I'm brand new to the site so I apologize if I missed a post about the problem I have. I was driving up the highway, about 60 mph, when my Ram 1500 E.C. 4x4 started losing power and finally wouldnt go over 15 mph. It was laboring. Would not turn over 2000 rpms and it sounded like a jet engine when I put it to the floor. Again, no rpms... no speed. It would start right up and idle but the minute I touched the gas pedal, it would start to bog and spit and sputter. I have plenty of oil pressure, temp gauge looked good, and coolant gauge looked good.

I should say that, for a while now, it has been burning real rich... the tailpipe is black around the end and I could visibly see "carbon" coming out the tailpipe. It also was getting horrible fuel mileage.

Can someone help me out? Its Sunday and I can get the parts I may need but no one to install them so I'll do it myself.

THanks alot in advance


Jerry

 

i had a similar problem...my truck just completley lost all power...and my tranny started making noise and enverything...it was bad news...i couldnt do over 15-20 mph with my foot to the floor and the intake sounded depper than normal and i couldnt hear any exhaust tone...my cat was clogged and i needed a tranny rebuild...i put a new magnaflow cat on from summit...$150 and a tranny rebuild for $1700...i think i just had bad luck that the cat went at the same time as the tranny...hope this helps or gives u an idea

 

Thats exactly what mine is doing although the transmission works great. Would the plugged Cat allow unburned fuel through causing the carboned up tailpipe? Is the cat difficult to replace or can I bypass the cat somehow. We dont have emissions check where I am at. Zip 55616.... thanks for any and all help..

Jerry

 

You were very likely burning rich, most often because of an oxygen sensor going out. When an o2 sensor fails, it usually will tell the engine that it is running lean, the engine's pcm in turn runs the engine overly rich. That was the beginning of your enigma. The increse in fuel and carbon buildup in the exhaust clogged your cat till it failed. Get a new cat and check out your o2 sesnors. should be back up and running in no time.