I have a 1989 Dodge Ram 250 with a 5.2. Daily driver work van. It had been giving me hard starting problems lately and a occassional misfire while driving. I went on a lond trip last week and on the way back it began to misfire heavily. I suspected wires and fidled with them. I limped home with lots of misfiring.

I thought it must have been faulty plug wires. I replaced the wires and the distributor cap. It did not fix the issue.

When I start the engine, it takes several cranks to get it to start. When it starts it idles pretty smooth with an occassional sputter.

When I put it in gear, I press on the gas and I must nearly press it to the floor to get it to move. It is like its bogging down. It sounds just like it would if you put your foot on the brakes and hit the gas. Completely bogged down with very little power.

When I take it out on the road, the engine will bog down bad and occassional it will engage and run right for a second and then go back to bogging. Its like it has a loose wire, but I cannot find a loose wire anywhere. I have tripple check all my spark plug wires and even started it in the dark looking for sparks.

Where do I begin ?

 

Fuel pump, if yours has a separate fuel filter you can try changing it out first. If changing the filter does not work then change the pump for its pressure is weak.

 

Perhaps it's a bad TPS (throttle position sensor.)

 

I changed the TPS and that had no effect on the issue. The fuel pump runs but it does not seem to have enough pressure. I removed the regulator and turned on fuel pump. It only shot gas about about 1 inch from the throttle body. It was pretty weak pressure. I believe it is a fuel pump. Does everyone agree ? I want to be sure before I go dropping the gas tank.

 

Considering the pressure should be up around 40 psi or more, I'd say 1" is a very weak fuel stream.

 

Does your van have a fuel filter on the passenger side forward of the rear axle? If it does have you changed it? A clogged fuel filter will reduce the output pressure of the pump. If it is internal or you have recently changed it then I would definitely change out the pump.

I also agree that the pressure is very weak from your description.