Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncements
Discussion Groups
By Brand
BMWChevroletDodgeFordGMHondaLexusMercedes-BenzNissanPeugeotToyotaVolkswagenOther Brands
By Topic
4x4 CarsRVsDrivingMaintenance & RepairCar AudioCollectible Cars
Country Specific
Australian ForumsUK Forums
ArticlesAuto InsuranceBuyingCars & TechnologyMaintenanceMiscellaneousSafety
DMV Resources
Related Topics
MotorcyclesBoatsMore Topics ...

Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Trucks / February 2008

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

99 Ram van runs bad now

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
Jeepers363 - 05 Jan 2008 17:18 GMT
I have a 99 Ran van 2500 w/318. Engine light was on and the code said
number 5 sparkplug was bad. It ran OK but it lacked full power. I
parked it and used my jeep for a few weeks and went to use it
yesterday but it would not start.
I changed the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor, and got it started. It
ran, but it was popping like a wire was wrong. I reset the wires, one
was wrong, but I went by a drawing I made first before I checked the
firing order. I didn't think my drawing was wrong but the firing order
said it was. Now it only will idle and will bog and stall when it is
revved up. I reset the computer by removing a terminal for five
minutes, but it still does not run. I checked to see if I was given
the wrong plugs bu Autozone but they were correct.
Any thoughts? My wife said to take it to a "real mechanic" but I'm
stubborn and always fixed my cars myself. C'mon now don't let me admit
defeat.
Nosey - 05 Jan 2008 21:57 GMT
> I have a 99 Ran van 2500 w/318. Engine light was on and the code said
> number 5 sparkplug was bad. It ran OK but it lacked full power. I
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> stubborn and always fixed my cars myself. C'mon now don't let me admit
> defeat.

Did you get Bosch Platnum spark plugs? I've seen engines run very poorly
with them.
Signature

Ken

Jeepers363 - 06 Jan 2008 00:56 GMT
> > I have a 99 Ran van 2500 w/318. Engine light was on and the code said
> > number 5 sparkplug was bad. It ran OK but it lacked full power. I
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> --
> Ken

Autolite Platinum.....it idles fine, when you give it gas it bogs,
almost as if if the timing is off...maybe it's not advancing. How is
that checked?
Nosey - 06 Jan 2008 01:30 GMT
> Autolite Platinum.....it idles fine, when you give it gas it bogs,
> almost as if if the timing is off...maybe it's not advancing. How is
> that checked?

With a timing light?
Signature

Ken

Tom Lawrence - 06 Jan 2008 05:53 GMT
> With a timing light?

Or a scan-tool (not just a code reader, but a more advanced OBD-II scan
tool)
Jeepers363 - 06 Jan 2008 19:05 GMT
> > With a timing light?
>
> Or a scan-tool (not just a code reader, but a more advanced OBD-II scan
> tool)

Fuel pressure is 4lbs at the RAIL...I think I found the reason. Why
would it crap out just by sitting? Maybe it's got water in it and
froze up (wishful thinking). Anyone had the fuel pump install pages
from the service manual that they can scan and send to me? Looks easy
enough, but need to know if there is any surprises. Thanks
PeterD - 07 Jan 2008 00:06 GMT
>> > With a timing light?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>from the service manual that they can scan and send to me? Looks easy
>enough, but need to know if there is any surprises. Thanks

Probably the biggest surprise will be the price... <g> Are you saying
it actually ran with 4 PSI rail pressure? That's amazing!
Jeepers363 - 08 Jan 2008 12:55 GMT
> On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 11:05:48 -0800 (PST), Jeepers363
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Probably the biggest surprise will be the price... <g> Are you saying
> it actually ran with 4 PSI rail pressure? That's amazing!
I was wrong (well the first pressure gauge was) I put another gauge on
it and I do have 49 lbs. I had a suspicion about the first gauge. Now
all I have to do is figure out why it does not run. I have spark, but
is the coil putting out enough juice?
TBone - 08 Jan 2008 14:56 GMT
How exactly are you hooking your gauge to the fuel rail.  Does your vehicle
have a test port?  If so, did you test the pressure with the vehicle
running?  There are two things that have to be taken into account, pressure
and flow.  While you may have enough static pressure, your pump may be
plugged up and unable to give you enough fuel flow at higher RPM's.  I would
flow test the pump and look for any contaminants in the fuel while you are
at it.  IIRC, you say that it idles ok and if so, I doubt that your
injectors are plugged so you should be ok there but it is not a bad idea and
not expensive to remove them and have them professionally cleaned and flow
tested.

