I have a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport 360 Magnum with 114K. Just started to stumble / erratic idle just recently. When I put the auto transmission in neutral it has a hissing sound that sounds like a vacuum leak. It starts to stumble and almost die. Towing just 2000 lbs seems to be slugging it quite a bit. When starting off it bucks and feels like it starving for fuel or lack of spark.
No codes thrown on the dash. Does this sound like a plenum leak or a distributor issue? Anything else to check for to determine what the issue is? It is about 26 degrees here in NH on a good day, so lots of fun working on it!

 

How old are the plugs/wires/etc? Fixed the plenum yet? (there is a thread all about that at the top of this forum....) How old are the O2 sensors?

 

I bought the truck at 59000 miles. No work to plenum as far as I am aware. Plugs, wires, distributor cap are about 10K old.

 

What plugs are in it?

 

I believe Champions is what I put in about 7k ago

 

Unplug the front O2 sensor, and see if it runs any better.

 

Update on hesitation issues: Brought truck into Advanced Auto and it popped two codes: #71 Electronic control unit Random access memory Read / write malfunction and #72 Electronic control unit Read only memory checksum malfunction.

can anyone elaborate on what the issues might be? As far as I know original 02 sensors as well as other sensors. Had the truck since 59K miles on it. Now has 114K and this hesitation has all of the sudden started. It is intermittent and will drive OK for 10 miles and then all of the sudden start to stumble. It now will on occasion stopped at a red light have a low idle and lights will dim. It will then drive OK for 10-20 miles and then start acting up randomly....

 

Those are memory errors, time for a new PCM.

 

Is that the computer module? Where is best place to get one (cheap) and do they have to be programmed?

 

I would try your local parts store, and it needs to be programmed with your VIN. It may come that way, or, you might have to take it somewhere once installed, and have it done. ABS and SRS will be unhappy with a VIN mismatch, but, the engine will run.