As you can see I'm new here,having found this site while searching for answers as to why my truck has gone wild.
I've searched but have not found anything close to this problem. I have a 1996 Ram SLT. I just got this truck and I'd like to keep it but it has gone nuts.
I had some problems earlier with it shutting off or not being able to idle. After cleaning up the throttle body and assorted parts that went away.

Then one day while driving it just lost all power like driving on half the cylinders. If you rev it up it would pop and sputter. Now it has sat for awhile and it starts fine and idles fine but will not rev past 2500 rpm period. It just seems to choke it's self out after 2000 rpm. There's also some clanging type of noise coming from underneath,I cant seem to lock down from where it almost sounds like from the transmission pan? Maybe? Any ideas?

Should I just get rid of it and try again? I'm a disabled vet and this truck helps me to get around alot easier than a small car or truck plus it's kinda comfy so like I said I'd like to salvage it.

Thanks in advance for any ideas you all might have.

 

Sounds like you very likely have plugged catalytic converter. It's common on a vehicle that age, and especially with our rams. By the Way thank you for your service. I am also a Veteran, but luckily did not have to make the sacrifice you did.

 

Any ideas what that clunkin sound is when it tries to rev? It ran like a beast right up till this.
As for the service no thanks needed,wished I could go back and do it again. (just minus a few things)

 

the clankin is the inside of the convertor that has fallen apart rattling around inside....im 99.99% sure that is your problem

Steve-o

 

oh crap that sounds bad. It weird all this happened out of no where. Would the converter breaking cause the loss of rpm's as well?

 

The cat could definitely cause the loss in rpm's. If it completely plugs up it won't run at all. I just had mine start rattling. As Tommy said the Ram cats are prone to falling apart insde and if it gets bad enough it plugs off the exhaust.

 

So i just might have won the Ram loto? Coverter and clogged cat. If the cats clogged the dmv smog testers suck! they tested it a few months ago. Well at least I have somewher to start looking at it again.

 

Dont know if it helps but no check light or codes on it either.

 

Just to clear things up it sounds like your catalytic converter is falling apart which is making the noise and causing the performance issues. The internals of the catalytic converter fall apart, rattle around and eventually plug up causing loss of power and sometimes if it plugs bad enough it won't run at all.

 

Were I live in Canada there's no emission testing so I just yanked my catalytic converter out because it started rattling and I knew it would be long until it plugged up. So now I have no catalytic converter and I haven't set off the check engine light.