# 1999 Ram running like a hotrod?



## Eggie329 (Nov 25, 2009)

For the record heres my truck's information.

1999 Dodge Ram 4X4 with the 5.2 V8 with 135,000 miles

I've been trying to figure out what is wrong with my truck. It was running fine for a while the other day and I went to fill it up with gas. After I left the gas station I drove it about 30 minutes. When I got to where we were plowing, it started running real rough and shaking. At some points it wouldn't go over 10 MPH. So I let it sit about 5 minutes and It ran fine for about 15 minutes and started doing it again. I barely got it home and ran the codes and it showed mis fires on 3 of the 8 cylinders. I figured since it started after filling it with gas it must be bad gas, so I treated the gas with a double ration of Heet. It ran fine for a while and started misfiring again. Anyone have a similar issue. We have eliminated most of the common causes such as the timing chain, plugs, wires, and distributor since it only does this at times. It did this over the summer twice and both times it had the low fuel light on and was fine after I filled it up. It also did it about 3 weeks ago while I was salting when the low fuel light came on and then was fine after filling it up. Any ideas or help is appreciated.


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## DieselRam99 (Dec 23, 2010)

I had a 96 ram with 5.9L and it kind of did the same thing. It would idle rough, I would disconnect the battery and touch the cables together and them it would run fine for awhile. It did this for about 2 years off and on and then the fuel pump went out. Changed the pump and it ran fine afterwards. Can't really change the fuel filter as its in the tank.


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

DieselRam99;1193348 said:


> I had a 96 ram with 5.9L and it kind of did the same thing. It would idle rough, *I would disconnect the battery and* *touch the cables together *and them it would run fine for awhile. It did this for about 2 years off and on and then the fuel pump went out. Changed the pump and it ran fine afterwards. Can't really change the fuel filter as its in the tank.


What does that do


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## Chiputz (Dec 28, 2010)

Some vehicles just by disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes will clear the computer memory and it will reprogram when you fire it back up.


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

Chiputz;1193861 said:


> Some vehicles just by disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes will clear the computer memory and it will reprogram when you fire it back up.


This I understand but what does holding the cables together do after they are disconnected?


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## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

take a sample of the gas and make sure you dont have water in it. i had that happen once, we filled a 16 oz water battle with some gas from it and let it sit for a few minutes, when it settled it was half water.


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## mnglocker (Dec 24, 2008)

Do you have an early model that still has an EGR provision?


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## Chiputz (Dec 28, 2010)

NBI Lawn;1193968 said:


> This I understand but what does holding the cables together do after they are disconnected?


Sometimes, I've been told, grounding the positive clears the memory also. I never came across one that needed to be grounded but who's to argue the point. Good Luck.


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## slongfellowii (Dec 29, 2004)

Have your fuel pressure checked. Sounds like the fuel pump going bad.


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## theguynextdoor (Sep 18, 2007)

I have had a few problems like this. Once my truck stopping running out of no where. Wouldn't start, then would run fine again during the storm. Sometimes would run very rough and misfire until it died again and wouldn't start after that. I found out that the ignition coil shorted out and fried the crank shaft position sensor. 

Right after I put my new engine in, the truck was running horribly, misfiring and back firing. Kind of sounded like a hot rod. Ended up being a bad crank shaft position sensor that napa gave me. 

Could be a million things, let us know what you find out.


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## MrSnow (Oct 31, 2010)

I have a 1994, does the exact same thing when the low fuel light kicks on. Matter of fact it was doing it today while I was out on my salt route. I was told it is dirt or air in the line somewhere due to the positioning of the fuel pump. I have never had it continue though after I filled up. #8 cylinder likes to miss a lot for a while afterwards, but it too has always worked itself out after 30 minutes or so. I have the same motor,


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## Chiputz (Dec 28, 2010)

NBI Lawn;1193968 said:


> This I understand but what does holding the cables together do after they are disconnected?


I talked to a buddy last night who is a Dodge mechanic. He said disconnecting the cables clears the short term memory. Grounding the two cables together clears the long term memory. He said shorting the cables together on anything newer than a 2002 could wipe out the complete memory of the computer and would require a dealer to re flash the computer. Hope this helps.


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## Eggie329 (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks for the information. I wasn't even planning on running it in our storm the other day, but figured I would give it a try. Started it up and it ran fine after sitting for a few days so I took it a filled it up with a full tank. It ran for about 18 hours straight only misfiring 2 times, but unlike before when I had to let it sit and cool down it would shake it out and run fine after about 10 seconds this time. I've been driving it quite a bit and has been fine until today. The hard part is it never acts up when I'm on my way to a shop since they can't trouble shoot if its running fine. Darn!


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