The van in question is a 1999 B1500. Yesterday after starting and driving for about a mile I stopped for a minute. It was never shut off. When I got back in it was not charging, I need an alternator and I knew this, so I tried to rev it up to get it back. After hesitating the throttle stuck open for a few seconds. Then when I tried it again the pedal was very soft and it had a hesitation, almost a cough before it reved up. I put it in gear and it immediately died. It would not resart. The only way I could get it fired back up was to keep the accelerator to the floor while turning it over. It took a few but fired back up but would not idle only die. To get it in gear and keep it running you have to feather the accelorator to keep it running until you could get up and move. Once it was going it seemed to be ok. I only drove it home so I am not sure about how well it would run under anything other than in-town speeds. I am sure that it is a sensor but the CEL never came on. Also like I said the pedal is now much softer than before.

It has plenty of fuel
Fuel pump cycles correctly
Exhaust has strong gas smell

Help!!!

 

First you'll need to fix the alternator issue. Without correct operating voltage, the computer isn't going to read all of the sensors correctly and the fuel pressure is going to be lower than it should. Once the alternator has been replaced, see if the other problems go away. If they don't feel free to get back to us.

 

Will do. One other thing that it has been doing. On hard acceleration such as passing or going up hill it has a tremendous spark knock. Sounds like a diesel. I figured that it was the low octane fuel or the knock sensor. Also forgot to mention that it is a 5.2L (318).

 

The knock could be due to a bad Idle Air Temperature (IAT) sensor. I believe on the 5.2 it's screwed into the corner of the intake below the throttle cable and has a 2-wire plug.

 

Again, to Alloro's point, unless the charging problem is fixed the ECM might do wacky things with fuel pressure and timing to cause your knocking.

 

Ok looks like everything is fixed. Replaced the alternator and the throttle control sensor and we are running good.

Please see my loosing coolant post, I need help!