Ram getting even worse

From: Terrible Tom (SilverEightynine@aol.com)
Date: Tue Aug 29 2006 - 22:47:14 EDT


ok - today the Ram did its thing again, stumble, loss of power, enging
RPM dropping to almost idle speeds, misfires, backfires, jerking etc...
and wouldnt stop. I just made the turn at the end of my street to go to
work, and it started - I looped around the block to come home, the
entire way with it threatening to blow a rod... finally stopped a few
minutes after I got in the drive way.

I'm totally fed up at this point. No check engine light, I had long ago
changed my power programmer settings back to stock (still using the tire
correction programming however) and it was doing this befor ethe power
programmer. So I know thats not it. With the neon down still and
Christine not finished... I can't afford to have this truck broken down.

I have not tried anything yet to fix it... but in the past I changed the
cap, rotor, plugs, wires, and TPS sensor. I'm pretty certain the
throttle body and intake needs cleaning, but even a filthy TB shouldn't
cause this violent and drastic a problem. I've never come across
anything like this before.

I want to buy a scan tool... I looked through the books at work today
breifly, and I can pick up some professional shop style equipment but
for almost $400. Thats a leeetle more than I can afford. Does anyone
have any suggestions for an alternative? Jon? What software program did
you use on Adams Dakota back in 2002, when he had problems? I don't
have a Wintel platform computer I can use however. ALmost thought of
buying Bill Whites laptop - but if I'm going to drop $200 for that plus
software - I may as well buy a full fledged scan too...

What I need to do is monitor in real time, the sensor data and record it
while I'm driving - to catch what ever the hell this is. I'm not going
to start throwing $100 bills at parts until I get lucky and fix it.
Seeing as I have no idea where to start, besides the usual suspects of
ignition componants - which - like I said - I will check as soon as I
get some time. A crank shaft sensor can cause what this is doing... and
I wouldn't be shocked if thats what it turned out to be. its as if the
timing is all of a sudden - thrown off and then it just stops when it
feels like it. Shutting off the engine and restarting fixes it... so
I'm more inclined to suspect electrical instead of mechanical.

Yes I'm also considering the possibility it could be an ECM issue...

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------
Rocks are for skipping... I'm all about the mud
75 Honda CL360, 89 Dakota, 89 Dakota 4x4,
95 Dakota 4x4, 96 Neon, 01 Ram 4x4
http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
AIM & Yahoo: SilverEightynine



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