Signature

If at first you don't succeed,  you're not cut out for skydiving

>> On Sun, 6 Jan 2008 11:05:48 -0800 (PST), Jeepers363
>>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> all I have to do is figure out why it does not run. I have spark, but
> is the coil putting out enough juice?
Jeepers363 - 11 Jan 2008 16:34 GMT
> How exactly are you hooking your gauge to the fuel rail.  Does your vehicle
> have a test port?  If so, did you test the pressure with the vehicle
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> > all I have to do is figure out why it does not run. I have spark, but
> > is the coil putting out enough juice?

It doesn't idle anymore, but seems like it wants to start. Fuel
pressure is fine, rechecked at the test port at rail.  Any spray in
the throttle body does not make it run either. Coil was changed, still
doesn't start. I still have good spark. Could it be the crank position
sensor? Is there any way to check that?
TBone - 18 Jan 2008 05:14 GMT
>> How exactly are you hooking your gauge to the fuel rail.  Does your
>> vehicle
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
> doesn't start. I still have good spark. Could it be the crank position
> sensor? Is there any way to check that?

How much fuel are you spraying into the throttle body?  It take more fuel
than you might think to get it to fire off that way.  How do you know that
you have good spark?  Do you have a timing light?  If so, make sure that you
are firing off that spark at the correct time.  There are a few tests that
you can perform to see where the problem is.  As said before, use a timing
light to make sure that the spark is being triggered and at the correct
time.  This will help to confirm that the crank and cam position sensors are
working.  The next easy thing to do would be a compression check on a few
cylinders.  Low compression across the board could indicate a jumped timing
chain.  Since you are lucky enough to have a fuel test port, there are a few
things that you could do there as well.  Hook up your gauge and turn on the
ignition to build up pressure then turn off the ignition and see if and how
fast the pressure leaks down.  If it leaks down quickly that would indicate
either a leaking injector or a failing check valve in the fuel pump but that
in itself probably wouldn't
stop your vehicle from running.  If it holds pressure, then remove the fuel
pump relay and turn have someone turn the key to the start position and
watch the fuel pressure.  It should fall off fairly quickly and if not, you
are not injecting any fuel.

To diagnose that, you would need either an analog multi-meter or a digital
volt meter and a continuity light.  Disconnect the electrical connector from
one of the injectors and with the ignition on, check for 12V between one of
the pins in the injectors electrical connector and ground.  You may need to
crank it for a few seconds while performing this check for the computer to
sense the engine cranking and power up the injectors.  If you get no voltage
on either pin, then the injectors are not being powered up which could be
caused by a wiring problem, bad computer, or IIRC, a failing crank position
sensor.  If you get power on one pin and you are using an analog multi-meter
(needle type), then set it to continuity and connect one lead to the other
pin and the other to ground and have someone crank the engine.  You should
see the meter pulse as the engine cranks.  The computer fires the injector
by pulsing its ground connection.  Digital multi-meters don't work well here
as the pulse is to short for many of them to respond properly.  If you are
using a continuity light, it should flash briefly as the engine cranks.  If
no ground pulse is detected, then again, you could have a wiring problem
(ground issue), a bad computer, or the cam position sensor is failing.

Since you are getting spark, it seems unlikely that either sensor is the
problem and in most cases, either one of them would set a code and light the
check engine light if they were not working.  It seems to me with the
conditions that you described up to this point like you got some bad fuel
that either has excessive water or has plugged the injectors and that's
where I would look.

Signature

If at first you don't succeed,  you're not cut out for skydiving

Jeepers363 - 03 Feb 2008 18:03 GMT
> >> How exactly are you hooking your gauge to the fuel rail.  Does your
> >> vehicle
[quoted text clipped - 95 lines]
> --
> If at first you don't succeed,  you're not cut out for skydiving

Clogged cat converter. Runs like a top now.
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2008 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.