Wassup everyone! New guy here. I need a little help. I have a 98 ram w/5.9l. I bought this truck in 2000 with 50xxx miles.2 years ago I replaced the plugs, wires, cap and rotor.</P>


Yesterday, while driving at low RPMs the truck began vibrating badly. It now idles rough as if it has a dead cyl. . I have read that the way to retrieve engine codes is to cycle the ignition (on,off,on,off,on w/in 5 sec.). I have tried this several times and cannot get the code to kick up on the odometer display. I have read posts on this webpage that implied that this method of code retrieval does not work for some vehicles. Is another method necessary to get the codes? Am I doing something wrong/out of sequence? Am I brain damaged? </P>


Any help would be much appreciated!!! </P>

 

You need a code retriever, and if you dont want to buy one, autozone or a mechanic should be able to retrieve them.</P>


</P>

 

I hate autozone. I used to work there. The only things I remember them offering for OBD is the little metal "key". Have they finally gone high tech and now provide error codes via electronic devices? I'll give them the benifit of the doubt and run down there. Thanks </P>

 

OK, I stand corrected, Autozone does have the electronic ones! Well I havent worked there in 6 years. Anyway, somehow the check engine light went out. Is it posible that I could have reset it by screwing with the ignition when attempting to get the code? Well, I went to autozone and they hooked it up to the code reader. Guess what! Since the check engine light is not on, it is not reading a code. Could this be why I could not get the codes to begin with?The light was on and it began to flash before I parked it.</P>


Does anyone have any idea what is going on with my truck? HELP </P>

 

when the check engine light comes on, that means that somewhere there is a malfunction in your truck (could be any number of things, there are almost, if not more than, 1000 error codes.) when the problem is fixed, the check engine light will remain on until the ignition is cycled about 40 times. (this varies per year, i think the '98's are this way. if the problem does not return after 40ish starts, then the check engine light will go out. if the light is not on, then the computer is not detecting a problem. if it returns, which is might, get a code reader and get the trouble codes. then you are on your way. if you want, you can pm me the codes you get and i will tell you what the problem is.</P>


hope that helps.</P>


aaron</P><edited><editID>5.9rm</editID><editDate>37977.6434490741</editDate></edited>

 

Thank you for the response. I bet I know why the check engine light went out then. I bet I turned the ignition key 40 times while trying to get it to spit up the codes. Now the light is out but it still runs rough as hell. So what are my options now? The computer is not spitting a code. </P>


Thanks again for the response. Any help is most appreciated<IMG src=smileys/smiley32.gif border="0"></P>

 

OK, The check engine light came on again and I got the code. The #8 cylinder is misfiring. </P>


</P>

 

OK, I've found the problem. The #8 plug was fouled. Man that plug was nasty. Now Im wondering how it got so nasty? A compression test showed a little over 100 psi. Thats not good. Now I'm wondering if I have a valve problemor maybe a broken piston ring. Any ideas/comments?

 

Are you getting blue smoke at any time...start-up, idle, accelerating?

 

I only get the blue smoke on a cold start. When the truck has been sitting for a day or so. I start it up, I get the smoke from the exhaust for the first two or three seconds, then it stops smoking.</P>


Merry Christmas </P>