Just curious, I own a 98 Ram 1500 with 75,000 miles on it an recently I added a catback exhaust and Mac cold air intake. It seems that lately (within the last 5,000 miles) that the truck is getting harder to start (like winter starting for example) and it runs kinda rough until the temp gets up to about 120*'s or so. Should I have had my computer re-flashed for the add-on's that I did or is there something else going on? I just tuned it up today, but the plugs, cap, rotor and wires all looked to be in pretty fair shape (bought it used so I'm not quite sure when the last tune-up was). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hard to start as in takes a while to fire? If you let off the key and try again does it fire right up?

 

If I turn the key off after cranking a LITTLE bit and then refire the ignition; it starts right up.

 

Mine was hard to start around the same mileage. Would keep turning over and not fire. Let off the key and hit it again and would fire right up. Ran fine once it started though. After about 6 months it sputtered after starting and made it to work. Next morning it made it 300 yards from dealer. Ended up being the fuel pump. Heard someone else on hear refer to a check valve.

 

Yup, the check valve is part of the fuel pump/sender assy. and not replaceable seperately...it keeps the fuel from draining out of the lines to aid in faster starts...sounds like it could be the culprit...possibly an injector leaking down also...an indication of that is a nice puff of black smoke on startup from all of the excess gas sitting in the cylinder.