Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram #789280
08/31/10 04:11 PM
08/31/10 04:11 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,304
WI
RestoRick Offline OP
top fuel
RestoRick  Offline OP
top fuel

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,304
WI
Looking for some ideas.

'99 Dodge Ram 5.2L

About a month ago coming up to a stop sign, I had the truck stumble, start idling rough and then die.
Wouldn't restart. Popped the hood looked around for anything obvious, closed the hood, hit the key and it fired right up and was fine until last week.

g/f takes it to work, wouldn't start after it sat all day. She tried numerous times. Tried it with the throttle at different positions too.
Had it towed home. I hop in after it's dropped off the wrecker and it fired right up!

It didn't trip the check engine light on either incident.
I just scanned it for trouble codes.. nothin'
Tested fuel pressure... it's 49# before firing it up. 50# when it's running and with reving it. The needle does quiver rapidly about a pound, if that means anything.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to check for spark when it's not starting yet.

What next?

Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: RestoRick] #789281
08/31/10 04:16 PM
08/31/10 04:16 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 954
garnett kansas
rhad Offline
super stock
rhad  Offline
super stock

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 954
garnett kansas
im gonna guess that it might be the crank position sensor,ive had to replace them on my dakota and jeep,i dont know how to test them?

Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: rhad] #789282
08/31/10 04:48 PM
08/31/10 04:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 755
Tempe, AZ
L
loco340cuda Offline
super stock
loco340cuda  Offline
super stock
L

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 755
Tempe, AZ
I had this same exact problem with my 99 5.9L Durango. It would do the same thing that you described and then just die. Sometimes it would start right up and other times it would take a little while before it would start. I took it to two different dealers to have it looked at and they could never find anything. Everytime it never tripped a code. It got to the point I could not trust the car becuase it would just die for no reason when you were driving. I did some research on this and found a website (I don't remember the web address) where a bunch of people were complaining about this and their dealers as well as Chrysler would not do anything about it. I have heard theories that it is the computer, the PCM box, blah, blah, blah. I never found the problem and never found any information about what it is caused by or how to fix it but when my wife was in the middle of rush hour traffic and it stalled out twice I decided that this is now a safety issue and I was not going to have this car as the family vehicle so I sold the car a couple of years ago.

The worst part about this problem is that it is not consistant. It might happen a couple of times in a week or so and not happen again for another 8 months.

Sorry I was not any help but I wanted to let you know that you are not the only person this has happened to. Let me know if you get this solved, I would really like to know what fixes it.


70 Cuda 340 4 speed - now stroked to 416ci (SOLD)
2017 Mustang Shelby GT350
Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: loco340cuda] #789283
08/31/10 05:08 PM
08/31/10 05:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,931
P
Paul_Fancsali Offline
master
Paul_Fancsali  Offline
master
P

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,931
I would check the coil and see if it is rusted Most of the vans I had that quit or acted up were due to plugs being shot or coil that was rusted and bad. For some many thought the 360s etc were equipped with platinum plugs which they were not, other things that can cause this are the crank sensor but that should drop a code. The coil did not generally trip the engine light

Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: Paul_Fancsali] #789284
08/31/10 09:25 PM
08/31/10 09:25 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 163
Winnipeg, MB
S
sreinheimer Offline
member
sreinheimer  Offline
member
S

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 163
Winnipeg, MB
Check and make sure they battery is good and fully charged, IAC and Throttle housing is clean and your trans fluid is full. The last one i had it turned out to be the trans fluid was low and would stall when coming to a light.


69 Dodge Charger - first full resto 05 Dodge Magnum R/T
Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: sreinheimer] #789285
08/31/10 09:52 PM
08/31/10 09:52 PM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,872
connecticut
pnypwr Offline
master
pnypwr  Offline
master

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,872
connecticut
id say crank sensor have changed dozens of them


"Are you gonna bark all day lil doggy? Or are you gonna bite?"


05 ram 2500 ctd
74 gremlin x 360
65 mustang 347
70 coronet R/T 440
03 Mach 1
Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: pnypwr] #789286
09/01/10 10:28 AM
09/01/10 10:28 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,487
God's Country Maryland
GODSCOUNTRY340 Offline
top fuel
GODSCOUNTRY340  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,487
God's Country Maryland
Quote:

id say crank sensor have changed dozens of them


Change the bad crank sensor.


I love the smell of Deer guts in the morning, it smells like... VICTORY!
Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: RestoRick] #789287
09/01/10 02:12 PM
09/01/10 02:12 PM
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 447
NJ
JCCuda Offline
mopar
JCCuda  Offline
mopar

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 447
NJ
I'm pretty sure it's your fuel pump. In-tank pumps will do as you described. My 2000 Ram 1500 5.9 shut off while driving down the highway. I had the truck towed and when they dropped the truck it fired right up. For a couple weeks prior to it just shutting off on the highway it was cranking longer in the morning before starting. I changed the pump, problem solved. It started like it alway's had and hasn't stalled since and that was over 2 years ago. I've also had this happen on other vehicles sometimes banging the tank (or bouncing around on the tow truck) will get the pump working again but only temporarily. Good Luck!

Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: JCCuda] #789288
09/01/10 03:33 PM
09/01/10 03:33 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,371
Costa Mesa, CA
C
chache876 Offline
pro stock
chache876  Offline
pro stock
C

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,371
Costa Mesa, CA
Quote:

I've also had this happen on other vehicles sometimes banging the tank (or bouncing around on the tow truck) will get the pump working again but only temporarily. Good Luck!




GM vehicles? They have a huge problem with the wiring harness contacts loosening up and banging on the tank reconnects the connector (at least until you hit the next speed bump)

Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: Paul_Fancsali] #789289
09/01/10 11:42 PM
09/01/10 11:42 PM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,565
tennessee
P
pushbutton Offline
pro stock
pushbutton  Offline
pro stock
P

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,565
tennessee
Quote:

I would check the coil and see if it is rusted Most of the vans I had that quit or acted up were due to plugs being shot or coil that was rusted and bad. For some many thought thethings that can cause this are the crank sensor but that should drop a code. The coil did not generally trip the engine light


Check the coil wire at the dist. end.

Last edited by pushbutton; 09/02/10 11:16 PM.
Re: Intermittent no-start problem... 99 Ram [Re: pushbutton] #789290
09/02/10 11:20 AM
09/02/10 11:20 AM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,304
WI
RestoRick Offline OP
top fuel
RestoRick  Offline OP
top fuel

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,304
WI
Thanks for all the tips...

I'm starting with the cheapest first...
I threw a coil & crank position sensor on it.
The coil was a Made In Japan aftermarket that had some swelling of the magnet part. The crank sensor was the original 169K miles unit.

Fuel pump hasn't given me any other indications either... always starts quickly, etc.

Seems like the most logical possibilities since it hasn't dropped any codes.
Time will tell..

Rick







Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1