Help diagnosing problem with truck running

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kylelie22

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Posts
1
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Ram Year
1992
Engine
318
Hey guys i have a 92 w150 318.

About 6 weeks ago my truck started having this problem where it would randomly die while driving.

Sometimes after dying the truck will start right back no problem and i wont have a problem with it for a couple weeks.
Other times the truck will fire up for a second and then die again, die as soon as i put it in gear or it will crank with no start.
when it cranks with no start sometimes it'll start after a couple minutes of sitting and other times it'll have to sit much longer (3 or 4 weeks ago it took about 90min of sitting to start up again)

Today I learned how to read the trouble codes on it and i got codes 12,33,37,52,55. (I don't know 100% if these are the correct codes as i had to have someone else read them for me so ill leave a link to a video of it cycling through the codes below)
from what I've read i can disregard codes 12 and 55.
i also believe i can ignore code 33 as it has something to do with the A/C circuit and my truck came from the factory without A/C.

I think the cause of the problem lays in code 52.
I know code 52 is for the engine running too rich but i read on another form a faulty ignition component could be tripping the code.
What makes me think this is the cause of the problem is my ignition seems pretty worn out (i can start the truck without a key and pull out the key while its running, although the ignition lock still works)

I'm hoping someone more experienced can give me some insight here.
I've never had to deal with something like this and i want to have some idea what I'm doing before i go tearing into my truck.

link to code cycling video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIYoHQj4Fis

sorry if the formatting is ****** this is my first post.
 

Sniper X

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2016
Posts
114
Reaction score
13
Ram Year
1991
Engine
318
This sounds exactly like what heppened to mine shortly after I got it. It turned out to be the hall effects sensor or what many refer to as the ignition module in the distributor. It only took about 15 minutes to change out, and I seem to remeber the good premium one I got from NAPA was only about 60 dollars or less. However, this is also what the faulty going out fuel pump did to me for months off and on before it went out. Your truck is old enough now to just do the ignition in the distributor first anyway just to make sure it doesn't fail at the worst time and if that isn't it it is probably the fuel pump.
 

Sniper X

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2016
Posts
114
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Ram Year
1991
Engine
318
Here it is from Napa

https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/ECHMP827/ECHMP827_0239467558

You remove the dizzy cap, there are two screws both allen head cap scrrews, one on each side one in front and one in back 180 degrees from each other. Remove them, take the old one out, put the new one in , and replace the screws tightly. Put the dizzy cap back on and fire her up!
 
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