'96 Ram, starving of fuel or clogged cat?

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

mine started doing that about a month before I sold it, never found out what the problem was unfotunately. doesn't really matter now bc the chick I sold it to wrapped the **** thing around a tree

Then why is it still in your ava?

 

[edzy 10+ year member]

"My dad is a tv repair man, he's got this ultimate set of tools, i can fix it"

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

if you can't get any help from these yahoos try a dodge forum.
http://www.dakota-durango.com is one i used go to a lot, tons of info and knowledgeable people. i know your truck isn't a dakota or a durango, but its got the same engine.

p.s. - if it is you're fuel pump, i hope its not like my dakota and located inside the tank... that's just annoying.

What...? That's ridiculous. That's not even a good design.

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

If it was a ford vechile of any kind. Id say yeah check that. But very uncommen for that to even go bad on this type of system. MAF sensor is located in the throttle body itself.

I cleaned one the other day on a Ram that was having similar problems, cleaning the MAF fixed it.

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

and you have no formal education. so stfu. im not going to argue over the internet because I know im right.
anyway, tear down the motor? you're retarded. you just jack up the front end, take off the tire, rotate the crank with a 17mm socket after you remove teh spark plugs, check the pointers to make sure its aligned with the head, and you should be golden. If they arent inline, then you jumped a tooth.

but you knew that...right? ***. also, he has 170,000 miles. not 250. reading pwns you. I dont have first hand experience? you dont even know who the **** I am. I've been swapping motors into hondas and acuras, nissans and toyotas. Ive done ecu tuning and more dyno runs then your fake *** has watched on the internet.

dont try to discredit me. you have no idea who the **** you are talking to. you ever hear of fischer motorsports here in chicago? I work there ***.

Two classes away. Humm. Interesting. I assume you are in school right then being there is no classes for ASE tests you go take the test, pass or fail. Anyways. Why would you jack it up then remove a tire. Just to rotate the crank. To look at the crank mark and spark plug. I assume you mean #1 cylinder. Still would you really be able to tell if It has jumped a tooth. I would gather to say he would have to pull the timing belt cover off to look at the TIMING marks on the cam and crank as he turns the crank. And puts #1 cylinder on top dead center compression stroke.

Dbfan187.....Im sure you have fixed alot of cars trucks. See coming on here its sooo hard to tell what is wrong with his/her vehicle. As what I say to my boss alot of times with noises. I am not the person who drivers the vehicle. I can only fix the noise I hear. His bogging down term/meaning. Could be it just miss firing like crazy. Not saying he means that but you get my point.

Im just happy the OP has made other posts in his thread as others on here make a thread then never read it or say what they did. If they even do anything we say.

 

[grooverider 10+ year member]

you take off the tire so you have access to the crank bolt dummy. lol

i suggest putting a straightened wire hanger or a dowel rod down your cylinder to make sure its at tdc

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

you take off the tire so you have access to the crank bolt dummy. lol
i suggest putting a straightened wire hanger or a dowel rod down your cylinder to make sure its at tdc

LOL. you need to go through the tire wheel to get to the crank bolt. On a truck? lmao. Are you short? I think you got his truck mixed up with a car. Where you would need to take a tire off to get to the crank bolt. 2 classes away from ASE Ayy

 

[JeepSound 10+ year member]

Alright, I've been working the last 2 days so not much has been done but heres a little update...

Unhooked the fuel line and shot fuel 20ft down my driveway so the pressures fine...

Reset the computer and then couldn't get it to start.

It will now start but only with my foot to the floor while turning it over and once it starts it does the same thing but worse. It's acting like the fuel pump even tho I have ample pressure. It's as if it's getting too much fuel...?

Weak spark was my next thought. I've been told a few times now that the coils on these things are extremely common to go out, and since that's my cheapest route right now, I'll think I throw a new one in there tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

Alright, I've been working the last 2 days so not much has been done but heres a little update...
Unhooked the fuel line and shot fuel 20ft down my driveway so the pressures fine...

Reset the computer and then couldn't get it to start.

It will now start but only with my foot to the floor while turning it over and once it starts it does the same thing but worse. It's acting like the fuel pump even tho I have ample pressure. It's as if it's getting too much fuel...?

Weak spark was my next thought. I've been told a few times now that the coils on these things are extremely common to go out, and since that's my cheapest route right now, I'll think I throw a new one in there tomorrow and see what happens.

Now is that key on Engine off lol. You really need to check that with a pressure gauge. So you know whats going on with the pressure when the truck is running. Doing it that way your are missing a few tests. There still could be a issue with the fuel pump. Do you have a dmm with a low amp prode clamp???

Other thing too. When you say it only starts with your foot on the pedal. Is this just in park. Then you have to keep your foot on the pedal to just get it out of park and into drive.

Wheres grooverider at??? Still no response from my last post lol.

 

[JeepSound 10+ year member]

Okay so....

Got the check engine light working and pulled the coolant sensor and MAP sensor codes. Replaced them and now the truck will start on it's own, and idles fine but will still bog under throttle. Now it's better than it was before, but my exhaust is making a really odd sound. I've never really heard it before and it's kind of hard to describe but it's sort if sounds like an extremely loud vaccum leak through the exhaust....

Which brings me back to the clogged cat. Would that cause my bogging under throttle and odd noise from the exhaust?

I know it's a fairly vague description but I'm really starting to get frustrated here.

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

You could rent a guage that will check back pressure. The instructions on how to do will come with the kit. Simple as taking a O2 sensor out and putting that in there.

 

[JeepSound 10+ year member]

Another update....

After som repeated beating on the Cat, the odd noise that I heard seemed to die down. So I hopped in the truck and what do you know... I can rev past 3/4 throttle!

I still have a lack of power and it will kind of spit/sputter at full throttle but I can atleast drive it somewhat now.

Looks like I'll be ripping the exhaust off and cleaning out the cat tomorrow.

 

[edzy 10+ year member]

well, if you think the cat is bad, maybe drill some breather holes in it near the inlet for now till you get it replaced. Ya, its a hack. Seems odd that it clogged with only (shit I forget) 100k miles?

Did you clean the iac?

Heres a pic thread on it,

http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114679

It helped mine when it ran sluggish.

I got a 2001 dodge 3.9