perhaps one of you may have yet another theory, but I am hoping that maybe this issue is actually resolved. Obviously I will update if there is any change, but hopefully now I can just focus on getting my plenum issue addressed, and then focus on getting all my rusty brake lines replaced (I may do that myself...I actually have done that before). At that point, I'd just need a new paint job and I'd have a nice truck. I may even try to figure out a way to make that David Gilmour Radio City Music Hall concert after all...time will tell on that one.

 

Both were more than likely contributors to the problem. But, at this point, I would be happy, and run with it. (and seriously consider clean/replacing both battery cables. )

 

Thank you "HeyYou" for following along and trying to help me with this. I appreciate all of your time and suggestions. I have definitely been happy today, and I will be checking those cables carefully and will replace them if necessary.